Day 25 - 15/8/11 -Monday

OK, I admit, I am writing this entry out of order, post day 26, and I am currently on the bus to Tallin, however thinking of ways to take my mind off the next 7 hours.... so update diary. Hoping for a good trip, as much as an overnight bus can be. I like the option of some South American buses..... triple cama... basically a bus with complete folding flat seats... like first class on airlines. Anyway, this is not that....cattle class for us.

Today was a lesson on why it is sometimes better to have a guide, and know what is going on in a countries language. It all started with a planned trip to Catherina's Summer Palace, which was something Cinthia really was looking forward to. The metro ride was quick, however the mini bus ride was indirect, and therefore took 40 minutes instead of 20. The major bus would have actually been a faster, and cheaper ride, as we found out on the way home.

The palace gardens were nice, however within five minutes my luck turned for the worse. A bumbly bee hovered around me, and when I treid to shoo he, he decided to bite thee. Whilst luckily I am not allergic to bee stings, my finger throbbed for the next couple of hours, disliking the poison that had been injected into it. (Obviously I don't blame this part on the lack of a guide!). Nevertheless, it didn't put me in a great mood for the rest of the day.

Cinthia and I proceeded to walk around the gardens until we reached the rather huge Catherina's palace.

The fact that this was merely a holiday house again showed why the serfs and peasants continually rose up against the ruling Tsars, until the ruling elite were ousted, and eventually assassinated. Simply put, they lived their wealthy lives on the blood, sweat and tears (and often famine) of the peasants. What peasant could have worked on this mansion, and not been envious of its excess, and thinking the system unfair? It is a little hard to create an analogy in Australia, however imagine, if you will, Julia gives up her 'summer palace' in Altona, and decides to build some palaces in Circular Quay, Sorrento, and on Swan River, all using massive amounts of public money. No more $900 hanouts, instead taxed until you can hardly afford food. As politically apathetic as Australians are, I don't think they would stand for that.
We then made a crucial error, which turned our day to an underproductive and frustrating one. Since we had come this far, we decided to wait in line for entry into the palace. What I thought may be a 40 minute wait in line turned into a 2 and 1/4 hour ordeal, as the occassional entry of a block of people stopped for over 50 minutes. Once we had waited for over an hour we were committed to the line.... my stubborness, which I do admit to, wouldn't let defeat kick in. FYI, I'm male, Dutch, a Leo, and born in the year of the ox, so how could I not end up stubborn? When Cinthia (after 1 and a half hours) suggested we give in and that she needed a wee, I probably suggested she didn't need a toilet for that, or words to that effect. And that she could last anouther 10 minutes, which took about 30 minutes.

The palace interior was admittedly amazing (however we would rank it probably fourth behind the Hermitage, St. Isaacs and the Church of Spilled blood, which we didn't have to wait nearly as long to see.) We even had to wear hospital sterile like cloth covers over our shoes, such as not to damage or dirty the floor. When we returned we had soaked up a full tourist day for like return, a full 7 hours, which could have been used to see 3 or 4 great attractions in the city precinct.

I'm sure a decent guide could have advised up that the wait was likely to be a little longer than we anticipated. You live, you learn. That is all for now.