Petrodvorets palace, moose and watch

Morning at the Petrodvorets palace. The imperial-looking, majestic palace of the Tsars, reasonably well maintained, rubs sorely against all the current regimes stands for. But here it is, witness to history.

It is very hot! Even too hot, incredible as it may sound. it is an incredible complex of imperial palaces built by the Tsars, now a museum.

In the central fountain of the palace a moose is swimming around having fun! After repeated efforts, the guards manage to pull it out of the water, but he goes right back in. In the end they must turn off the fountains and lower some row boats in the fountain to get him out for good.

Andrew and I throw our American football around a bit. There is a larger than life statue of Lenin in a pensive, intellectual mood, sitting on a pedestal, and I sit next to him trying, with only limited success, to imitate his pose.

Soviet moose swimming

Trying to imitate Lenin's pose

In the evening, we have booked tickets for the opera, "la Traviata", but when we get to the theater there is no opera. The program has been changed and we are offered a mediocre ballet accompanied by recorded music. Disappointing.

I manage to buy a Soviet watch from the local "Raketa" factory. Pretty though not so reliable reputation. We'll see.

All is well that ends well however, and we splurge for another caviar and champagne dinner at the Moskva restaurant.

Pałac Kultury i Nauki

After our usual morning classes again for lunch in the university's cafeteria.  After which I go to the post office to call Rome. I am getting used to not having a phone at "home" as well as not having a phone number people can call me at.

Andrew and I then go downtown for a walk. Our target today is the Palace of Culture and Science. Highly controversial for some time, but we find really nothing special inside that we can access or appreciate. I actually kind of like the architecture of the Soviet style skyscraper, one of many such buildings "donated" bu the USSR to its socialist "brother socialist countries" in the 1950s, though it is easy to understand how Poles see is as a symbol of Soviet domination and therefore resent its intrusion into their capital's skyline.

Pensive Marco in dorm room, Italian flag on the wall

In the evening Ann goes out with Vadim, a Russian who is after her, and some Russian guys while Andrew and I decide to rest in our dorm. After a while, however, Andrew is bored and decides to go and check out the Hades bar/café our friends have recommended, but there is a concert tonight so not as much chance to socialize and pick up!