Eclectic Home and Life: architecture

December 14th 2018

This year has been tough on both the physical and mental level. I am a strong person and have been rocked by the fact that I could nose dive into my own deep dark thoughts. In an effort to combat these and to return to my previous almost half a century-year-old self of being a bubbly, enthusiastic glass half full person I have begun walking and breathing in the fresh air on a daily basis and trying to live a little more slowly and take time out for me.

As I begin to advance in years and the children leave home, looking after myself and making 'me' the priority is possible. And do you know what? I am learning to enjoy it. I am one of life's givers and I flourish on helping my family and friends but I think maybe I burnt out. This is my time to look after me.

And I promised myself that the Christmas season would be no different to the past year, walking and taking things slow, care to join me on one of my walks earlier this week. I think wherever you live there is something to look at and see, be it in a busy city or out in the rural wilderness. I live somewhere in between and it suits me well...

On my walk, I spied several lovely wreaths and all so different...

And look how stunning some of the house features are:

Decorations are taken seriously:

And if you are a walking detective you can spy some very unusual features over the garden wall:

Nature even in the depths of winter has beauty:

Structural features of interest:

And from me to you on this sunny but cold winter's day:

♥ Be kind to yourself, you deserve it ♥

September 26th

Postcard actually bought in Russia

My husband and I took a sneaky four day trip with friends to St Petersburg earlier this month. Somewhere I have wanted to visit since A level history days, a few decades ago now...

I was not to be disappointed and in fact wish to return. On arriving at the hotel, we were all upgraded to suites and the week end just went from strength to strength, along with my tolerance for huge quantities of vodka!

So why St Petersburg, well our good friend decided to research and see what we should pop over there and find for ourselves, his top 10, not Lonely Planets was...

After much research..

Vodka - well derrr..

Metro - yep - trains and stuff - great.. oh and the architecture..

Egg - Fab's one not scrambled

Icon - the goldie painted bits of wood not Beckham

Icepick - the last thing to go through Trotsky's mind - though I think it's in Mexico not St Petes - shame

Caviar - with chips & ketchup of course

DOLL-in-DOLL-in-DOLL-in-DOLL - this only works if this email type font is received correctly..

Kandinsky - Silly Wassily.. some good ones though

Bear - preferably dancing in chains but I'm not fussy

Pavlova - the ballerina who performed 37 turns on top of a Pavlova.. it's true - Wikipedia says so... ah.. no.. it actually says ...on top of a moving elephant.. well that's obviously more sensible

I think this set the tone for the city break well! We managed all (to a greater or lesser extent) bar number 5.

Getting into the vodka spirit of Russia
on the flight to St Petersburg

Russian writing made no sense to me at all, this spells Astoria

Procuring the Russian visa was a story in itself and cost a fortune, I admit to glowing profusely at arrivals and passport control. All was very serious and as I had previously been in Russia at the end of the cold war without a visa and was detained for two days (don't ask) , I was worried they would remember me; thankfully I was allowed in and the Russian hospitality knew no bounds. Without exception everyone was warm and welcoming.

St Petersburg was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 who was out searching for a new spot to build a city when it is said he saw an eagle soaring up ahead whilst boating on the Neva Delta, which was seen as a good omen and so began building. Having been to Europe he was keen to build himself a majestic city and so the foundations of St Petersburg began with the famous Peter Paul fortress built on an island in the river. This was a brilliant strategic place as it allowed blocking of the entrance to incoming enemies.

St Petersburg is a much larger version of Venice, it has canals and rivers running all across it and you are never more than a few feet from water. The buildings are vast and majestic and there is a definite feeling of pride here both imagined from years gone by and now as still a show case for Russia.

We stayed at the Astoria hotel, in itself a historic building having played a part and witnessed much of the last 100 years history of Russia. Opened on 23rd December 1912 it quickly became the place to be seen and socialise. The Tsar and his family dined here and Rasputin brought his married lovers here. Two years later in 1914, St Petersburg was renamed Petrograd and by 1917 the Russian revolution began with much blood spilled on the square in front of the hotel. In 1929, the city was once again renamed to Leningrad and indeed Lenin himself gave a speech from the balcony of the hotel to his trusted supporters below in the square.

Between 1941-43 the city was besieged by the Germans and the hotel became a hospital.

As recently as 1991 the hotel was amidst the failed coup against Gorbachev but it has now been restored to its former glory and has welcomed many minor and major celebrities through it's doors...

View from St Isaac's cathedral over the square and our hotel on the left

The most beautiful elevator

Spent many a time in here

Afternoon tea Russian style was available every afternoon

Not my photo, as I forgot to take one! The
magnificent Winter Garden room at the hotel,
many a Tsar, Rasputin and Lenin to name but a few have dined here

Even our bathroom had a nod to Bond,
which we thought somewhat ironic

We had to sample different types
of vodka to get into the 'spirit' of it all, drunk
neat and very chilled, this is Russian style

'Nostrovia' is cheers in Russian

Our hotel right next door to St Isaac

Our first stop was to the largest orthodox basilica in the world and the fourth largest cathedral in the world; that of St Issac, named as such as he was the patron saint to Peter the Great who was born on the feast day of St Isaac.

Our last day, the weather began to become
more St Petersburg like

The columns and sheer size was colossal

Climbing the 250 plus step in a spiral to the colonnade at the top so we could walk around the drum of the dome was quite a puff but so worthwhile. I quickly dashed off from the others in the pretense to take photos when indeed I really needed to get my breath back, but what a 360 degree view. The blue skies and sun shining on all the gold domes and spires of St Petersburg made the city bright and light and magical. The photos as often is the case just do not do it justice.

Detail just everywhere

Winter palace in the background (green building)

Inside, St Isaac's was built to allow up to 14,000 worshipers to stand, as with all the buildings in St Petersburg we were to learn that everything was huge. They do not know how to do things on a small scale. Sadly the architect died just 24 days before final completion of the cathedral and despite his wish to be buried here was not allowed as he was not himself Orthodox. Being of French origin he was taken back to France to be buried. Finally in 1858 on the anniversary of the death of Peter the Great, St Isaac's was opened to the world.