After a delightful train ride, we arrived in St. Petersburg around 8 PM. When we stepped outside the train station, it was already dark and the temperature had dropped to -10°C. Snowflakes were gently falling from the sky. I felt as if I were in a winter wonderland. I looked up, opened my arms, and with my mouth open, tried to catch the snowflakes. As I walked, I noticed many people had not covered their ears, while I was wrapped up in two layers, much like a little child. After enjoying this brief walk to the taxi, we headed to our home in Sertolovo, which took almost 45 to 60 minutes. Upon arriving, the sight of the snow piled up at the gate and surrounding areas gave me goosebumps. At the door, Aksinia and Taras greeted us warmly. It was wonderful to see them after such a long time, especially since we had only spoken over the phone.
After freshening up, we enjoyed a cup of tea together. I went to bed early, feeling quite exhausted, and that marked the end of the year for me.
The next morning, I woke up around 8 AM. I meditated for an hour, finishing just as the sun was rising. Looking out the window, I saw a world covered in a milky white blanket of snow. The sun's rays added texture to the white crystals, making them sparkle like diamonds.
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| View From Room with Rising Sun |
Whenever I visit a new city, I enjoy taking a morning walk to appreciate its beauty when it's quiet and serene. I noticed that everyone in the house was still asleep, so I dressed in thermal wear, jeans, and two jackets, and headed for the door. Just then, the Fairy Godmother intervened, saying, "No, no, it's freezing outside -20°C to -30°C. These jackets are for autumn; you need something warmer!"
I thought, with the sun shining, it might be manageable, but she insisted on dressing me in a scarf, a warm hat, and an additional jacket suitable for -30°C. I looked like a panda, but once properly bundled up, I felt ready for the frosty adventure. Outside, it was indeed very cold, though thankfully there was no wind. A narrow path had been cleared through the snow to access parts of the house. The snow was up to my knees, and I saw a swing in the snowy garden. I tried to approach it but found my foot sinking into the snow and decided to step back—no more adventure for me! Later, I ventured out of the gate to explore the neighborhood. Cars were covered with snow blankets, and the houses and trees were enveloped in white. I walked about 100 meters but realized that if I continued, my legs might get too cold, so I decided to head back home. At the gate, Indi, a cute little female dog, greeted me with Tatiana. Indi always showed affection, and we went inside to play.
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| Panda / Astronaut Suite |
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| Garden |
After breakfast, we headed to a store, which was about 1 km away. Being in this snowy paradise felt incredible, although walking on the snow was challenging, and I slipped a few times. Seeing my struggles, Aksinia held my arm and guided me until I became accustomed to walking on the snowy road. Along the way, I saw some yellow snow and was surprised, but they explained it was dog or animal pee. Oh, okay!
There was a river under a bridge that was completely frozen, and the 20-minute walk to the store was pleasant. The prices at the store were similar to those in Indian markets, except vegetables were a bit more expensive and less varied. However, there was a wide selection of other foods. After shopping, we walked back home and enjoyed tea with cookies, nuts, and chocolate. On the compound wall of the house, Aksinia had created a small house for squirrels and filled it with nuts. Wild squirrels came one by one to eat, and it was heartwarming to see these well-fed creatures, cared for by the kind-hearted Shevchenko family.
In December, the sun sets very early, around 4 to 4:30 PM, and it gets dark quickly. In the evening, we relaxed with tea and more cookies. It was a perfect holiday for me.
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| Walk through Snow to Store |
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| Frozen river under the bridge |
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| Panda Enjoying Sleeping |
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Cute Squirrel
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The next day, in the afternoon, we went to a well to fetch fresh drinking water, which was about 1 km away. Even a walk in the snow felt like an adventure to me. The well was across the main road and was covered by a roof like a small house, with a bucket and chain already in place. Taras was pulling out water without gloves; I couldn’t even imagine doing that, even with gloves, as I still felt the cold. Taras truly is a strong man. On the way back home, I noticed a tree with some kind of fruit used in chai, and I also saw what might have been cranberries.
In the evening, we visited Grandpa, who lived on the other side of Saint Petersburg, about 60 km near the Gulf of Finland. Grandpa is very nice and healthy. Although he doesn’t speak English, we managed to converse with the help of translation apps, discussing topics such as World War II, Russian history and current events, and the India-Russia relationship.
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| With Grandpa. |
After a while, Tatiana suggested going skiing with Grandpa’s vehicle. I was initially hesitant, thinking, “Who goes outdoor sports in freezing cold at 9 PM?” But being open to new experiences, I joined Tatiana, Prokop for some skiing on a nearby hill, just 100 meters away. They had a skiing vehicle, and we took turns skiing. Initially, I was apprehensive about falling, but I managed to get the hang of it without any spills. I had always dreamed of skiing after watching videos, though I didn’t think I could do it. But I did it well! After 2-3 rounds, my legs started getting cold, so we decided to head back home. When we returned, Aksinia was a bit worried since we had been out in the snow for a long time and might have frozen like snowmen! After some chit-chat, we went back inside. It was an awesome day. Whether it’s day or night, the Russians carry on as usual, and I’m slowly learning their way of life.
Each day was thoughtfully planned for me, and today we visited the Hermitage Museum. The Hermitage, formerly a palace of the Russian Tsars, is now a museum located in the central area of Saint Petersburg. On the way there, we passed by stunning buildings that could have been churches, museums, or monuments. Everything in Russia is so beautiful, even the street lamps on the bridges over the rivers look like chandeliers or ancient monuments.
When we got out of the taxi, the wind was biting and freezing, making it feel like metal spikes were pricking my face. Fortunately, Natsya had purchased tickets online, so we avoided the long lines of tourists waiting in the cold for entry tickets. One impressive feature in Russia during winter at tourist spots is the large cloakrooms provided to store heavy winter jackets, allowing you to enjoy the exhibits without feeling like a snowman!
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| Might be Cathedral through taxi |
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| Street Lights over Bridge |
The Hermitage is the largest museum I have ever visited. It features walls adorned with depictions of historical events, stunning paintings, artifacts, and much more. Natsya guided me through the museum, explaining the paintings, statues, and their historical significance. I was fascinated as we moved from one chamber to another.
One particular chamber dedicated to Egyptian history was remarkable, filled with mummy caskets and mummies on display. It was the first time I had seen such a large collection of Egyptian artifacts. There were also paintings depicting war heroes from the time of Tsar during Napoleon Bonaparte’s attacks on Russia. The visit to the Hermitage deepened my curiosity about Russian history, the Tsars, and Napoleon. On my way back to India, I watched numerous documentaries about Russian history. It was impressive to learn about Russia’s glorious past, its resilience through challenging times, such as during Hitler’s attack, and its unyielding spirit. Natsya Said It can take whole week if look each everything in Hermitage So we move fast and cover important parts.
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| Tsar Living Hall |
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;)
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| Zeus |
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| Marvelous Stone |
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Stone Gasket of Mummy
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| Mummy of Priest |
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Awesome Painting
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| Awesome |
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| Cupid ;) |
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| Madly in Love ;) |
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| Tsar |
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| Someone Important figure ;) |
Taras, who was my personal photographer for the day, took some great shots. After the Hermitage, we visited an Indian shop that sold spices and other Indian products. The owner knew the Shevchenko family well, as they frequently bought Indian products from him. We then went to an Indian restaurant, but it was so full that the wait time was 30 minutes in the freezing cold! 😳 So, we decided to try a Russian restaurant instead, where we enjoyed pancakes and tea, which was delightful. Why would I want to eat Indian food in Russia when you’re with local friends? I always prefer to try local cuisine, and the Russian restaurant was a great choice.
On Way We visited famous Kazan Cathedral. Interesting thing I got to know that In cathedral Men can not cover their head with cap etc. In this Cathedral there is woven crown of thorns, and wooden piece of Cross which he carried during his crucifixion. One must visit these 2 place when in saint Petersburg.
Later, I tried to exchange some money but arrived too late as the bank closed at 6:30 PM. We headed back home, where we played a game involving shooting arrows and then retired to bed. With such good company from morning till evening, the days flew by quickly.
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| Cathedral from Inside |
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| Jesus With Crown and Original Wood |
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| Kaizan Cathedral from Outside |
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| Huge Xmas Tree at Entrance of Cathdral |
On January 4th, something quite unusual occurred: the water pipeline from the borewell to our home froze due to a record-breaking -30°C temperature. This led to a complete water shortage, leaving us without means to use the toilet or wash dishes. While it was unusual for this issue to arise so early in January, it wasn’t entirely unheard of. I was super thrilled to know this felt like movie scene. In 7days of my visit I am getting all experiences which once in while happened with someone in rare scenario.
Taras and I brought buckets of ice from outside and melting it over the gas stove, but our efforts proved insufficient. It felt like a cold summer—an ironic twist, given that in India, we often face water shortages during the hot summer months, while in Russia, we contend with freezing conditions. It was a curious juxtaposition of Russian winter and Indian summer.
Later that evening, around 9 PM, in light of the water situation, we decided to head to our city flat. Fairy Godmother suggested we go ice skating. Initially, I was like this time at the same time I was super excited. After navigating the subways, we arrived at the skating rink. We paid around 500 rubles, or perhaps a bit more—Fairy Godmother was in charge of the arrangements.
At the counter, we were given special skating shoes. Unfortunately, the shoes were a bit tight and pinched my feet. I tried a larger size, but still struggled to move comfortably. Perhaps it was just my larger Indian feet at play. Undeterred, Anyway I went to skating ground, stepping my baby footsteps with the help of Taras. Despite my efforts, I kept falling, and on one occasion, I inadvertently pulled Taras down with me. Undaunted, I persisted, though I continued to fall, much to my dismay. My bum took quite a beating! Eventually, I opted for a slider, which helped me move around more steadily. At times, I would sit on the slider while Taras pushed me along, giving me a little ride.
When Fairy Godmother asked me to hold on to her from behind, I gave it a try, but once again, I slipped and fell flat on my back. Thankfully, the layers of jackets I was wearing cushioned the fall, so it was relatively painless. Despite the challenges, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the experience. It was my first time trying ice skating, something I had only seen on TV, and it turned out to be an immense amount of fun.
I’m still smiling as I recount those moments. By nearly midnight, we returned to the city flat, filled with joy and memorable experiences.
The following day, we journeyed to our charming countryside home. Taras, a diligent young man, eagerly tackled the snow that had blanketed the pathways and the entrance gate along the main road. I joined him to expedite the task. Equipped with shovels and carts, we commenced our labor. Initially, I feared I would endure no more than ten minutes in the frosty air. However, as we worked, my body warmed naturally, and I scarcely felt the cold. We continued our efforts for about an hour, finding pleasure in the unexpected exercise.
That evening, we attended a captivating opera at the illustrious Mariinsky Theater, a masterpiece of architectural splendor. We were graciously gifted tickets by Tatiana’s artist friend from the play. Though the performance was in Russian, subtitles gracefully adorned the top of the stage, guiding us through the story. To see the performers up close, Aksinia provided us with small magnifying lenses, which proved to be quite helpful.
The show was a visual feast, with its stunning stage, elaborate costumes, and enchanting decorations. During the intermission, Aksinia shared with me the rich history of the Mariinsky Theater. We savored a delightful coffee before returning to the performance.
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| Corridor of Theater |
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Person Who started New Theater =
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The opera’s theme revolved around the months of the year and the onset of winter. It told the poignant tale of a young girl who was mistreated daily by her stepmother and stepsister. One day, the Queen, longing for special flowers that bloom deep in the forest in October and announce big prize. To get the big price Stepmother and Sister sends the girl on a quest to find flowers. Despite the harsh winter, the girl ventures into the forest. Though she suffers greatly, she helps those she encounters along the way and eventually faints from exhaustion. Moved by her kindness and pure heart, the months of the year come together to assist her, and she ultimately finds the flowers. The story concludes with a heartwarming resolution for the girl.
At the end of the performance, the cast took their bows, and the audience responded with a resounding applause, creating a truly magical atmosphere.
After the show, Fairy Godmother and Pokop joined us for the journey home. That night, we enjoyed a lively game of darts, followed by a meal, engaging conversation, and a restful slumber.
On the 6th, my final day with the Shevchenko family, I rose early and dedicated a few tranquil hours to meditation, immersing myself in sutta and the serene silence. I poured out my heartfelt metta to the family who had embraced and cared for me with boundless love. Special metta was reserved for Aksinia, the birthday girl, as we celebrated her special day with a joyful cake-cutting ceremony.
The day carried a weight of bittersweet emotion. Over the past seven days, I had never felt like a guest; instead, it was as if I had returned to a cherished home, and these wonderful people were old friends from a past life. The hours were spent in warm conversation, sipping tea, and playing with Indica, the delightful little dog.
In the evening, Fairy Godmother, Taras, and I ventured to the city house, for my train to Moscow was scheduled for 2 a.m. We enjoyed a final meal together, and I managed a brief rest before the journey. As I prepared to leave, Indica, sensing my departure, quietly came to rest beside me, seeking affection. I petted her and received her gentle kisses as a fond farewell.
On the taxi ride to the train station, I gazed in awe at the enchanting city of Tsar, cherishing the beauty of its streets for one last time.
