We traveled to Russia in early May, marking the furthest north we had ever been. We changed our plans from Iceland due to unforeseen circumstances and impulsively decided to go to Russia. We were unprepared for the trip, as everyone warned us against traveling to Russia without a tour guide. We took the risk, despite the fact that direct flights from Thailand to Moscow were suspended. We had to fly via Singapore, which added to the journey. Fortunately, Thai citizens do not require a visa to enter Russia. The Russian government granted free visas to Thailand as a gesture of goodwill when our Queen visited Russia on behalf of His Majesty the King over a decade ago. This is a point of pride for Thai people, as even Americans and Europeans require visas to visit Russia.

This trip to Russia only covered two cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg, two popular destinations for first-time visitors to Russia. I must say that I found them to be incredibly safe and convenient, even more so than traveling in America. As they say, you have to experience things for yourself. Sometimes we are too influenced by Western media.

In early May, Russia was still experiencing the tail end of winter. The frigid temperatures that famously contributed to Hitler's defeat were no exaggeration. Even during our visit, temperatures remained below freezing most days. This was especially true in St. Petersburg, where we were exposed to the full force of the Baltic Sea's open winds, the Arctic winds from the north, and the Siberian dryness from the east. The cold penetrated deep into our bones, and the wind was so strong that it could easily bend traffic light poles.

St. Petersburg: A City of Contrasts

This review begins with a leisurely stroll through the city, soaking in the atmosphere. St. Petersburg, while not a sprawling metropolis, boasts landmarks clustered close together. Some, however, require a trek beyond the city center, pushing the limits of the metro system. Thankfully, the weather wasn't scorching, but the occasional frigid day felt like venturing into a refrigerator, complete with a dusting of snow. Romantic, perhaps, but a walk through such extremes, whether hot or cold, proves equally taxing. Even for someone like me, who enjoys the cold, the experience was a mixed bag.

Among the prominent landmarks are the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (pictured above), St. Isaac's Cathedral, and the Winter Palace, home to the Hermitage Museum. This review, however, will hold off on exploring these treasures for now, focusing instead on a leisurely tour around the city.

Traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg is straightforward. Moscow's public transportation system is highly convenient, especially the circular metro lines that pass by major landmarks, including Komsomolskaya Station, where the train station of the same name is located. This station offers direct trains to St. Petersburg. Trains operate throughout the night, with two options: the Night Train, departing Moscow around 11 pm and arriving in St. Petersburg in the morning (booking is recommended, especially on weekends due to high passenger volume), and the High-Speed Train. We opted for the High-Speed Train due to its speed (4 hours) and relatively affordable price compared to the Night Train. However, if you enjoy scenic views, the Night Train might be preferable, as the landscape between Moscow and St. Petersburg is predominantly flat plains without mountains or significant rivers. The Night Train offers compartments for four or two passengers, with the latter being more expensive. The High-Speed Train is the most expensive option.

We reached St. Petersburg in just four hours, as planned. The high-speed train was comfortable and modern. We checked in at the Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg, which, as expected from the brand, offered high standards. However, the price was very affordable because we were not visiting during peak season, and the ruble was significantly weak. The cost was around two thousand rubles per night. I will provide a review of the hotel itself in a future post.

The hotel is located in the business district. It takes about 30 minutes to walk to the old town. For example, we walked to the Church of the Spilled Blood on the first day, even though it was snowing. However, to save time, I think it is better to take the subway. It only costs half a dollar or about ten baht per trip. You don't need to buy a smart card for frequent travel. It is more convenient to buy tickets per trip. Especially when we went to top up the smart card, the machine swallowed our money. The standard is the same in Bangkok, Paris, and St. Petersburg. T___T

The main landmarks are located around the circled area on the map. Our accommodation is located opposite the city's largest shopping mall, which houses the Moscow Sky railway station, which connects back to Moscow. Take the green line and get off at Gostiny Dvor station after one stop. This is a comfortable starting point for exploring the city of St. Petersburg. The station is also close to the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, making it a great starting point.

From this point, we braved the wind, rain, and snow all day. We were incredibly lucky, as clear skies in St. Moritz during this season are rare. Our three-day trip was filled with wind, rain, snow, and clear skies for a day and a half. Fortunately, the remaining day and a half were exceptionally clear. Additionally, the sun began setting later in the evening during this season, not until 8 pm. Around 5:30 pm, the sky started to clear again, making for a comfortable walk.

Saint Petersburg is like a big city where people live in a hurry. The traffic jams are no different from Bangkok during rush hour. But because it's so cold here, when the sun is out, it's a great feeling to sit in the sun, sip coffee in the garden, and watch other people rush by. Walking through the alleys that connect every street according to the city plan, which is one of the best in the world, and stopping by a local coffee shop like Starbucks, which can be found on every corner of the city. The name of the shop is Кофе Хауз, which we jokingly read as "Gopi Sexy" because we don't know Russian. But in reality, this word is read as "Kofi Khauz" or "Coffee House" in English. The menu has a wide variety of coffee, fusion coffee, pastries, and Western food as usual.

From Gostiny Dvor station, we took the metro one more station to Admiralteyskaya, which is right on the Baltic Sea. Although it was only one station away from our starting point, we wanted to get off because this metro station is the deepest in the world. It's like going down an escalator that almost puts you to sleep. And if you were to fall down, it would probably feel like tumbling down a cliff face, because it's both high and steep. Those who are afraid of heights might tremble. In addition, this station is close to prominent landmarks such as the Hermitage Palace, the Navy, and St. Isaac's Cathedral, giving us a chance to take pictures. From this point behind the palace, we crossed the bridge to the island across the sea from the city (or maybe we took the metro to Gorkovskaya station). On this side, we could see the city of St. Petersburg on the waterfront, with the Hermitage Palace as a beautiful backdrop. We could also take a walk at the Peter and Paul Fortress. Unfortunately, we went back on a day when the fortress was closed, so we could only walk around, which gave us a very romantic atmosphere. Sitting at the mouth of the Neva River by the Baltic Sea, the atmosphere was perfect for someone to confess their love. Oh, at this fortress there is a church where almost all the tsars of the Romanov dynasty, the last dynasty of Russia, are buried.

To conclude our walk, we ventured a little further to St. Petersburg, as I was eager to see the blue-roofed church featured in the tourist poster, known as Trinity Izmailovskly Church. Unfortunately, the sky was a bit overcast, preventing the vibrant blue from contrasting beautifully with the white church.

Next time, I will take you to visit various places in the city. Please stay tuned. Thank you for visiting.

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