Yesterday was sunny and warm here in St. Petersburg, a beautiful day. All four of us went for a ride on a boat through the rivers and canals of the city. I had never seen so many boats on the St. Petersburg waterways. With the movement of the boat making a slight breeze, the weather was just ideal. Like most such boat excursions there was a guide who gave a running commentary in Russian. Our guide was animated and spoke distinctly so I was able to understand most of what she said. I used my video camera and digital camera almost simultaneously often taking pictures upside down (knowing I could turn the picture right side up later.)
At the conclusion of the boat ride we went briefly in the Kazan Cathedral and then strolled down Nevsky Prospekt to Palace Square in front of the Hermitage Museum. We were hungry by this time and decided to go to a nearby kiosk for blini. On the way we walked through the courtyards of the Kapella building. My guidebook says that the building was home of the Imperial Court Choir established by Peter the Great. Now it appears to be a music school. While Tanya was asking about the time of a jazz performance in a restaurant, I saw a sign about a concert June 9th. I asked in a ticket window about the price of tickets and learned that it was free and would be at 5:00 p.m. It was then about 3:30 p.m. Svyataslov decided to go home while the rest of us decided to eat and go to the concert. As we walked through an underpass through the Kapella complex there were two guitarists playing – classical guitar. They let me video them. They said that they were students at the Kapella. They played with great skill.
The blini kiosk was on the same tree-lined street where the PCOM Choir had performed. As we walked by the St. Marie’s Lutheran Church I noticed an artist a few feet away down a side street making a painting of the church. I went over for a closer look and discovered that the artist was Ilaysov, the man from whom I’d purchased a painting of the Hermitage (with me painted into the scene) two years ago. He recognized me. The painting was about finished. I offered to buy it for 1,000 roubles ($35) and he agreed. I told him I would be back in a few minutes. We went on to have our blini on the street where we found a place to sit in the shade. Then I returned to Ilaysov and asked if he would again paint me into the scene. He readily agreed and suggested that I sit on the right of the church to balance the composition. So I sat on a convenient place to the right of the church for about 10 minutes until he motioned to me to return to him. Since the painting was tempura rather than oil, it was dry when finished. Ilaysov wrote on the back of it in English and Russian that the painting was a gift to Bill Goff from him and that the artist gives his permission for the painting to be exported. Then he rolled up the canvas in newspaper. I put it in my backpack and gave him the 1,000 roubles which he was happy to receive. I was delighted to have doubled my collection of Ilyasov paintings – both with me painted into the scene!
Down the street Tanya and her mom were sitting in the window of a coffee house sipping coffee and a grapefruit juice and sharing a dessert. Tanya had me make photos and videos of the two ladies of leisure. Their bill came to 339 roubles. I gave the cashier exact change and he spoke to me in English; I spoke to him in Russian. We congratulated each other on being able to use each other’s language.
The courtyard was nearly full with about 200 people in seats and others standing at 5:00 p.m. for the concert. At first we heard a brass quintet play Bach and Handel and (I think) Purcell. Then there was a string quartet with a harpsicord and an opera singer and then a basoon player who later played the oboe. I took about fifteen minutes of video until me battery died. After the concert we took some photos with the singer who turned out to be from Switzerland and spoke English, French, and at least one word of Russian – spaceebo (thanks).
Then we went home. As we ate our evening meal we watched the video of our day’s adventures and later looked at photos on the computer.
At the conclusion of the boat ride we went briefly in the Kazan Cathedral and then strolled down Nevsky Prospekt to Palace Square in front of the Hermitage Museum. We were hungry by this time and decided to go to a nearby kiosk for blini. On the way we walked through the courtyards of the Kapella building. My guidebook says that the building was home of the Imperial Court Choir established by Peter the Great. Now it appears to be a music school. While Tanya was asking about the time of a jazz performance in a restaurant, I saw a sign about a concert June 9th. I asked in a ticket window about the price of tickets and learned that it was free and would be at 5:00 p.m. It was then about 3:30 p.m. Svyataslov decided to go home while the rest of us decided to eat and go to the concert. As we walked through an underpass through the Kapella complex there were two guitarists playing – classical guitar. They let me video them. They said that they were students at the Kapella. They played with great skill.
The blini kiosk was on the same tree-lined street where the PCOM Choir had performed. As we walked by the St. Marie’s Lutheran Church I noticed an artist a few feet away down a side street making a painting of the church. I went over for a closer look and discovered that the artist was Ilaysov, the man from whom I’d purchased a painting of the Hermitage (with me painted into the scene) two years ago. He recognized me. The painting was about finished. I offered to buy it for 1,000 roubles ($35) and he agreed. I told him I would be back in a few minutes. We went on to have our blini on the street where we found a place to sit in the shade. Then I returned to Ilaysov and asked if he would again paint me into the scene. He readily agreed and suggested that I sit on the right of the church to balance the composition. So I sat on a convenient place to the right of the church for about 10 minutes until he motioned to me to return to him. Since the painting was tempura rather than oil, it was dry when finished. Ilaysov wrote on the back of it in English and Russian that the painting was a gift to Bill Goff from him and that the artist gives his permission for the painting to be exported. Then he rolled up the canvas in newspaper. I put it in my backpack and gave him the 1,000 roubles which he was happy to receive. I was delighted to have doubled my collection of Ilyasov paintings – both with me painted into the scene!
Down the street Tanya and her mom were sitting in the window of a coffee house sipping coffee and a grapefruit juice and sharing a dessert. Tanya had me make photos and videos of the two ladies of leisure. Their bill came to 339 roubles. I gave the cashier exact change and he spoke to me in English; I spoke to him in Russian. We congratulated each other on being able to use each other’s language.
The courtyard was nearly full with about 200 people in seats and others standing at 5:00 p.m. for the concert. At first we heard a brass quintet play Bach and Handel and (I think) Purcell. Then there was a string quartet with a harpsicord and an opera singer and then a basoon player who later played the oboe. I took about fifteen minutes of video until me battery died. After the concert we took some photos with the singer who turned out to be from Switzerland and spoke English, French, and at least one word of Russian – spaceebo (thanks).
Then we went home. As we ate our evening meal we watched the video of our day’s adventures and later looked at photos on the computer.
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