What could happen to a girl who travels alone? (PHOTO+VIDEO!!!)

-Who are you travelling with?

-Alone.

People were a bit skeptic when I was  talking about my trip(s). I knew that I would need better preparation, because I was definitely main person I could count on. The only thing I was a bit worried was my space orientation, but with strong faith in wi-fi, I hit the roads.

  

St. Paul and Peter fortress was the first landmark of my visit to Russia. 

-St. Paul and Peter fortress?

-(complete ignorance)

-Петропавловская крепость?

-Направо.

Knowledge of Russian and Cyrillic reduce your opportunity to get lost in Russia up to 500%. 

Cyrillic - one and only!

I was imaging fortress as a big, green space, where people are chilling out, and few buildings where you can enter, paying the ticket. But in St. Paul and Peter fortress, you can't see that much without paying. On every step there are different kinds of museums - from Museum of Torture to Museum of Cosmonautics and Missile Artillery. It is one very historical place. If you want wonderful sunsets and hanging out with the friends, close river side is much better option.

In front of Torture museum

I didn't have that much time to visit everything. So, I bought the ticket and focused on St. Paul and Peters cathedral, with the tallest Orthodox bell tower on the world and Bastion prison, where some of big names like Gorky, Morozov and Dostoevsky  were during the period of revolution.

St. Paul and Peters Cathedral

Prison room

One of prisoners

I also saw many rabbit statues between museums. The disadvantage of not having a guide it that some interesting facts you have to find by your own, on Internet.

"There is a legend according to which, one rabbit trying to escape the flood, jumped on the boot of Peter the Great, who was getting off the boat to the island at that moment. To commemorate this event, island was given this name, and just from here the foundation of St. Petersburg began. The sculpture has also become a particular monument dedicated to St. Petersburg floods."

Where the Saint Petersburg history began...

-Hi. Why are you travelling alone?

-Hi. I am doing a research.

That was the way how complete stranger started conversation with me. He was walking with a female friend. I got a hug and call for a coffee.

Ok, I was considering. I really felt safe in Saint Petersburg, so I didn't reject the call completely. I don't use to give my phone number to a random strangers, but Facebook has one good option in the case of emergency called "BLOCK", so I shared my contact detail and next day I got a call for cinema.

Saint Petersburg had a premiere in my life on big screen, so I wasn't interested in any other, less real scenes. When he told me that he was going next day to Mariinsky theater...I think that was the moment when I decided to see him again. I had booked ticket for "Swan lake" as well, but for a different day. 

One of the really unique experiences in Saint Petersburg is the bridges opening during the night, so the big cruisers could pass. We booked tour. And while Neva was cuddling with boat docks, he was excusing for his non-perfect English and talking to me about his concert orchestra, in which he plays domra, his playing in restaurants, about his visit to Slovenia, where he was performing on one music competition. 

He also made a small research about me.

-Is it boring for you to travel alone?

-No. I am good company to myself.

I asked Arseny Markov, this young musician from Moscow about his views on life or artist in Russia. He wrote me:

"I recently finished my studies at Academy of Music, so it is difficult for us to talk about the fate of the artists in Russia. I'm not saying that the life of musicians is complicated in Russia. Of course, the fate of everyone has its own and develops on its own way. I believe that every profession has its own complexity, and each profession consists of specific activities. In order to become a professional musician, you need to learn and get a lot of experience: 4 years at college and 5 years at university. I have everything folded quite successfully.

Our orchestra of Russian folk instruments returned from Touring in Slovenia recently. We represented a program made up of Russian music. The audience reaction were really good. It's wonderful that we have such an opportunity, to perform at concerts in different countries.

But still, I know one short verse: heavy and the unlike life of the Russian artist."

Arseny Markov

So, if you want to discover more about his music, here are some links he shared with me:

His YouTube profile

Profile of his orchestra

And directly from my inbox...

After the night on Neva, I went to Mariiansky theater, dream work place for ballet dancers from whole world.

Mariinsky Theater

It is the place for true  ballet lovers. I totally fall in love with these small, retro binuculars. I thought that people took them from home, but then I saw that you could rent them in theater. 

Binuculars

Mariinsky is also a place where you can find comfortable chair to lay between acts.

Sleepy audience

IMPORTANT NOTE: When the show has more than one act, and you want to stay in contact with the virtual world during the whole show, do not even try to come without power bank.

Yes, this was during the pause, but trust me, it was continued during the show

(maybe they were chatting about impolite girl making photos of random people)

The truth is that is cheaper to chat from some coffee bar, room or park, but in that case you can't add location and "attending the show" activity to your posts. The price of prestige is usually high.  

But what if the friends ask about the show?! That is easy...you can always say "it is a Mariinsky...it is Tchaikovsky...I didn't expect less." The advantage of classic plays is that you can always say that you like it, that words are needless, because some people with good art seanse proved that decades and decades ago. ;) 

P.S. Girls, I am pretty sure that all the strangers are dorma players and theater lovers, take this text with a small grain of salt, but be the brave to give the chance to amazing moments to happen.