Peterhof

Fabulous day in Peterhof.  We took a Meteor hydrofoil across the Gulf of Finland - silver-steel-blue water - to Peter the Great's estate.  The view along the sea canal to the Great Palace and the Grand Cascade is stunning.  First we lunched on pancakes (Nick had red caviar on one of his) and then walked up the Grand Cascade, dazzled by the interplaying water jets, the golden statues, the view out to the blue bay.  The queue for the Palace was as long as for cabbages in the old days, so we went instead to Monplaisir, with yet more wondrous views out to sea.  It was here that Catherine heard about the coup against her husband - she hastened to Petersburg (one wonders how) and by nightfall was Empress of All The Russias.  The fountains are miraculous (more in later post).  Peterhof out-Versailles-es Versailles and out-Sans-Souci-es Sans Souci.  Unbelievable.

On the hydrofoil

Red caviar blin

Peterhof Grounds

Me by the Sun Fountain