We've had the worst luck with weather this entire trip. Russia was no exception.
After staring at a father and son who we shared opposing train seats with for 6 hours from Tallinn to Saint Petersburg, we promptly got ripped off by our cab driver who drove us to our overpriced hostel that had "pet" mice (why does a hostel have pet mice?! After living in NYC, the last thing I want in my living space is mice) and because the walls were so paper thin, come night, the nocturnal spinning ensued and Rick systematically dismantled the wheel of one mouse, while jamming a pencil into the wheel of the second mouse (though I think he wishes it was into the mouse itself). We maybe had a chance at sleeping except for the teenage looking couple next door who's bed was squeaking all night (I don't even want to know).
Lesson learned? We are too old for hostels. (Especially Rick. haha)
So because of the lovely hostel experience plus the depressing weather, I barely took my camera out and because I didn't want to pay extra to bring it into the Hermitage, I used Rick's iphone for all the Hermitage photos.
Russia has been quite the challenge thus far.
