Wed. June 30, St. Petersburg, and a trip to Peterhof

This morning we took care of some business in the city (securing train seat reservations for our Saturday return to Helsinki, finding an ATM, and getting our passports registered with the authorities, since we are staying more than three days). Then a friend of Bella's drove us to Peterhof, a huge place of palaces, fountains, and gardens, where we strolled the hundreds of acres with thousands of other people. We found a bench in the shade and had a picnic. Frances found lots of things to play with, including an orange squirrel that came right up to her hand, but refused to take any food.

We came back to the city via a hydrofoil that docked near the Hermitage. From there it was a 15 minute walk past a gold-domed cathedral to the apartment, where we had a tasty home-cooked fish dinner.