The build-up prior to the departure was a little uneasy, as it was still uncertain whether Russia was going to extend their presence in Ukraine and the impact this would have on international travel.

It didn’t help, when I was asked by people where I was venturing off to, and their response was ‘rather you than me’.

If there’s ever an opportunity to jump on a boat tour, then I’m there. Not only did the trip take you through some of Saint Petersburg’s canals, but also out into the huge Neva River.
 
You get such a different perspective of a place from the water, I loved it.

 I didn’t realise that St Petersburg would have so many cakes. Although I was extremely pleased it did.

We spotted one café that had an enormous walk-in fridge with shelves full of delights. My excuse was that it was my birthday and the chocolate layered cake it had to be.

We came across were Pelmeni a savoury dumpling & Varenyky another dumpling but can be sweet or savoury. Also, Shashlik a skewered meat, very tasty.

We’re not normally spirit drinkers; however, we enjoyed a tipple at the local Russian Vodka Museum and restaurant.

The number of vodkas that they on their menu was incredible.

Definitely has to be the stunning, colourful architecture, without any doubt.

- Do a bit more research into this incredible city.
- Certainly, be a bit more adventurous. As majority of the signs were in Cyrillic script, we were a little too cautious.
- Stay longer than 3 nights.

This has to be on the flight going out, when the mother a young Russian family sitting behind us, asked the stewardess why the flight was so empty. The stewardess diplomatically replied, that there weren’t any cruise ships leaving in the next couple of days, so the passengers were fewer. But the son of the Russian lady quipped, ‘well we are flying into a war zone, what do you expect’. Gary and I did have to laugh…..
 
We didn’t need the hard hats after all, but we certainly needed the sun cream.