The presentations that I was so concerned about last week went surprisingly well: nobody heckled , they sat silently when asked if they had any questions (which may not be the most positive of reactions but it suited me), and then were enthusiastic when instructed to mingle by the teachers afterwards. In fact, we even made some friends!! The other girls and I were standing by, watching the boys get mobbed by a hoard of adoring Russian girls (Alex in particular seems to have a bit of a fan club!) when two smiling girls (both called Kate) introduced themselves. When we told them that we had no friends in St. Petersburg yet, they exchanged a glance, said "You can be our friends if you like?" and proceeded to take us on an impromptu sightseeing tour with their friend Mary (well, we walked past the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood on our way to Теремок!). Their English puts my Russian to shame, despite their protests to the contrary, and they're very patient with my attempts to communicate in Russian! Since the presentation, we've met up twice more, and the first time they showed us one of ПГУПС's best kept secrets, the canteen, serving tea for 3 roubles a cup - that would be about 8p!! Today, I told Kate about Durham (with much reference to Harry Potter!) and then was invited to choir practice - those of you who've heard me sing will be thankful to learn that I was only observing!! The teacher was absolutely terrifying but the singing was wonderful, even if I couldn't understand most of the words!!
Saturday was, without a doubt, the longest day I have spent here, again thanks to the presentations and the people we met afterwards. Three first-year students (who were only seventeen) took us on a sightseeing tour in the afternoon, and while it started with the best intentions at the Kazansky Sabor (Kazan Cathedral), it quickly descended into childishness. After all, when given a choice between the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood and the zoo, who wouldn't choose the zoo? And if the route to the zoo happened to pass a waxwork museum, who would be able to resist going inside? Certainly not us, and as the two attractions cost less than a fiver altogether, who can blame us? The waxwork museum was, admittedly, limited to two rooms, but it featured an impressive array of models (mostly unrecognisable and all faintly creepy). Some of our personal favourites were Captain Jack Sparrow, Freddie Kruger, Hitler, the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland (who bore more than a passing resemblance to a drag queen), some very strange looking dinosaurs and Harry Potter (who looked more like a girl than a boy, perhaps the sculptors were gender-confused?). The unrivalled favourite at the zoo were the polar bears (because who doesn't love them?), although the stray cat which I got to stroke came in at a close second for me!! Afterwards we introduced Rachel to the delights of raw fish at a nearby sushi bar (the Russians love sushi, and you can't walk down the street without passing a sushi bar) and drank the best fruit tea I have ever tasted - it smelt exactly like melting strawberry jelly cubes!
On the way home, I stopped in at Gostiny Dvor (think Harrods, only more Russian...) to impulse-buy a coat. In my defence, I did have a purpose for the coat, Tom's friend Masha (also from choir) had invited us to watch the bridges opening that night and I was slightly concerned that I might freeze to death in the process... The sales assistant couldn't have been more patronising if she tried (looking me up and down and then saying "It is very beautiful....with trousers or long skirt!!" *cue pointed glance at my miniskirt*) but the coat was beautiful, so I bought it anyway, having to sign the credit card slip for the first time in years!
Our night watching the bridges open was certainly interesting, Masha took us to see some of the city's most famous sights in the dark, culminating in us throwing 10 kopeck pieces at a statue of a cat at 1am - apparantly it brings good luck!! We were having so much fun with that that we missed the actual opening of the bridges, but we did see most of them while they were open as we walked several kilometres along the Neva between 2am and 4am - and they look incredible all lit up!! However, the next two hours walking back into town weren't quite so incredible, exhaustion-induced hysteria set in and we our attempts at conversation became increasingly banal - when I saw a poster for Elton John in concert I turned to Rachel and announced "I LIKE Elton John! Do you think it's REAL Elton John?" (We have since purchased tickets for said concert, so I hope it is real Elton John). Our night ended with cold chips and pizza in an all-night bar until the metro opened, and then somewhat warmer drinks in a nearby Кофе Хаус until we felt that it was safe to actually use the metro. So a good experience, but not necessarily one I'll be repeating!
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