Monday, August 08, 2005
WOW! Has This Place Changed
BLOGOTIONAL RETURNS TO ST. PETERSBURG (FORMERLY LENINGRAD)
Today, a dream came true. After 14 years and one of the most shocking changes in modern governmental history, I have returned to a city that I love. After 10 years of a great marriage, I have taken my wife to that city, because I have wanted to bring her here since I met her.
I hardly know where to begin -- this is one of the most lovely cities in the world, and today was a lovely day. We spent extra money so that we could wander the city unescorted. Something I did when I was here in 1991, much to the consternation of the KGB. They ended up assigning someone just to keep tabs on me and a couple of buddies that had a habit of wandering from the crowd. Now all that priviledge costs is money.
This is, in so many ways, not the city I remember from the Soviet days -- it is vibrant and bright and busy, so different from the dull, monotone city I knew those years ago. No longer can I determine who is a Russian simply because they are wearing one of only 10 available clothing ensembles. No longer do the women wear little or no make-up. It could be Paris as easily as St. Petersburg - well sort of.
But with capitalism has come chaos. No longer can I wander Nevsky Propect relatively unencumbered by crowds -- now it is like the mall, I have to fight for every inch of sidewalk. No longer can I approach the Hermitage as if it is my private museum, now I must run the gauntlet of vendors and beggers, signs and directions so common in the rest of the world.
I am extraordinarily happy for the average Russian -- their life is thousands of times better than it was under the Soviet regime, but I am sad as this rich imperial city is overwhelmed by modernity.
Mrs. Blogotional, as if you cannot tell from her contributions to this blog, loves art. I have wanted to bring her here these many years for the Hermitage. We go day after tomorrow. I know she will love it, and it shall make me happy in ways I cannot describe to watch her joy. I do love her so.
But today we walked the cathedrals of St. Petersburg -- Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ -- St. Issac's Cathedral -- Kazan Cathedral.
St. Issac's and Resurrection are both, and have been since the Soviet days, "State Museums." They were the first two we visited and they made me a little sad. So beautiful, so marvelous, and so commercial. They were devoid of spiritual content during the Soviet days, but the commercialism rampant within their very halls now seemed almost sacreligious. Rather than build the gift shop outside, they have invaded the halls within and it was a bit disconcerting.
But then we went to Kazan and my heart leaped with joy. Women covered their head as they entered. People walked about the four points of the cross that is the church and circumflexed in the Orthodox style. They lined up to pray to and kiss an icon of the Virgin Mother. Their faith, superstitious as it appears to my protestant eyes, was alive in a way never possible under the Soviets, and tears formed in my eyes as I felt God's presence.
Were the same buildings not in the same places, albeit festooned with neon and signboard, were the streets and canals not running in the same directions, albeit with manifold more traffic, I would not have known this place. It has, for better or worse, absorbed so much of what we are. I rest assured that the faith restored will overwhelm the commericalism amuck as this nation finds its soul once again. God bless the Russians, they are a beautiful people.
Today, a dream came true. After 14 years and one of the most shocking changes in modern governmental history, I have returned to a city that I love. After 10 years of a great marriage, I have taken my wife to that city, because I have wanted to bring her here since I met her.
I hardly know where to begin -- this is one of the most lovely cities in the world, and today was a lovely day. We spent extra money so that we could wander the city unescorted. Something I did when I was here in 1991, much to the consternation of the KGB. They ended up assigning someone just to keep tabs on me and a couple of buddies that had a habit of wandering from the crowd. Now all that priviledge costs is money.This is, in so many ways, not the city I remember from the Soviet days -- it is vibrant and bright and busy, so different from the dull, monotone city I knew those years ago. No longer can I determine who is a Russian simply because they are wearing one of only 10 available clothing ensembles. No longer do the women wear little or no make-up. It could be Paris as easily as St. Petersburg - well sort of.
But with capitalism has come chaos. No longer can I wander Nevsky Propect relatively unencumbered by crowds -- now it is like the mall, I have to fight for every inch of sidewalk. No longer can I approach the Hermitage as if it is my private museum, now I must run the gauntlet of vendors and beggers, signs and directions so common in the rest of the world.
I am extraordinarily happy for the average Russian -- their life is thousands of times better than it was under the Soviet regime, but I am sad as this rich imperial city is overwhelmed by modernity.
Mrs. Blogotional, as if you cannot tell from her contributions to this blog, loves art. I have wanted to bring her here these many years for the Hermitage. We go day after tomorrow. I know she will love it, and it shall make me happy in ways I cannot describe to watch her joy. I do love her so.
But today we walked the cathedrals of St. Petersburg -- Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ -- St. Issac's Cathedral -- Kazan Cathedral.
St. Issac's and Resurrection are both, and have been since the Soviet days, "State Museums." They were the first two we visited and they made me a little sad. So beautiful, so marvelous, and so commercial. They were devoid of spiritual content during the Soviet days, but the commercialism rampant within their very halls now seemed almost sacreligious. Rather than build the gift shop outside, they have invaded the halls within and it was a bit disconcerting.But then we went to Kazan and my heart leaped with joy. Women covered their head as they entered. People walked about the four points of the cross that is the church and circumflexed in the Orthodox style. They lined up to pray to and kiss an icon of the Virgin Mother. Their faith, superstitious as it appears to my protestant eyes, was alive in a way never possible under the Soviets, and tears formed in my eyes as I felt God's presence.
Were the same buildings not in the same places, albeit festooned with neon and signboard, were the streets and canals not running in the same directions, albeit with manifold more traffic, I would not have known this place. It has, for better or worse, absorbed so much of what we are. I rest assured that the faith restored will overwhelm the commericalism amuck as this nation finds its soul once again. God bless the Russians, they are a beautiful people.
