St Petersburg Miscellany

2009 07 13 – Day 17 – St Petersburg


Another few hours spent bumbling around the streets, this time with some trainee co-conspirators, yielded the following pixels:


All the world leaders together as wooden playthings, what more could you want? Glad to see Harry Potter there next to Bin Laden: Culture opposing Terrorism.
If they're all world leaders, then who're the ladies on the upper row?... Their mums?


Another onion-domed cathedral, though this one's right up to date with the latest scaffolding fashion. Don't you think it looks like a pretty cool modern building?

Is this the statue that Bond turns into an extravagant hat for his tank in Goldeneye?

Bold birdy – his mates couldn't quite summon the courage.

Crew Parade & Prize-Giving

2009 07 12 – Day 16 – St Petersburg

Sunday of the Tall Ships event in St Petersburg and all the crews took part in a big parade along the riverside.

Stian proudly bearing his nations flag. In his own words:
“A big-ass Norwegian waving a big-ass Norwegian flag. That's what you need.”
I couldn't have put it better myself.
Stian and his flag were so 'big-ass' that they did their waving from the back of Sørlandet's crew section. Here's the view to the fore.

The parade finished in front of the Central Naval Museum where a large stage was erected.

Prizes were for 1st,2nd & 3rd (handicap corrected times) in categories A, B, C, D – we were class A because we were 'big-ass', coming 2nd : the Result – and various other categories... cynics amongst us might reclassify them as 'Russian Ships' categories... though Russian ships didn't win all the other categories. One they did win was the 'First Across the Line', claimed by the giant ship Mir, crewed by professional sailors, based in St Petersburg. Presentation of that award was met with chants of 'En-gine, en-gine, en-gine' from the assembled crews led by the colourful (orange of course) and noisey Dutch. Certainly the Russians have a reputation amongst the crews.
Full award list can be found here : Tall Ships results from Sail Training International

And who was the admirable figure who presented the prizes to the valiant captains and trainees?
None other than the big man himself... Vlad the Impaler! Ooops! Typo. Let's try that again:
None other than the big man himself... Vladimir Putin!

Here he is, impaling us with his best belittling look.
I'll interpret that face... it says:
“Don't mess with me. I know judo and topless fishing. You are little people.”