The white nights of St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg which is an hours flight from Moscow, gets its largest share of tourists from end of May till mid- July when people gather there to enjoy the romantic white nights on the banks of Neva river. The sun hardly hides behind the horizon. You cannot spot even the most brightest star in the sky.
It is an amazing experience. Most people prefer to have an afternoon nap to enjoy the endless day which actually turns into a white night. The streets especially Nevesky Prospect is crowded with people. The restaurants juggle hard to give a good service late into the wee hours and the pubs jam packed with tourists gulping down mugs of beer in smoke-filled bars.
The most interesting sight was the public park in front of our hotel.It was past two in the night and groups of women sat on the benches chatting away while in another corner youngsters were partying away. A man well into his sixties found it the ideal time to exercise while some kids cycling away singing a song .... I had never seen so much of life oozing out on the street at that unearthly hour.
Apart from the white nights, St. Petersburg is one of the must see cities of the world. It looks more of a European city than Russian. Its embankments remind you of Paris and its many canals of Amsterdam. The countless bridges over the canals and also its proximity to the sea, bring alive a picture of Venice. Also the well maintained lush green parks in summer remind you of London.
The European and Russian traditions have merged so well and created a culture that is so typical of St. Petersburg. Peter the Great, the great Czar ruler of Russia, assimilated a lot of Dutch and German things into the culture of St. Petersburg. And all the grandeur and opulence of the past still stands aloft in the form of palaces, cathedrals, forts and museums.
The State Hermitage museum is one must see places. It has a collection put together over the course of two centuries. There are over three million exhibits. No wonder even after spending almost eight hours, I managed to see only two floors. And the que for buying tickets takes a minimum of one hour.
Another must see places in the outskirts of St. Petersburg is the Tsarskoye Selo- the palace set in a picturesque land. The long que and the high priced ticket is worth because one gets to see the eigth wonder of the world- the Amber room. I was just blinded by the opulence and the warmth of the various tones of this stone with some therepeutical qualities. No words to describe -only seeing is believing.
While you are so busy sightseeing, hopping from one place to the other, remember to take care of your personel belongings. Peterburg has earned a reputation for petty crimes and the obvious target are the tourists. Avoid travelling by metro because it is here that the gangs operate.
For all those who plan to visit St. Petersburg - must have atleast five days to enjoy the city and a few places in its outskirts. Also it is worthwhile to go in early July because you get bright sunny days along with the white nights. I was lucky to have sunshine all the days considering the fact that St. Petersburg has sunshine only 25 days in a year.