Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood

As you can guess, I went to the Church of the savoir on Spilled Blood. It was built on the exact place where Tsar Alexander II was mortally wounded. It is also known as the church that took 20 years to build and 27 years to repair. It is beautiful inside. I was not sure if I was going to buy permission to take photos, but the moment I walked in, I knew I must have pictures of the inside. It is beautiful beyond description. The glass mosaics are wonderful, they depict different scenes from the Bible (I believe). The cover 7,000 square metes in total on both the inside and outside of the church.

When I was buying my ticket I had an Experience. I asked for “billet studentka e video” or student ticket and a video ticket, and showed her my Russian student ID card. I handed her enough for the printed price of a student ticket and picture ticket. She went off and handed me back part of the money and went off again. I looked at the guy who was helping her who had spoken English to the lady in front of me, and he check my ID card and said something to the ticket lady and I realized that she had given me back money that she really needed and I handed it to her. She then gave me the “video” sticker and the ticket stubs. The guy asked for an English handout and she went off angrily to him, but I caught the gist of it “She bought a Russian student ticket, she doesn’t need an English pamphlet!” and he was all “Just give it to her”

Then I went and enjoyed the beautiful mosaics. I was totally walking around jerking my head back and forth trying to take it all in. The pictures barely do it justice. They also have a souvenir shop in the church. I was looking at it. The prices were better than on the street and you were helping to fund the refurbishing of certain area of the church that need it do to visitors. I also totally had to buy my mom’s shot glass in the church. I mean where else besides Russia can you buy a shot glass in a church? (for those of you who don’t know she collects shot glasses).

Outside, I saw a funny sight that I had to take a picture of. Near all the famous old sights you will see people dressed in period costume. The lady outside the church in period costume was talking on a cell phone. I literally laughed out loud in Russia (quickly recovered and went straight faced).

Afterwards I went to Dom Kingi (House of Books) for the first time since I’ve been here. I was looking for Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Gogol for my lit class. But can you believe it they don’t have War and Peace OR Crime and Punishment in English? They have every other book by these authors, but those two. They had it in Dutch, but not English. I went upstairs and almost bought a children’s book for a dollar, but decided I would wait until I could read it and feel more accomplished by understanding more of it.

And I navigated the metro without a map!!!!! Yes this is an achievement. I totally got on at one station, switched to the other one at that same stop, rode to my transfer station, transferred and got on the correct metro home!! It rocked!

We go to Peter and Paul Fortress on Saturday. I hope to explore/eat out afterwards.

See you around the globe!