Jennifer Paquette

Jennifer I. Paquette - Da, Russia! Empty Nest Syndrome took on a new meaning when my husband and I decided to visit Russia after our youngest started college. We booked eight days at the end of May, dusted off our passports and hit the travel circuit like we used to, ‘Before Kids.’ We chose St. Petersburg and Moscow, our only disagreement being the mode of transportation between the two. I wanted to take the train and he wanted to fly. My husband won, promising free airline lounge access with his newly acquired Citi Prestige card, so we booked a flight on S7, Russia’s version of Spirit Airlines Although we had traveled extensively in the United States with our two sons, we hadn’t flown international in twenty-one years, much less anywhere as overwhelming as Russia. The first (and most difficult) task was getting a Russian visa. You can certainly do this on your own. Visit the Invisa Logistic Services website and follow the instructions – carefully. I inadvertently left off a telephone number, and had to re-do the entire application. You’ll then relinquish your passport, which is unsettling, but it’s returned, with the all-important visa, in two to six weeks. I took pictures of our passports and visa, kept the photos in my phone, emailed them to myself and brought Xerox copies. Even though one, two, and three-day itineraries packed with visits to museums, churches, and palaces were just a click away, I was determined to plan this trip on my own. I spent hours reading, researching, and Googling things like, “best time to visit the Hermitage when there’s no line”. I immersed myself in crafting an aggressive, yet do-able schedule that steered clear of cruise ship buses of tourists, dubbed “The Itinerary.” Now I only had to figure out how to communicate with our kids while overseas, a problem we didn’t have in our pre-offspring travel days. Believe it or not, I was saved by Facebook. At my son’s suggestion I downloaded their app and was able to message them for free wherever there was Wi-Fi. Pretty cool. Maybe next time they’re aimlessly scrolling through Facebook, I’ll cut them some slack. With our hard earned visas, The Itinerary, my Facebook app, and our Citi Prestige card (which also boasted no foreign transaction fees) we started our trip with Proseco at JFK’s Wingtips lounge. Many hours and one day later, we touched down in Russia. Saturated with history and architectural wonders, both cities surpassed our expectations. Ornate churches with their onion domes a confection of colors, stars, and crosses were just the gift-wrapping for the treasures inside. The power of centuries of tsars blanketed the cities like an elaborate tapestry woven with splendor and excess. St. Petersburg, Peter the Great’s “Venice of the North”, is a city of canals at every turn and morsels of intrigue behind every door, while Moscow lives up to its reputation as a sprawling metropolis of power. Years of communism and liberation are reflected in its breathtaking architecture. We also felt very safe in Russia. Metal detectors guard the entrance to every subway, museum, department store, and airport. In fact, at St. Petersburg’s security checkpoint we were forced to empty our pre-made 3oz bottles of vodka. Apparently, hard liquor is flammable and not allowed in any Russian airport. We then realized why the lounges only served wine and beer. This was certainly different from what we were accustomed to. We found the Russians to be friendly and helpful. Many spoke English, which came in handy when navigating Moscow, which has less of a Western influence than St. Petersburg. I had familiarized myself with the Russian alphabet - a mixture of familiar, not so familiar, and Cryllic letters - and this proved helpful when matching up street signs with maps. But with some signs we needed the aid of Russian citizens. Crosswalk signs are posted randomly on the sidewalks. We watched others and saw that when crossing the street the cars are supposed to just stop. Even though we hail from New York City, we found ourselves following little old ladies as they boldly stepped into the traffic. Our long-lost pragmatic sense returned at our first encounter with the insanely long ticket purchase lines, at the very popular St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Going out on a limb, we tried the lone ticket machine off to the side of the ticket window. We simple pressed the British flag on the home screen, and our purchase was in English and took less than a minute. We bypassed the line, and were the first to climb the 270 steps to the Colonnade and enjoy its 360-degree skyline views of St. Petersburg. We also learned that everything in Russia is ‘a la carte’. Admission to the church is separate from admission to its bell tower, which is separate from admission to the monastery. Luckily at the time the ruble was very favorable, so we were able to stay well within our budget. There’s even a 30 ruble fee (about .45 cents) for the public toilet (WC). We did manage to find free WCs in McDonald’s, Burger King, and the Kremlin. My biggest “we don’t need a guide” challenge was the Hermitage museum, founded by Catherine the Great and housing one of the largest and most diverse collections of art in the world. I had assembled a list of “must-see” rooms, printed a map, and planned a narrated route. We had to forego our preference of arriving early, as I read that cruise ship buses unload when museums open at 10:30am and then again after lunch. Our strategy paid off, as we walked right in (after purchasing tickets at the ticket machine) to the Hermitage, and later the Kremlin. Once inside, we realized there was really no good time of day to avoid the scads of tourists and their selfie sticks. In Moscow we deviated slightly from The Itinerary when we came across people waiting outside the Kremlin for the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This solemn ceremony, a fascinating display of precision and honor surrounded by remembrances of WWII, became one of the highlights of our trip. Russia proved to be the perfect place to remind us why we loved traveling so much. To become immersed in another culture can be interesting, yet challenging. For example, Russians don’t use ice in their drinks. When we bought a bottle of vodka to enjoy in our room I asked the front desk for ice. They asked if it was for an injury. Then they produced an ancient plastic orange ice cube tray, half filled with milky ice. This small, yet significant distinction between two cultures is what can make travel so fascinating. Back home we were pleasantly surprised at how excited our sons were that we were able to pick up where we left off twenty-one years ago. This trip to Russia certainly jump-started our journey into Empty Nest Syndrome and we’re currently scouring the Internet for our next trip. No matter where we end up though, we’ll always drink our vodka with ice. So, yes Russia, you did not disappoint. Our visa is good for three years. We’ll be back. (photo: Random Russian crosswalk sign) (photo: The first to view St Isaac’s Square from the Colannade) (photo: There is never a bad view of The Church of Our Lady on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia)