"The straw I cling to for joie de vivre is currently the bicycle." (Arthur Schnitzler)

Okay, I admit, the quote is nonsense. At least in St. Petersburg, riding a bike is more like bungee jumping without a rope. But let's start from the beginning: us naive former Oldenburgers thought it was a good idea to explore the city by bike. Apart from the fact that the bicycles really contradicted any criteria of road safety in Germany (no proper brakes - only backpedaling, no lights or reflectors, no bell, etc.), cycling was really dangerous. No bike paths, completely overcrowded streets and sidewalks, and on top of that, well, let's call it the 'offensive' driving style of the locals. Around noon, we decided to return the bikes and continue exploring the city on foot.

In the city center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are about 2,300 palaces, cathedrals, and extravagant buildings. In addition, the large river (the Neva), the gigantic statues, and the oversized squares together create a fascinating picture. Trying to capture this picture with cell phone photographs is doomed to fail. You have to see it for yourself to fully grasp it - Oversummation. However, the air in this city with over five million inhabitants is very poor, and due to the overcrowded streets and paths, you are glad to be back in the hostel and enjoy the peace and quiet in the evenings.

To be continued...

Vero & Tim