putting the dream into action: 2014

As many of you know I am a cat lady in training and can almost always spot a cat anywhere. As it turns out, St. Petersburg is for cat lovers. Here is my proof:

This was the first thing I saw coming out of the metro from the train station from Saratov. I took it as a good omen that St. Pete's was going to be good to us. (I nick named this one Tim Riggins. He's so cute he has a random poster for himself in the metro)

And then I kept seeing them!

These were pictures of a real cat pillows I could hove purchased.

In this store.

This guy/meow was everywhere.

A Tim Riggins look-a-like

Hat...

for your books....

and dishes.

For summer

And winter!

Meow classic.

Shai being a Tim Riggins poster child.

Buttons

Another in the metro.

A whole isle at the bookstore.

For your fridge.

The meat pocket store....

with mascot.

At the Hermitage

If you can't tell, these say "I live at the Hermitage"

and finally some Russian kittens.

I feel complete.

Shai and I have just landed after a 48 hour travel home with a sweet 12 hour lay over in Amsterdam. (I love the Danish and may someday need to move to Amsterdam.) We are completely thrilled and relieved to be home. Despite the wonderful time we had in Russia it was one of the harder trips we've ever been on.

I deliberately didn't blog about our time, being the big gays that we are, for our safety. Although I never felt physically threatened, it was very clear that we were outsiders, and whether we were read as gay or not, I fully had my guard up the whole time. I did however feel an intense amount of hostility and coldness. I don't think I can actually know wether people were reading us a gays, or if its just because we were so painstakingly American, I can only imagine how hard it is to actually live in a place that doesn't allow it's people to live and be their full selves.

Not to say that every single person here in the U.S. can either. I have skin privilege that keeps me from being policed, monitored, threatened. I live in a gay mecca bubble and rarely feel harassment, and also have the privilege of having a femme identity that allows me to be read as straight. There is a flip side to each of those, but still, I have a cush fucking situation here being the white, femme, middle/working class, Wyoming to Californian woman I am.

I am so happy to see people smile. To feel the sunshine (even though this is straight up some global warming shit happening. 70's in January. Okay California) and to have a home and family and a community that I love and in turn love me.

Russia was obviously beautiful and great (please see and read the past 20 posts) but also hard and complicated on so many levels. And although I have no regrets having gone, and experiencing that part of the world in this time in history, I don't believe I will return to Russia for a second go round. Which is the first for me. I usually fantasize about returning to places I've visited. Russia your a one hitter.

I want to thank the universe and Russia (and all of it's people) for having us. For keeping us safe through the complicated hardness and for bringing us home. And of course, for all of the cats.

xoxo

Emily and Shai

Shai and I were both most excited about coming to St. Pete's because of the Hermitage Museum. A little info on the museum:

-It is one of the oldest and largest museums in the world
-It was founded by Catherine the Great (the same Catherine that brought the Germans over)
-It comprises over three million items: 16,000 paintings, 600,000 drawings and prints, 12,000 sculptures, over 250,000 works of applied art, 700,000 archeological exhibits, and 1,000,000 coins and metals. Woah, just woah.
-It's holdings are displayed in 9 buildings
-seven of which are recognized as architectural and historical landmarks. (more info here and here)

Needless to say, we barely scratched the surface, even after spending multiple days and hours. Here are some highlights:

Vincent van Gogh, 1889, Portrait of Madame Trabuc

Claude Monet, 1874, The Grand Quai at Harve
I like this one because it is different from his most known works of gardens. He was known for his water scenes . Did you know that he was married twice, had six children, and when asked where his studio was answered: he had no studio, that he couldn't imagine painting in a room. The world was his studio.

Honore Daumier, 1850-1853, The Burden (The Laundress)

I didn't get names or dates for the statues. Sorry ya'll. There were SO many. I love the homoeroticism of this one.

The Peacock Clock by Ukhtomsky, Konstantin Andreyvich.
There was a video showing next to this piece showing that each of the pieces moved, the peacocks head, a dragonfly, an owl, as seconds tic by. Amazing.

Many of the rooms themselves were works of art. I mean look at this. The chandeliers, the pillars, the ceilings. I would have been in awe even if there wasn't any art at all.

Abraham Mignon, 1640-1679, Fruits
(Sorry for the glare)

Melchior de Hondecoeter, 1686, Birds in a Park

Another ceiling detail

Mermaids!

Can you imagine looking into this puppy to get ready in the morning. I think the wooden babies/cherubs might be a bit distracting.

The floor.

A ceiling

Scales, a little small for the amount of wealth around it, don't you think?

There was a lot of this as we moved from room to room.

More floor detail.

Furniture done by someone. This would be considered an applied art.

A historical library of one of the rich peoples that lived there at one time. We were loosing steam at this point so the info is lacking.

Another Melchior de Hondecoeter, 1686, Birds in a Park

For an art break at the cafe we found an explosion. A cake explosion.

More ceilings.

Okay, look closely friends.
I love the Greeks.

Pigeon, griffon, owl. <3

Getting a splinter.

Ceiling

Holding up the building.

Do you see what I see? This could be wrestling or "wrestling".

5th Dynasty Egypt. Really really old.

Roughly 4,300 years ago. Amazing.

Meow.

Horus 16th Dynasty Egypt

Hey Macarena!

SO That was one of the days and about four hours of wondering around. For a break in the art photos here are just photos from the trip .

Some random lamp post on the street.

Walls of a lunch place.

Russians are serious, and also serious about their sugar. Most often in the form of cakes and chocolate.

Wax Museum, I presume anyway.

Flood lit buildings on a walk in search of the Vodka museum.

Ice cream vending machine.

Love locks

This happened in Saratov too. Some line broke or was being repaired and the liquid (water? sewage?) coming out is warmer than the air, making it impossible to see. I like how it covers the building.

Awe snuggles.

Meow

A lot of Russian stacking dolls.

Random building detail

After an hour of tromping the snow, we never found the Vodka museum. Later we found out we were a few blocks over from it wondering around taking pictures of buildings. Oh well. We did find this pretty tho.