September 7, 2012 Bobby Bernstrom, Adrianne Opp and I from Koehler & Dramm took the beautiful drive from Minneapolis to Jamestown, North Dakota for their annual convention.
K&D sponsors the North Dakota Florist Showcase were three accomplished designers from the state are invited by the Board of Directors to do a design program on the main stage. Ardith Beveridge AAF,AIFD,PFCI,CAFA,MSF,WFC the instructor/Director of Kehler & Dramm Institute of Floristryeapolis, MN wascommentator for the program.This year the specia designers were Gabe Krantz from Krantzs Florist in Devils Lake North Dakota , Kyle Maier from Country Floral in Williston, North Dakota and Meiers Foral in Minot, North Dakota, and Cara Prescott from Don's House of Flowers in Jamestown North Dakota. Gabe is a third generation florist, Kyle just graduated from Botteneau College in June 2012 and Cara has been in the industry for a few years, went into another business , returned three years ago to purchase Don's.
All three designers had the same fresh product and supplies. They were asked to make four designs,1. Speciality dozen roses for a trendy customer,2. A design for an upscale lawyers office, very masculine,3. A bridal bouquet for a modern bride ans 4. A sympathy design for a woman who " died to soon who loved flowers." Each designer then presented their product with Ardith talking with them about their designs, the product, design techniques and procedures. Adriane and Bobby helped take the designs on and off of the stage.
Congratulations to Gabe, Kyle and Cara, you were all spectacular!!!! Thank you for using Koehler & Dramm's products so brilliantly. Thank you to North Dakota State for allowing us stage time to show our products.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
July 3, 2012
Riona and I drove to Tukums, a city an hour or so from Riga where students were creating for the city festival of roses this coming weekend.The students were creating masks,wreaths and hanging gardens from greens, hay, straw,green and blooming plants,mosses. I will post pictures when they are finished. We will be creating these in classes. I was struck with their creativity and cleaver designs.We drove home to Riga to a going away party--with plenty of food, sharing and fun.
Thank you to those of you that traveled with me. Please let me know what you like to hear about and see in this blog. Sharing what you want to know is the most important to me.
July 4 my flight leaves here at 11:30 on Baltic Air to Amsterdam,3 hour layover,9 hour flight home.Home for the fireworks on 4th of July. Hooray!!!!!
Riona and I drove to Tukums, a city an hour or so from Riga where students were creating for the city festival of roses this coming weekend.The students were creating masks,wreaths and hanging gardens from greens, hay, straw,green and blooming plants,mosses. I will post pictures when they are finished. We will be creating these in classes. I was struck with their creativity and cleaver designs.We drove home to Riga to a going away party--with plenty of food, sharing and fun.
Thank you to those of you that traveled with me. Please let me know what you like to hear about and see in this blog. Sharing what you want to know is the most important to me.
July 4 my flight leaves here at 11:30 on Baltic Air to Amsterdam,3 hour layover,9 hour flight home.Home for the fireworks on 4th of July. Hooray!!!!!
June 30,2012
Lera brought Aija and I to the airport to leave St. Petersburg. It is a beautiful city with wonderful people. WE visited many flower shops and businesses of every size from grocery to huge buildings. I taught a few classes,showed some techniques and had a business meeting with a business with 21 floral shops. The Land Art class and other short courses have given me many ideas from business to design. Designers are the same world wide, delightful, kind,talented and a bit kooky.
Lera made breakfast for us before we left the country. We arrived in Riga,Jani picked us and brought us to the flat, where breakfast was ready. We left after breakfast number 2, to visit flower shops. The main visit where there was an exchange class, they had a very big Latvian lunch. The table was full of food and champagne. That was a nice touch, Iļl need to remember that!! Then out to Aijas parents country house, where, we had another large meal, with deserts, all traditional Latvian. The bread is always fresh , cheese homemade, home grown fruits and veggies, soup, did I say bread? We took a nice walk, came back where she had more food.
Aiajš mother Rita started the school during USSR occupation. She is a very good and educated gardener. The government wanted to learn more about producing food, flowers came under the heading. She took the USSR and German materials, transulated them into Latvian , then taught in her native langauge. When Latvia became a free country she continued traveling, learning and most important teaching her art forms. Aija always went with her, naturally absorbing everything from everyone.
We finally went home, did not eat more, had tea and slept soundly.
July 1,2012
Time is going by so so fast.
Elena picked me up this morning, we picked up Riona and traveled to Jurmal, a bay tourist/spa area. It was perfect for a road trip. We talked all of the way, checked into the hotel, went for a walk in the streets where the vendors were selling souvioneres. Then we went to the beautiful white sand beach, walked for a bit. Back to the hotel/spa we had a hot wax treatment and a massage, tea and relaxed. We decided to eat outside on the patio. Near the end of dinner the waiter walked to our table with some empty bottles,close to us a bottle fell on the cement and rocks and broke. He continued walking towards us shaking a bit, the second and third empty bottle fell next to our table. I felt the glass hit my leg,nothing went in, but a big piece of glass went into Rionaš front of her calf. She began to bleed, they took her to the Dr. upstairs where he checked her, washed and bandaged it. Yes they comped our meal. We felt bad for the waiter as well, he was shook up----get it. Really he felt so bad. Even with her bad leg we walked for a very long time on the beautiful beach at sunset.
July 2, 2012
We were up early, ate,were on our way to Vinda flower shop in Lielvarde where I taught a small class in design techniques. The owner, Ludra has 4 shops, two in Riga, one here and one in Ogre, about an hour from Lielvardr. We stopped at flower shops along the way to the Basilica of Our Lady of Algona. It is a very important and historic site in Latvia and for the Catholic and all religions in Latvia. It is a beautiful site,magical inside and out. It is amazing to be inside and on the grounds knowing the history. We stayed there for some time, drank from the Holy Water,enjoyed ourselves in the beauty and feelings.
The Kolonna Hotel in was where we stopped, checked in, drove out in the country to a few miles from the Russian border to a delightful farm house and garden. This is the home of a famous pottery maker in Latvia, his wife a known florist in the country and friends of Riona. They went to design school together. This was a surprise for me, she did not tell me that this was a part of the plan. Peteris Gailums demonstrated making some pots and bowls, telling how, why ,showing techniques of his art. He gave us a tour of the kilns, told how he made the kilns, and pottery. The big surprise was when he told me to set by the wheel and learn to create with it. The moment I toughed the clay it came alive, in a good way, or I came alive. I loved it, the feel, the process, the color. Oh yes I wore white pants, the only day I have worn them, saved them for the messiest time....! He will fire it and in time Riona will send it to me.
I also taught a class there. He makes beautiful vessels of all sorts, applied art ware and decorative. Applied art is art that one may use. His art is actually both.
Then, of coarse, there was food, food, more food. All homemade, from the fruit jams and jellies,veggies and potatoes from the garden, dill , grown by the door,mint tea, birch wine from the trees, the pig they raised and prepared, with the floral designs from the yard and garden on the dishes he made.
OH yes, all of this time my camera, charger and electricity adapter is in St. Perersburg. They do not sell my battery in the country.
Riona and I came back to the hotel late, had tea. I went to my room for an early rest. While packing and repacking I found a book Riona bought for me in English that told all about the history of Our Lady of Algona. I started to page through it, began reading, until the end. I read the entire book, it is not a big book 150 or so pages, so so interesting . It was after 2:00am before I slept.
July 3, 2012
When being with and traveling with Aija, Riona and their families for close to 15 years now, in Latvia, USA, Canada, anywhere they are always on time, a bit early. When they say 7:00 it is 6:56 . I am the same way.It is a joy knowing that everyone will be on time where they said and when. A couple of years ago at the Home and Garden show for the design competition, Eugene said he would be at K&D at a certain time, Claudia also said she will be there then, as I did. No one called to remind each other, no one worried if the other will show up on time, we all did. That is who you want to work and be associated with!
We drove almost 4 hours through the lovely countryside back to Riga. I am packing up to come home, bitter sweet. It is time. I want to share so many things about business and flowers. I cherish this time away to learn, grow, re invent myself to be a better more effective teacher with more to share and teach.
Traveling nationally or internationally , designing with other teachers, talents, crafts is a growing experience. One never knows enough.
Lera brought Aija and I to the airport to leave St. Petersburg. It is a beautiful city with wonderful people. WE visited many flower shops and businesses of every size from grocery to huge buildings. I taught a few classes,showed some techniques and had a business meeting with a business with 21 floral shops. The Land Art class and other short courses have given me many ideas from business to design. Designers are the same world wide, delightful, kind,talented and a bit kooky.
Lera made breakfast for us before we left the country. We arrived in Riga,Jani picked us and brought us to the flat, where breakfast was ready. We left after breakfast number 2, to visit flower shops. The main visit where there was an exchange class, they had a very big Latvian lunch. The table was full of food and champagne. That was a nice touch, Iļl need to remember that!! Then out to Aijas parents country house, where, we had another large meal, with deserts, all traditional Latvian. The bread is always fresh , cheese homemade, home grown fruits and veggies, soup, did I say bread? We took a nice walk, came back where she had more food.
Aiajš mother Rita started the school during USSR occupation. She is a very good and educated gardener. The government wanted to learn more about producing food, flowers came under the heading. She took the USSR and German materials, transulated them into Latvian , then taught in her native langauge. When Latvia became a free country she continued traveling, learning and most important teaching her art forms. Aija always went with her, naturally absorbing everything from everyone.
We finally went home, did not eat more, had tea and slept soundly.
July 1,2012
Time is going by so so fast.
Elena picked me up this morning, we picked up Riona and traveled to Jurmal, a bay tourist/spa area. It was perfect for a road trip. We talked all of the way, checked into the hotel, went for a walk in the streets where the vendors were selling souvioneres. Then we went to the beautiful white sand beach, walked for a bit. Back to the hotel/spa we had a hot wax treatment and a massage, tea and relaxed. We decided to eat outside on the patio. Near the end of dinner the waiter walked to our table with some empty bottles,close to us a bottle fell on the cement and rocks and broke. He continued walking towards us shaking a bit, the second and third empty bottle fell next to our table. I felt the glass hit my leg,nothing went in, but a big piece of glass went into Rionaš front of her calf. She began to bleed, they took her to the Dr. upstairs where he checked her, washed and bandaged it. Yes they comped our meal. We felt bad for the waiter as well, he was shook up----get it. Really he felt so bad. Even with her bad leg we walked for a very long time on the beautiful beach at sunset.
July 2, 2012
We were up early, ate,were on our way to Vinda flower shop in Lielvarde where I taught a small class in design techniques. The owner, Ludra has 4 shops, two in Riga, one here and one in Ogre, about an hour from Lielvardr. We stopped at flower shops along the way to the Basilica of Our Lady of Algona. It is a very important and historic site in Latvia and for the Catholic and all religions in Latvia. It is a beautiful site,magical inside and out. It is amazing to be inside and on the grounds knowing the history. We stayed there for some time, drank from the Holy Water,enjoyed ourselves in the beauty and feelings.
The Kolonna Hotel in was where we stopped, checked in, drove out in the country to a few miles from the Russian border to a delightful farm house and garden. This is the home of a famous pottery maker in Latvia, his wife a known florist in the country and friends of Riona. They went to design school together. This was a surprise for me, she did not tell me that this was a part of the plan. Peteris Gailums demonstrated making some pots and bowls, telling how, why ,showing techniques of his art. He gave us a tour of the kilns, told how he made the kilns, and pottery. The big surprise was when he told me to set by the wheel and learn to create with it. The moment I toughed the clay it came alive, in a good way, or I came alive. I loved it, the feel, the process, the color. Oh yes I wore white pants, the only day I have worn them, saved them for the messiest time....! He will fire it and in time Riona will send it to me.
I also taught a class there. He makes beautiful vessels of all sorts, applied art ware and decorative. Applied art is art that one may use. His art is actually both.
Then, of coarse, there was food, food, more food. All homemade, from the fruit jams and jellies,veggies and potatoes from the garden, dill , grown by the door,mint tea, birch wine from the trees, the pig they raised and prepared, with the floral designs from the yard and garden on the dishes he made.
OH yes, all of this time my camera, charger and electricity adapter is in St. Perersburg. They do not sell my battery in the country.
Riona and I came back to the hotel late, had tea. I went to my room for an early rest. While packing and repacking I found a book Riona bought for me in English that told all about the history of Our Lady of Algona. I started to page through it, began reading, until the end. I read the entire book, it is not a big book 150 or so pages, so so interesting . It was after 2:00am before I slept.
July 3, 2012
When being with and traveling with Aija, Riona and their families for close to 15 years now, in Latvia, USA, Canada, anywhere they are always on time, a bit early. When they say 7:00 it is 6:56 . I am the same way.It is a joy knowing that everyone will be on time where they said and when. A couple of years ago at the Home and Garden show for the design competition, Eugene said he would be at K&D at a certain time, Claudia also said she will be there then, as I did. No one called to remind each other, no one worried if the other will show up on time, we all did. That is who you want to work and be associated with!
We drove almost 4 hours through the lovely countryside back to Riga. I am packing up to come home, bitter sweet. It is time. I want to share so many things about business and flowers. I cherish this time away to learn, grow, re invent myself to be a better more effective teacher with more to share and teach.
Traveling nationally or internationally , designing with other teachers, talents, crafts is a growing experience. One never knows enough.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
This is a really cheap excuse, this couputer that I am writing on is Latvian, every word written in English has a red line under it as a mistake. If you like to correct the mistakes for me that will be fine, or make up the word you think I am saying. Thx
June 28, 2012
We left the apartment at 12:45AM----the morning of June 28 to walk to the Neva River to watch the bridges open. We are living on this island in the middle of the city. There are 101 islands that are part of the city, plus the actual land. At 1:00 all of the big bridges that connect the island to the main city open one by one in a ritualistic pattern, one after another until all 7 are open. At that time there is no road transportation across the river. The metro closes at midnight. The island is closed until after 2:00AM every day.This is so the big ships ,barges,boats can come into the ports and rivers that connect the Baltic Sea to Moscow from the Volga River. It was a beautiful chilly morning. We walked back home to snuggle in our beds.
Lera was up early making porridge ( oat meal).With wonderful homemade jam,bread,tea.
We left the apartment which is on the 6th, top floor of the building, down the very old elevator , out to the busy city. We walked to the metro. Those of you that have been to the Atlanta airport, and have taken the escelator, the looooooooooong one, this is 3 times the length as it goes down under the water, then waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back up. We walked all day visiting churches, historical sights,businesses, flower shops,stopping for coffee and tea with delightful snacks in delightful places. One chocolate shop had two chocolate fountains as tall as me, maybe taller. They would not let me close enough to check or taste.I wish everyone could see St. Petersburg and Russia through my eyes and experiences.
Jani had to leave for Riga, he took the metro to the station, leaving Lera and I alone, with our different langauges. She understands many words, I now know 10 Russian words, one of the them rubbish which does not come up in conversation a lot. It is about the same word in both .Jani set one of her computers to write in English, automatically transulating to Russian as I wrote. The other Lera wrote in Russian transulating into English as she wrote. It is Google transulator, great tool. It will even say it out loud if you ask it to. We had a fun time communicating , sharing our lives
, families and flowers.
June 28 &;29, 2012
.
Land Art Competition
.There were 13 teams from many countries and cities in Russia and Europe. There are 4 members of each team. The teams arrived to the event site on Wednesday morning, checked in , meet for instructions, rules and schedule. They then went into the forest and asres on site to find the place they choose to create their instalation. The only things they may bring from home are tools, fish line,nothing made from home. When the site was chosen, the team returned to report and register their site. They then began creating, until dinner time where they meet, talked, sang and enjoyed meeting each other.
After breakfast on the 28th, the teams created all day, stopping for lunch and dinner. They worked until evening, ate more had entertainment, partied , sang more and to bed at 5:00AM on the 29th!!!!
Lera and I were up early on our way by car to the country where the Land Art Festival was being held. It was a nice hour and a half drive to The Baltic Sea, then up further North. The competition is held at a private park/campground facility. There are hotel rooms for the contestants and guests, plus a cafe/resturaunt , beach,camping grounds and hookups. It really could be in Northern Minnesota, The Black Hills,any forest area.There we meet Aija and the other judges for the competition. Two judges are part of the company presenting the event, a judge from Italy, Aija and myself.
We , the judges, photographers and event officials began our hike through the forest, up,down,in,out,up and down again for two hours. Each Land Art was marked on a map and numbered. We went as a unit, marked and talked about each one. They were eveluated on idea, mechanics, how it integrated into the chosen landscape,difaculity,effect on viewer and enviornment.It was wonderful. The misquetos were out in force. They are as bad here as they are at home!!!!
We tabulated and discussed the installations, first through fourth place were decided.
After our hike, we had lunch, then went back out to visit each site with the designers and guests. Each site was visited again with verbal evaluations from the judges.
Every one went to their rooms, collected their belongings, checked out meet for final meeting , awards and final dinner.
Lera, Aija, Ivan, the judge from Italy and myself drove back to St.Petersburg, to change clothes, walk about an hour to the canal in the city where a sightseeing charter/dinner boat took us on a thre hour meal and cruise on the Neva, in and around the city. We walked back home,had coffee and walked back to see the bridges open one more time, arriving home around 2:00.
June 28, 2012
We left the apartment at 12:45AM----the morning of June 28 to walk to the Neva River to watch the bridges open. We are living on this island in the middle of the city. There are 101 islands that are part of the city, plus the actual land. At 1:00 all of the big bridges that connect the island to the main city open one by one in a ritualistic pattern, one after another until all 7 are open. At that time there is no road transportation across the river. The metro closes at midnight. The island is closed until after 2:00AM every day.This is so the big ships ,barges,boats can come into the ports and rivers that connect the Baltic Sea to Moscow from the Volga River. It was a beautiful chilly morning. We walked back home to snuggle in our beds.
Lera was up early making porridge ( oat meal).With wonderful homemade jam,bread,tea.
We left the apartment which is on the 6th, top floor of the building, down the very old elevator , out to the busy city. We walked to the metro. Those of you that have been to the Atlanta airport, and have taken the escelator, the looooooooooong one, this is 3 times the length as it goes down under the water, then waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back up. We walked all day visiting churches, historical sights,businesses, flower shops,stopping for coffee and tea with delightful snacks in delightful places. One chocolate shop had two chocolate fountains as tall as me, maybe taller. They would not let me close enough to check or taste.I wish everyone could see St. Petersburg and Russia through my eyes and experiences.
Jani had to leave for Riga, he took the metro to the station, leaving Lera and I alone, with our different langauges. She understands many words, I now know 10 Russian words, one of the them rubbish which does not come up in conversation a lot. It is about the same word in both .Jani set one of her computers to write in English, automatically transulating to Russian as I wrote. The other Lera wrote in Russian transulating into English as she wrote. It is Google transulator, great tool. It will even say it out loud if you ask it to. We had a fun time communicating , sharing our lives
, families and flowers.
June 28 &;29, 2012
.
Land Art Competition
.There were 13 teams from many countries and cities in Russia and Europe. There are 4 members of each team. The teams arrived to the event site on Wednesday morning, checked in , meet for instructions, rules and schedule. They then went into the forest and asres on site to find the place they choose to create their instalation. The only things they may bring from home are tools, fish line,nothing made from home. When the site was chosen, the team returned to report and register their site. They then began creating, until dinner time where they meet, talked, sang and enjoyed meeting each other.
After breakfast on the 28th, the teams created all day, stopping for lunch and dinner. They worked until evening, ate more had entertainment, partied , sang more and to bed at 5:00AM on the 29th!!!!
Lera and I were up early on our way by car to the country where the Land Art Festival was being held. It was a nice hour and a half drive to The Baltic Sea, then up further North. The competition is held at a private park/campground facility. There are hotel rooms for the contestants and guests, plus a cafe/resturaunt , beach,camping grounds and hookups. It really could be in Northern Minnesota, The Black Hills,any forest area.There we meet Aija and the other judges for the competition. Two judges are part of the company presenting the event, a judge from Italy, Aija and myself.
We , the judges, photographers and event officials began our hike through the forest, up,down,in,out,up and down again for two hours. Each Land Art was marked on a map and numbered. We went as a unit, marked and talked about each one. They were eveluated on idea, mechanics, how it integrated into the chosen landscape,difaculity,effect on viewer and enviornment.It was wonderful. The misquetos were out in force. They are as bad here as they are at home!!!!
We tabulated and discussed the installations, first through fourth place were decided.
After our hike, we had lunch, then went back out to visit each site with the designers and guests. Each site was visited again with verbal evaluations from the judges.
Every one went to their rooms, collected their belongings, checked out meet for final meeting , awards and final dinner.
Lera, Aija, Ivan, the judge from Italy and myself drove back to St.Petersburg, to change clothes, walk about an hour to the canal in the city where a sightseeing charter/dinner boat took us on a thre hour meal and cruise on the Neva, in and around the city. We walked back home,had coffee and walked back to see the bridges open one more time, arriving home around 2:00.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday June 27 St. Petrersberg,Russia
Monday morning June 26 Aija , Janii and I were up at 4:15 AM, out of the apartment in Riga by 5:30 off to the airport to Russia. She coached me on what to do and say/or not to be safe , to make it an uneventful trip out of and into the country. The airport was easy, in and to our gate,then onto Air Baltic for a short 50 flight. I expected St.Petersburg airport to be very big and beautiful. It was small and very easy to travel through. Heading to customs I knew all of the answers to the questions that they could or usually ask travelers. I memorized the names,addresses,people and places. Walking up to the customs counter I was anxious , and very well prepared. I handed them my passport and papers, he looked at them, stamped them and sent me on my way...no questions...no words at all. I wanted to say, wait, I can pass the test. Thought better and walked on.
Lera, Aijas friend and past student picked us up,headed right for a place to have coffee and pancakes, the good kind ,as in Hungary and France. The crepes that are thin, with jelly, cheese and many fillings. We picked up a couple other students/friends,to come to this large wholesale house with us. Olga gave me a very nice tour, we talked . She is a fresh flower buyer and salesperson. They are very proud of their facility as they sell fresh cut flowers, ,green and blooming plants, supplies and home decor. One of the only two in Russia that she knows of that have it all under one roof.
The five of us went to several flower shops, and coffee shops. Aija left us to be a part of a press conference for the Land Art Competition which I will take part in. We visited more shops until she meet up with us.We visited her school and classrooms. Polina and Anistasya went one way, we came to Lera's apartment to unpack, have coffee, relax. When I say coffee for me it is tea,coffee is the favorite drink, tea I think second? Each day I learn a couple more Russian words,and more Latvian.
Around 7:00 PM after a very strong rain we decided to take a walk to meet another friend for "coffee".WE walked along the Neva River. There is an island in the city. Lera lives on the island, it is a beautiful and very historic place. We saw so many lovely buildings, statues,parks,monuments. Lera and her family have lived here all of their lives, she is the best guide ever, Aija is the best interpreter..ever. We meet our riend, walked more , then walked to their family flat. It is very beautiful. The same as Lera''s,quiet in the center of such a large city. We had wine, cavoir,crepes,cheese. Aija looked at the clock, it was 10:00PM. Yes I was still out of the house!!!
One name for this time of the year way up North is White Nights. It never is dark for many weeks. 10:00PM felt as 4:00 PM. We walked home the long way, by the river, arriving around 11:00.
Lera''s began to make pirogi with cabbage,egg and garlic. Finally around midnight I left the two still talking and laughing and cooking.
June 27
Jani took the bus from Riga, arriving at 5:00AM. We all slept in , had a great breakfast, prepared to leave for the day. Aija went to begin preparations for Land Art Competition. I found out this morning that I am an judge. I will go out in a day or so. In the time Jani and Lera will show me the city.
We drove to Pushkin ( Tsarskoe Selo ) a town of impereal palaces. The palace we visited is also known as Great Catherine Palace, built in 1744 to 1756. It is Russian Baroque.We arrived, bought a ticket to be on the grounds,headed to the line to enter the palace with so many people. We arrived around noon,waited until 2:00 when they closed the line for 2 hours for appointment tours,reopening at 4:00. The line was tight, it rained on and off. Lera stayed in line as we explored the amazing gardens and parks of the royal. Lera, Jani and I went to the car for a snack that she had packed, and coffee. We also stopped at the WC ( restrooms) where we paid equal to $1.50 to use the facilities!!!
Around 4:30 we arrived inside to another ticket office.Waited in that line, then went to another line to wait to enter. All of this was about an hour to where we put on special slippers to enter.So so many people all wanting to see the same thing.The art, gold,flooring was stunning. It was hard to see and hear a lot ,so many crowds, I became a bit chlosterphobic. We stayed in there about 40 minutes,seeing what we could see.
We came home, ate,relaxed. Tonight at 1:00 we will walk to Neva River to watch the bridges go up. At 1:00AM all of the bridges on the Neva open at the same time to allow the ships to exit and enter the port. They are all lit . There are fireworks with the show.
The Russian people are more than kind and wonderful, They are kind, gracious, just the same as you.
Pictures will come later...
Monday morning June 26 Aija , Janii and I were up at 4:15 AM, out of the apartment in Riga by 5:30 off to the airport to Russia. She coached me on what to do and say/or not to be safe , to make it an uneventful trip out of and into the country. The airport was easy, in and to our gate,then onto Air Baltic for a short 50 flight. I expected St.Petersburg airport to be very big and beautiful. It was small and very easy to travel through. Heading to customs I knew all of the answers to the questions that they could or usually ask travelers. I memorized the names,addresses,people and places. Walking up to the customs counter I was anxious , and very well prepared. I handed them my passport and papers, he looked at them, stamped them and sent me on my way...no questions...no words at all. I wanted to say, wait, I can pass the test. Thought better and walked on.
Lera, Aijas friend and past student picked us up,headed right for a place to have coffee and pancakes, the good kind ,as in Hungary and France. The crepes that are thin, with jelly, cheese and many fillings. We picked up a couple other students/friends,to come to this large wholesale house with us. Olga gave me a very nice tour, we talked . She is a fresh flower buyer and salesperson. They are very proud of their facility as they sell fresh cut flowers, ,green and blooming plants, supplies and home decor. One of the only two in Russia that she knows of that have it all under one roof.
The five of us went to several flower shops, and coffee shops. Aija left us to be a part of a press conference for the Land Art Competition which I will take part in. We visited more shops until she meet up with us.We visited her school and classrooms. Polina and Anistasya went one way, we came to Lera's apartment to unpack, have coffee, relax. When I say coffee for me it is tea,coffee is the favorite drink, tea I think second? Each day I learn a couple more Russian words,and more Latvian.
Around 7:00 PM after a very strong rain we decided to take a walk to meet another friend for "coffee".WE walked along the Neva River. There is an island in the city. Lera lives on the island, it is a beautiful and very historic place. We saw so many lovely buildings, statues,parks,monuments. Lera and her family have lived here all of their lives, she is the best guide ever, Aija is the best interpreter..ever. We meet our riend, walked more , then walked to their family flat. It is very beautiful. The same as Lera''s,quiet in the center of such a large city. We had wine, cavoir,crepes,cheese. Aija looked at the clock, it was 10:00PM. Yes I was still out of the house!!!
One name for this time of the year way up North is White Nights. It never is dark for many weeks. 10:00PM felt as 4:00 PM. We walked home the long way, by the river, arriving around 11:00.
Lera''s began to make pirogi with cabbage,egg and garlic. Finally around midnight I left the two still talking and laughing and cooking.
June 27
Jani took the bus from Riga, arriving at 5:00AM. We all slept in , had a great breakfast, prepared to leave for the day. Aija went to begin preparations for Land Art Competition. I found out this morning that I am an judge. I will go out in a day or so. In the time Jani and Lera will show me the city.
We drove to Pushkin ( Tsarskoe Selo ) a town of impereal palaces. The palace we visited is also known as Great Catherine Palace, built in 1744 to 1756. It is Russian Baroque.We arrived, bought a ticket to be on the grounds,headed to the line to enter the palace with so many people. We arrived around noon,waited until 2:00 when they closed the line for 2 hours for appointment tours,reopening at 4:00. The line was tight, it rained on and off. Lera stayed in line as we explored the amazing gardens and parks of the royal. Lera, Jani and I went to the car for a snack that she had packed, and coffee. We also stopped at the WC ( restrooms) where we paid equal to $1.50 to use the facilities!!!
Around 4:30 we arrived inside to another ticket office.Waited in that line, then went to another line to wait to enter. All of this was about an hour to where we put on special slippers to enter.So so many people all wanting to see the same thing.The art, gold,flooring was stunning. It was hard to see and hear a lot ,so many crowds, I became a bit chlosterphobic. We stayed in there about 40 minutes,seeing what we could see.
We came home, ate,relaxed. Tonight at 1:00 we will walk to Neva River to watch the bridges go up. At 1:00AM all of the bridges on the Neva open at the same time to allow the ships to exit and enter the port. They are all lit . There are fireworks with the show.
The Russian people are more than kind and wonderful, They are kind, gracious, just the same as you.
Pictures will come later...
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