After my first intership in Europe (after 3 months in Europe), I decided to start my Europe vacations in a nice way. Why not go to Russia? I had it organized from Dresden. I took the train from Berlin to Moscow. The adventure started already in Poland. I did not have a transit visit to Poland, but a specific visa to to to Krakow. I did not tell them I had changed my mind and it was a mess in the night train when we stopped in Poland. Long discussions in our bed compartment of the train... but at the end everything worked out well.

It was interesting to see them changing the wheels of the train, as the track in Russia are wider than in Europe. It is an operation that takes a few hours, in the middle of the night.

Moscow was very interesting... such a different world! The Kremlin, visiting Lenin in his mausoleum, checking out the huge line for the McDonalds, etc...

St. Petersburg was wonderful. The long days, the architecture, the Iperial estate Peterhof outside of town (by speed boat), the Hermitage, etc....

It was an experience to see people getting icecream from the public stores to sell it on the streets, to be so happy to find freshly baked bread, etc... And I was staying in a 5 stars hotel, eating in great restaurants, including caviar, with local shows (Russian dancing), for almost nothing...

These are places to go back to...