Our Last Night in SPg

I'd been waiting since we got here to eat authentic Russian bliny.  They are crepes stuffed with your choice of meat, vegetables, cheese or jam.  We planned to return to a Tepemok family restaurant for bliny and more kbac.  We had no problem locating one of this Russian chain on our way back to our hotel, thanks to Anne's internet research before we left this morning.

It was a little chaotic at the Tepemok we found:  very crowded with families with children. Until the counter girl produced an English language menu (with pictures of all the items) we  weren't sure how we'd place our orders.  Tepemok Restaurants  It had looked so easy the day before with Peter our FOOD TOUR guide.  But the picture menu, with English translations, mostly worked really well.  I say mostly, because I tried to order borscht, meaning the cold soup, but got a piping hot version.  I did not have the language skills or the energy to try to change my order, so I may have been the only person in all of SPg eating HOT soup that evening!  But it was really good; the bliny (mine with jam, Anne's with chicken) tasted great and the kbac was very cold and refreshing.

We got no funny looks (that we noticed) and the feeling in the restaurant, with the kids and the family groups, was really comfortable.

Next, we did some souvenir shopping.  I should say I did A LOT of souvenir shopping.  We happened on a nice shop for the classic Russian souvenir:  matrushka dolls.  I got some unique (at least to me) hand painted ones for my daughters and my walking buddy, Eileen at home.  I also found another piece of amber with a bug in it for her husband (our neighbor) Mike.  I found smaller bugs in amber for their two amatur geologist sons at a Peterhof gift shop, but I wanted to do do justice to the budget (and cash) they gave me to get these souvenirs for them.  I also got a pretty gift for Eileen for taking care of my cat when my husband was not there, during my extended vacation.

Near our hotel

Anne kept me from spending even more money!  Because shopping is thirsty work, we went to a cafe bar on the canal near our hotel for a last beer in SPg.  Anne asked me if it was OK to show us drinking within the shadow of a church (you'll recognize it in the photo above.)  I said, "Jesus made wine to drink with his friends"  No problem!

On the way back to the hotel to pack we stopped in a little shop for ice-cream cones.  Only as I was paying did I realize that it was a Baskins & Robbins...that logo was on their napkins in English.  Anne said it was good ice-cream...