Venice of the North

On May 27, 1703, Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg as the capital of Russia. Since its founding, the city has been seen as the most westernized city of Russia and rightfully dubbed "Venice of the North."

Upon arriving in St. Petersburg, I was unaware of the size of the city. As of now it is the third largest city in Europe following Moscow and London. But after living here for three months now I believe it is undoubtedly true. Every metro station leads to a new corner of the city with its own vibe and aura. And every time you emerge from the darkness of the metro, a new city awaits.

This feeling of continuiously rediscovering the city stems from the weather. It seems that the city truly does come alive when the sun comes out and what was a frigid and stereotypical Russian metropolis is now a European hub of culture and beauty. Thousands of people have emerged from their Russian hibernation to strut on the city streets.

This may be surprising but St. Petersburg has a definite fashion sense that I can rarely achieve on a good day. And Russian women can do absolutely anything in heels for any amount of time. The standard Russian woman is tall with long straight hair. She wears tall stiletto boots and tight dark jeans with a cropped leather jacket. Each and every one of them looks more put together than I could ever dream. I am choosing to blame my lack of trendiness on the small amount of clothing I could get in my suitcase.

Speaking of, this Thursday we leave for Finland. And Helsinki, just happens to be home to one of the first ever H&M stores. Rumor has it the store could cover a square city block and is three stories high. I will report back with my findings.

Along with the people, the true treasures of the city are beginning to come out of hibernation. St. Petersburg is commonly know as the "Venice of the North." This name comes from the hundreds of canals that stream throughout the city. Upon arriving here, these canals merely looked like streets winding in and out of the center. Now however, these waterways have melted and have added remarkable charm to St. Petersburg.

Overall, I wish I had come to St. Petersburg when the weather was warm and the city was bustling. I have experienced more of the people, culture and the city itself in the past few weeks of warm weather. And every day I spend getting lost in the city, the more I feel myself becoming attached.