Из России/From Russia: Петроградская Сторона

I'm going to start this post with a clip from Braveheart, a movie about a country a ways away from the one I now find myself in. But this clip is funny and it will makes sense after you read this post...that is, if my writing technique actually works.

But Joey, aren't you living in St. Petersburg? That isn't an island. Is it? Well no, it isn't one island, but rather several. Over the course of 300 years, the city has grown from its original location, stretching onto the islands that have been carved out of the land by the Neva and Nevka rivers. The map below gives you an idea of what we're talking about.

Yes, it's in Russian.

As you gaze upon this wonderful city, you will want to note that it is built not only on some islands, but also on a swamp. Peter the First was quite a visionary. And rather stubborn and strong-headed, but that's another story.

So here we have Saint Petersburg, or Petrodgrad, or Lenningrad, or Piter. Whichever you'd prefer, here they are. In this sprawling metropolis, there are several places that I've discovered to be pretty, comforting, disgusting, and places I visit almost everyday. One of these places encompasses all of the aforementioned adjectives except disgusting. That is Петроградская Сторона (Petrogradskaya Storona). It translates as "The Petrograd Side", meaning that when the city was named Petrograd (early 1900s until it became Lenningrad), this island hosted the growing Russian middle and upper classes and grew during this period. Now, it is home to a large commercial district (Большой Проспект/Bolshoi Prospekt) along which you can find grocery stores, shoes shops, clothing stores, a movie theater, and lots of restaurants and cafés. It is also home to residential neighborhoods that give you an up close and personal look at Piter today. You can also find the famous Peter and Paul Fortress on Petrodgradskaya as well as the Cruiser Aurora which fired the famous blank shot to signal the start of the Bolshevik Revolution.

More importantly for me however, I can find Metro station Sportivnaya and Apartment Building 1/3 on Малый Проспект (Mali Prospekt) and apartment 36. This is home. After being on the "mainland" (where Smolny College is located) for most of the day, its nice to take the metro back to my stop and get off and head to my apartment. I've never lived in a big city before, so I have no experience whatsoever with a public transportation system. But I can tell you that after about 2 weeks being here in Piter, there is nothing like arriving on the metro or pulling onto Bolshoi Prospekt at my stops. I've explored a bit on Petrogradskaya and I know I wasn't born here, nor have I lived here that long, but its a permanent place for me in this city of crazy drivers, constant renovation, and the usual spontaneity of a big city.

Петроградская Сторона - "My Island"

Here are some pics of that lovely apartment I was talking about. There are just a few of my room. Enjoy!