Insanity in SPB

Wow, what a crazy night last night. The "Scarlet Sails" party was one of the most intense and outlandish nights we've had since getting here. The party is ostensibly celebrating the graduation of Russian students from their universities, although judging by the half-a-million people on the streets last night, I would say that it's just another excuse to have a massive event for the city's 5.5 million residents. The name for the party comes from a Russian fairy tale where the beautiful princess is swept away by her love, who comes to her on a sailing ship with scarlet (or crimson) sails. And what better way to celebrate these students' ascendancy into Russian adulthood than get ridiculously drunk, break glass bottles on the street, trash the city, and generally act irresponsibly?

St. Petersburg at 11 pm, the famous "white nights."

These events are always a struggle: we have to balance our own safety with the unique chance to see Russian culture in action. So, after a nice dinner that Alyson made, we headed downtown about 10:30 pm with as few valuables as possible. We knew it was going to be insane from the very beginning, as the train car was packed to the brim with people. Luckily for us, we only had to go 2 stops to Nevsky Prospekt Metro station. This was the sight that greeted us when we finally escaped the train:

The Nevsky Prospekt Metro, at 11:15 pm, completely jammed from front to back.

In a crowd like this, you can't really walk; rather, you just let the crowd push you along (kind of like the sailing ship that gives the party its name!). We had been trained to be wary of pick-pockets in crowds like this, and I kept my hands in my pockets to protect my wallet, keys, camera, and cellphone. I was very happy that I didn't lose Alyson in the crowd...and that I didn't get crushed against the railing....and that I didn't fall down the escalator...and basically that I survived the ride there. But when we finally emerged onto the street, and I checked to make sure I had everything, I discovered that my cellphone was gone. I checked briefly to ensure it hadn't fallen out and onto the street, but we quickly discovered that the phone had been permanently turned off, a sure indication that it was stolen right out of my front jeans pocket. Darn it.

Rather than fight the crowd into Palace Square, we decided to head straight to a party hosted by our friends Matt and Nicky. Over champagne, olives, and other yummy snacks we patiently waited for the party--called for 11:00 pm--to start. Paid for by Wrigley's chewing gum, the apartment is gigantic, and has an incredibly unique view over the Neva river--it's no wonder their monthly rent is more than 5 times what the JDC pays for our apartment her! I'm a little ashamed to admit, but after an hour or so I was so bored that I convinced Alyson to play Uno with me, which helped the time pass faster, and our Russian friends Marina and Olga came to join us as well.

Marina and Olga have drinks with Alyson at 1:15 am.

In true Russian style, the first fireworks didn't go off until 1:30 pm. For 30 minutes, it was a truly spectacular light show, reminiscent of my childhood trips to Epcot's IllumiNations. Boats in the Neva river shot off fireworks that exploded over the Peter and Paul Fortress; lasers and colored lights emanated from the Peter and Paul Cathedral; a platoon of paratroopers parachuted in, carrying giant sparklers that lit up the sky; great plumes of fire shot from off the fortress's ramparts; enormous military trucks illuminated the sky with industrial-sized spotlights, fireworks lifted off the Troitsky Bridge like anti-aircraft fire; and classical music blared through the streets, mixing the old world with the new. Actually, Alyson put it best when she said, "Now I know what it must have been like when the Nazis were attacking the city."

Fireworks over the Troistsky Bridge at 2 am. Notice on the right side that the bridge is open.

Of course, the dramatic climax was the entrance of the Scarlet Sails , with a crescendo of fireworks and "The 1812 Overture."

The ship enters the main part of St. Petersburg at 2 am, with the fortress and cathedral in the background.

Once the show ended, we thanked our gracious hosts and headed back onto the streets. The streets and sidewalk were still congested with smoke, trash, and tons of drunk people.

Looking down from the apartment onto the street at 2:15 am, with the smoke, drunkenness, and congestion providing an inviting atmosphere for camaraderie and friendship.

With the Metro shut down until 4 am, we decided to head back home on foot. Our first attempt to cross the Troitsky Bridge was rebuffed by police officers with no explanation (as usual), so we had to go the long way. This gave us the opportunity to see the sun start rising again, around 4 am, and we arrived home about 4:30 am. It was a long night, and I'm bummed about my cellphone, but it was a truly insane Russian experience.

Trash, police, and barricades, 3:15 am.