Saint Petersburg

I've been back a couple of weks since the completion of the 8/26 Celebrity
Baltic cruise. As usual, Celebrity delivered a great service, the food and
entertainment and staff attitudes were incredible. All the ports were
interesting and worthwhile with the exception of Saint Petersburg.

Saint Petersburg should be seen, the wealth and spectacule is jaw dropping, but
I will never return. Over a decade since the brutal commies went bankrupt
their evil presence still hangs over Russia. Imagine a place locked in rust
bowl 1950's gloom, run down trolley cars move sullen citizens through
dilapidated streets, teens drink beer at 10:00 AM, citizens are silent for fear
that an informant will report them, round slavic women peddle watermellons in
the midst of squalor, while sullen policemen solicit bribes from frightened
tourists.

Upon re-boarding the Constellation, I remarked to the woman in front of me that
I was glad to be out of that hell hole, she replied, "me too and they said
they'd bury us". I replied, "it looks like they buried themselves".

A friend, who works on the ship, confided in me that "everyone hates the
Russians". My reply was brief, "RIP state socialism, long live capitalism".
With the possible exception of New York City, Russia is the worst place I've
ever visited-I will never return!