Holy crap, I’m actually in St. Petersburg.  It’s all Russian and stuff.

Spent the morning walking the banks of the Neva and blowing my mind at the Church Of Our Savior On Spilled Blood, which is less a house of worship than a ten-story walk-in mosaic artwork designed as if Willie Wonka had just gotten an everlasting gobstopper from the Virgin Mary.

Up there with the Hagia Sophia for supercool ex-cathedrals.

Limited time as always on this trip, unfortunately.  Will have to do massive catchup later if possible.  But this is my impression so far of the new Russia:

I am certain my room is bugged.  But only to see if I’m using the minibar.