Here are some photos of St. Petersburg, a magic place, with its architecture style 'borrowed' from quite a few  cultures, expensive museums, shops and even cemeteries, food stores hiding in some secret places( which are sometimes not  possible to find at all) and non-stop rains( which some citizens keep describing as 'surprising' and 'unexpected'). Well, yes, it's obvious I hated the city but I still tried to take some shots of it.

Claire, to my great glee, is staying in a home on Vasilievsky Island some blocks from where I lived during all of this, and she can recount the places I went, the walks I took, the churches into which I meekly stopped. What a pleasure to think of her doing it all far more capably in her far more capable Russian. She even visited my host mother, which has me in this state of resurrected thrill for the place. Partially for Claire, and partially for autumn, here's a photographic recapitulation (in landscapes, primarily). Claire, I'm so glad to think that, perhaps, I see a bit of what you see!

St.Petersburg is very famous among the tourists that visit this great city very often. During many centuries St. Petersburg remained the center of historical events that affected future generations.

Being an old city St.Petersburg gathered numerous kinds of historical monuments that preserved till today. St. Petersburg is referred to as an open-air museum, because you can see monuments, belonging to different epochs on every step in the city.

St. Petersburg is called “Venice of the North” as there are many rivers flowing through the city. St. Petersburg has forty two islands that are divided from each other by numerous rivers. The city is only few feet above the sea level.

Many museums and Art Galleries are situated in St.Petersburg, so those tourists that are fond of art can find a lot of interesting places to visit. One of the oldest museums is the State Hermitage Museum that has a worldwide fame.

You’ll never be sorry for visiting this great city that is really magnificent.

While gazing at the lighthouse, a pod of humpback whales made their distant presence known with their blows. There was a small row boat amongst them, as though a researcher was studying them. We meandered near the lighthouse for a bit, then the captain pressed on.

After breakfast, the morning was spent lounging and relaxing. Shortly after lunch, we arrived in Petersburg. Research stated that Petersburg was an active fishing village. As we disembarked, it was clear that we were in a fishing village. The fragrance in the air was pungent, a personal reminder of days back when my father made canned sardine sandwiches for me. While a bit breath-taking, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Our included tour was a performance by the Norwegian Dancers, a group of children between ages 8-13, at the Sons of Norway Hall. We were first presented some Norwegian pastries, which were excellent. We then sat at the provided tables and enjoyed the 20 min. presentation. The outfits the children wore were simply delightful, with such lovely detailed embroidering.

After the presentation, those that had selected land excursions were directed to their respective guides. Carol & I decided to explore town. Before leaving the Sons of Norway Hall, we watched as a Stellar Sea Lion busied itself with a selection of fish from nearby fisheries.

Our first stop was a artisan gallery and bookstore. I finally found a small piece of Tlingit artwork that I felt I could afford, while Carol picked up a couple of cookbooks. From there, we made out way into town. Know don't get me wrong, downtown was literally about 2-3 blocks on each side. Part artisan, part industrial/hardware-ish, obviously for the towns folk. On the way back, we stumbled across "dime store." Seeing the sign warning no backpacks, I watched Carol's bag as she explored for goodies. While she was in the store, I was taken back by the cashier's array of security monitors (tied to at least 8 cameras). A group of adolescents, mainly girls, stood outside. I was further taken back by their conversations, ranging in topics from welfare to pre-natal care and court dates. An 180 degree difference from what is promoted as a quaint, Norwegian-heritage fishing village. This image was further blown away by a couple of kids on the street who asked if a few people, passengers on our ship, where from Canada. When the passengers replied "No," the kids responded with "whatever."

We continued our walk back to the ship, stopping at Hammer Slough, a picturesque spot with buildings on pilings over water during high tide, and at a few homes with decorative Norwegian window treatments. We walked past the cruise ship, closer to the ferry pier. Prior to our cruise, I stumbled across a blog post by a chef aboard a Lindblad small ship, who noted that there was a bakery called Emily's with excellent pastries near the ferry terminal. When we found the bakery, it had already closed for the day. We settled for an iced chai latte at the nearby coffee shack, then boarded our ship.

While the Norwegian heritage aspect of Petersburg is attractive, the reality of this impoverished town was unexpected. However, a real Alaskan experience.

As we pulled away from Petersburg, the rain began to fall. Dinner was served shortly thereafter. I had the Cream of Asparagus soup, caesar salad with shrimp, and Chicken Saltimbocca. Carol had the mushroom quiche. For dessert, a butterscotch creme brulee, with a carmel corn topping.

As the evenings presentation was on what to expect for the next day, we attended in person. Jeff, the naturalist explained that Metlakatla was a native village, with a large Tsimshian community. We were "cautioned" that this community is raw. I wasn't quite sure what that meant nor what I should expect to experience. Later in the day, we would be visiting Misty Fjord National Monument and pick up a couple of Forest Service Kayak rangers who would provide commentary and guidance during our visit.

Sunday morning my mom and I hit the highways to check out a few of the properties she is interested in possibly purchasing. We checked at a place in Petersburg and while perusing the town I managed to get a couple of shots of the town square.

From Petersburg we headed to Shelbyville to look at a few more houses. While checking out one of the houses I noticed this.

OMG!!!!! This is like the biggest non-Amazon spider I have ever seen!!! Needless to say, I did not get to close because I was afraid it might attack and kill me, but I did get close enough to take some quick pics. No joke. This think was about 3 inches in length. I looked it up and apparently it is a Argiope aurantia, or black and yellow garden spider. They are evidently harmless to humans. That is probably because they are too big and scarey for people to want to mess with.

If I didn't have arachnophobia before, I think I might now.

The raid on the printer's workshop was connected to an earlier incident, when a Petersburg activist was arrested by Petersburg police at the gates of the Petersburg sea port for handing out a flyer to workers. The flyer aroused suspicion because it contained material critical of the Russian-Georgian conflict, and the police raided the printer's workshop at which the flyer had been produced, where they discovered the most recent edition of Chto Delat. They confiscated the entire edition of 3,000 newspapers and detained Chto Delat editor Dmitry Vilensky for questioning.

"The situation really did look pretty absurd," says Vilensky. "We produced this issue for the U-Turn Quadriennial in Copenhagen, and it's one of the most artsy issues we've made so far; it contains almost no references to the current political situation." Instead, the issue is dedicated to the problematic of perestroika, whose hopes and outcome the authors subject to critical enquiry. The security officials' suspicion was aroused by the "political look" of the paper and, in particular, by the libretto of a film-opera by the Chto Delat work group, to be premiered at U-Turn later next week, in which a nationalist, a democrat, a revolutionary, and a businessman debate the fate of the Soviet Union and its present outcome. The full text of the screenplay can be found here.

Yesterday, Vilensky was informed by the Petersburg police that the case had been handed over to the Kirov district attorney's office to investigate whether the newspaper is in violation of the Russian constitution, which contains paragraphs against extremism and the incitement of ethnic and religious hatred. "The militia - who told me that they 'didn't want blood' - were quite surprised by this move," Vilensky says. "They told me that the signal came from the FSB official who was coordinating the raid on the printers." The entire edition is still in custody, and will not be distributed at U-Turn, where it was meant to be part of a video-installation.

The printer's workshop Polyarnaya Zvezda [Pole Star] has since been cordoned off as a crime scene, and all its employees questioned. It was one of the only remaining places in Petersburg to print opposition leaflets of a wide range, including the Petersburg issue of National Bolshevik organ Limonka. Its closure - and the seizure of what is perhaps Chto Delat's most politically innocent issue - is symptomatic of the new atmosphere of suspicion and fear that has arisen in Russia.

BY MANDANA MARSH

The Petersburg Progress-Index

PETERSBURG, Va. — Thelma Bethea, 74, wrote an essay “from my heart” that won her a free trip to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

The retired physical therapist assistant and Petersburg native will witness history tonight when Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., gives his acceptance speech as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.

“It’s almost unbelievable to me that 47 years after I heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. deliver his “I Have A Dream” speech in Washington, D.C., that I will witness Obama’s historic moment,” Bethea said. “As an African-American, I never thought one would run for president in my lifetime. I’m very happy and so excited.”

Early in the summer, Bethea was listening to the radio when the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network announced an essay contest. Only three essays were chosen from hundreds of submissions to attend the DNC as guests.

On Monday, Bethea discovered her essay was chosen. She returns to Petersburg on Friday.

Bethea, a lifelong Democrat, also attended a unity breakfast today with civil rights leaders to commemorate King’s 1963 March on Washington.

“I can’t wait to tell my grandson, who is away at Fork Union Military Academy, when I return,” she said.

Here is Bethea’s winning essay:

“The Road I’ve Traveled, Living the Movement, Recognizing the Dream”

It is with great pride and joy that I can say I played a part in the struggle for human rights in Petersburg and in the South. During the late 1950s and 1960s, prejudice against minorities was common practice in the South. A change in the way Americans operated was eminent. Hence, the birth of the civil rights movement had begun. The movement was about obtaining equality for all people through non-violent measures. Let me share with you the road I traveled.

On a freezing night in a snow storm, I remember going to Zion Baptist Church in my hometown of Petersburg to hear Rev. Wyatt T. Walker address organizing the movement in my city. The church was packed with people from Petersburg and the surrounding areas. We were there because we were all interested in doing our part to help in the struggle. It was from that meeting our group was formed.

Later, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) sent me to Dorchester Academy in McIntosh, Ga. Dorchester was a school that taught citizens the principles and practices of non-violent demonstration. The school taught citizens how to read and write in order to pass a poll test; a requirement implemented in order to vote. People from all over attended this training. This was my first trip away from home without my family. It was exciting to meet so many people from different backgrounds pulling together for change. We were expected to return to our homes and teach others what we had learned. I returned home with a renewed spirit and did exactly that.

Anxious to put into practice what I’d learned at the academy, I continued in full force with the movement. I was full of excitement with the prospect of working towards making life better. As a ward leader, I escorted citizens to the polls on Election Day to register to vote. I also participated in classes held in citizens’ homes to help with questions on the poll test. During this time, I held meetings in many homes, organized stand bys and contacted people on various issues. I was one of the first allowed in the voting room after the polls closed to help hand count the ballots. I canvassed streets with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others in my ward to register voters. I helped purchase and serve lunches to students from New York who came to our city to assist with voter registration. All the while, we took every opportunity available to sing and praise God.

I recall an incident when the pastor of my church, First Baptist Church, Rev. Milton Reid was jailed for participating in the movement. I, along with others, rallied on the steps of the Courthouse in a non-violent manner singing and praising the Lord in an effort to free our pastor.

I was also a member of both the Steering Committee for the Petersburg Improvement Association and the Courtesy Committee for the first SCLC Convention which was held at First Baptist Church. I attended the mass rally in Roger Stadium at Virginia State University where Dr. King gave a freedom address. I was a hostess at the freedom rally held at Gilfield Baptist Church in Petersburg and I was a member of the Virginia Democratic Committee of 1964. I was also invited to the Inaugural Ball and reception for President and Mrs. Lyndon Baines Johnson. I was an alternate delegate at the Democratic State Convention in Norfolk when the Rev. Jesse Jackson was a presidential candidate. I even participated in the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. King delivered his “I Have A Dream” speech. It was during that moment when I realized that in order to be fully equal, all Americans needed to share Dr. King’s dream. Everyone in this nation needed to initiate and make changes in the way we think, perceive and act on situations.

Over the years, our nation has made great strides, and seen some victories, but still have a ways to go on the road towards change.

I would be more than honored to witness Sen. Barack Obama’s acceptance as the Democratic nominee for the Presidency of the United States of America in Denver. This event would be one of many historic events that I have been blessed to be a part of. It is yet another historical moment that would bring every civil rights movement that I have participated in come ‘full circle.’ It is a part of history unfolding in our country and around the world.

I am so proud of Sen. Obama. Change can be a good thing and I pray for him and his family every day. Everyone may not be for him, but I believe that our country as a whole — African-Americans, Hispanics, whites, young and old, men and women, Democrats and Republicans can all agree on one thing — Dr. King’s dream, our nation’s dream, my dream is taking place: “when a man can be judged not be the color of his skin, but by the content of his character.”

-Our holidays had already started..So basically life a lil’ dull, got nothing to do, besides staring in front of computer, playing games, and chit-chatting

-Today.....3 strong guys with great courage plus 1 one-of-a-kind girl decided that its their destiny to study in Petersburg

-Our holidays had already started..So basically life a lil’ dull, got nothing to do, besides staring in front of computer, playing games, and chit-chatting

-Today the day started late as usual since it is SUNDAY! but today is the day when one of our colleagues flies to Petersburg...
-Heard that its a wonderful place there, its like Europe there (not that Moscow is not in Europe or anything its just that their city are most organized than Moscow) but based on what i read....People of Moscow are proud of one thing!-Cleanliness of Moscow!

-Sharp at 3 pm they board the flight and took one hour journey to Petersburg from Moscow...Some of our friends did follow them to the airport although I'm not sure which airport it is..Since in Moscow there are about 5 different airports catering different routes (as u can imagine how big Moscow is!)

-Hopefully they will strive for excellence, proving Malaysians can achieve those standards that we set by 2020..

Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois) and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine (D)spoke to an invitation-only audience yesterday at the Chester campus at John Tyler Community College. Later, Obama made a stop in Petersburg's Old Towne area before he went to Chesapeake. Last night, Ma told me after work that he was at Longstreet's Deli on Sycamore Street. Man, it's not everyday that a presidential candidate arrives in this area!

Trey Songz

 Peep the video for "Missing You" and like always let us know what you think.