Gary’s Q&A

Listener question & Gary’s response · Transcript passage

Mark Flynn asks One of the most fascinating and surprisingly beautiful cities I have ever visited has been St Petersburg in Russia. Its history, culture, and landmarks were hidden behind the Iron Curtain from most of the world for a long time, and the present political situation makes it difficult to visit, but would you consider doing a show on it? Heck, the Peterhof and Hermitage might need a show of their own.

Mark, you are absolutely correct. The creation of St Petersburg, Peter the Great, and the Hermitage would all make for great episodes.

I visited Saint Petersburg very briefly. I went there by ferry from Helsinki and took advantage of their visa waiver, which allows for a 72-hour visa if you arrive by ship in St. Petersburg.I spent about 10 hours there and I wasn’t even able to go into the Hermitage.

One thing I would highly recommend to everyone if you are interested in this subject is the 2002 film titled Russian Ark.

It was shot in the Hermitage with a cast of over 2000 people. The remarkable thing about the film is that it was shot in one continuous 90-minute take, going through 33 rooms of the museum. The documentary about the making of the film is almost as interesting.