Walking day 散歩の日

As is very common with me, the first day is to walk around during the travel. I tried to get the feeling of big streets and monuments for the orientation. In addition to it, here there are channels and it makes me easy to have a feeling of location. I went through the Sennaya square ploschad crowded with many people looking at market, then from the street along Griboedva channel I took Poznansky street toward the St.Isaac's cathedral. Looking the cathedral on the left, I went further and further to west along the Neva river. There I found a lot of beer ads along the street and encountered a group of people at wedding ceremony.　I went across the Lieutenant Schmidt bridge and got to the other side of the river. What I felt of the city was Prague. The Neva rivier is much wider than Buldava in Prague, but the impression I got from the streets or buildings is exactly as same as the one from Prague. Many cars here have spike tires and maybe because of that, it is quite dusty by big streets. It might be unbearable for people with asthma. Cars running frequently honk and also cars parked along the road equipped with surveillance alarm! I unexpectedly found some traffic lights with waiting seconds, and also huge streets with six lanes without any traffic lights but sign which indicates people may cross the street. Cars are running quite fast, I can hardly imagine that they would stop when they find pedestrians.

いつものように旅行初日は散歩の日。大通りとモニュメントの位置感覚を憶える。それに加えてここには運河があるので比較的分かりやすい。市でにぎわうセンナヤ広場を通り、グリボエドバ運河沿いから途中でボズネセンスキー通りをイザック教会方面へ。教会を横目にネヴァ川沿いを西へ西へ、そこでやけに多いビールの看板と、結婚式の団体を見つける。ルーテナントシュミット橋を渡って川向こう。ここまでに頭に浮かんだのが、プラハの街。こちらの方が川幅がはるかに広いけれど、建物や通りの感じは正にプラハ。こちらの車は沢山スパイクタイヤを履いているせいか、大きな通りの歩道ではやけにほこりっぽい。これは喘息持ちの人だったらたまらないだろう。車はとんでもなく頻繁にクラクションを鳴らすし、路駐されている車の防犯用のブザーか？異常とも思えるほど頻繁に鳴っている。予想外に横断歩道には待ち時間表示がついているものもあるが、逆に対向６斜線の広い道路で信号もついてないのに、歩行者横断の標識があるところがある。それに車がやけにスピードを出して走っている。とても歩行者を見て止まってくれるとは思えない！

Then again, I just took the direction which seemed to me more interesting. After finding another bridge and I just walked to that and arrived at an island on the Neva river. There is the Peter and Paul cathedral in the fortress, and the outside of the fortress there is a beach. I saw some men and women in their bathing suites lying, and in front of them a group of students are playing in this big　sandpit.

また適当に通りを眺めて面白そうな方へ、また次の橋が見える方へとてくてく歩き、ネヴァ川に浮かぶ島に着いた。城壁で囲まれた中にピーターパウル教会があり、また城壁の外にはどうも市民のビーチらしい砂浜が。既に水着を着て寝転がっている男女が数人いたが、その手前の方では小学校の生徒らしき団体が砂遊びをしている。

Then again I aimed to the next bridge, I passed the Artillery museum where cannons or tanks are displayed in front, then after crossing the next bridge again walk along the river. After a while passing by a yocht, I went across an imperial guardian lion. On the basement it is written that ”大清光緒３０年吉林Ｏ旦”. I read my guidebook at home later, and it says that the statue is from Manchuria. However, the emperor mentioned here is Guangxu Emperor in Qing　Dynasty?! There is also a statue of Sphinx a little down the river.

また次の橋を目指しててくてくと。戦車や大砲が置かれているアーティレーリー博物館の前を通り、次の橋を渡ってからは川沿いをまたひたすらてくてくと。帆船を通り過ぎ、それからしばらくして狛犬に遭遇。”大清光緒３０年吉林Ｏ旦”と書いてある。家でガイドブックを読んでみると、満州の彫刻とかなんとか書いてある。でもこれは清の光緒帝のことだろう？ちなみに川を海の方に下る方向にはスフィンクスの像もあった。

I walked further again until I got to the Aurora in front of a building with a huge Gazpron ad and many souvenir shops. I went across the next bridge and then took the direction toward the Hermitage museum. In front of the museum there is a square which is much bigger than a ball park. I am so happy that I finally can visit the museum after my long time wish. Actually I would visit there in some days. I took Gorokhovaya street and directly to my apartment. It was a six-and-a-half walking including lunch. I was really truely exhausted.

その先、大きなガスプロンの看板をつけた建物の前にアウロラが泊っていて沢山おみやげ物屋が。次の橋を渡って今度はエルミタージュ前の通りを美術館の方向へ。エルミタージュの前は、野球場がひとつすっぽり入ってもまだまだ余裕があるほどの大きな広場になっている。長年の念願がかなってやっとエルミタージュの絵が見られると思うといよいよ嬉しい。まぁ実際には後日の訪問になるけれど。それからあとはゴロクホヴァヤ通りをまっすぐ、アパートまで。全工程お昼を含めて６時間半。さすがに疲れた。