EXIT INTERVIEW

Just Back From... a Russian River Cruise

John and Pamela Meyerhoffer spent 12 nights sailing from St. Petersburg to Moscow on the Viking Kirov, with stops to explore the region's opulent palaces and historic sights built by the czars and Soviets.

Monday, Nov 29, 2010, 10:31 AM  |  Subscribe to the magazine

Overrated... Lenin's Tomb. It's only open for a few hours in the morning on certain days, which is inconvenient. We learned that Lenin's body is kept in a preservative solution, then makeup is applied, and then the corpse is dressed for display. The whole process seems somewhat ghoulish—and apparently the Russian government spends millions of dollars a year to maintain it all. We're with the locals who say, "Bury it."

Moment when things got tense... When we saw a young man asking his love for her hand in marriage. She declined! We captured the scene by the Grand Cascade [PHOTO] at Peterhof Palace. It wasn't tense for us, but it certainly was for the young gentleman!

We're still laughing about... A Yaroslavl café sign announcing "Free beer!"...tomorrow (in small letters) [PHOTO]. A sleeping guard in the Hermitage [PHOTO]. And a bear serving vodka to John [PHOTO].

Bonus! Our top tip: When booking this river cruise, select a date when the trip goes from St. Petersburg to Moscow rather than the reverse. When you take this route, you'll have time to reserve the limited tickets available for the Bolshoi Theatre and the Armoury.

MORE EXIT INTERVIEWS

Just Back From...a Girls' Trip to China

Just Back From...the Major Sights of Rome

Just Back From...a Safari in Kenya & Tanzania

JUST BACK FROM…
If you're heading off on a trip, let us know, and we might interview you for our new series. Tell us: (1) where you're going, (2) when you are planning to leave and return, (3) who you are going with, and (4) a few details of your itinerary.
• E-mail us now

Budget Travel Real Deals

See more deals »

Note:This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
 

Article Comments

Please log in to post comments/ratings

Rate this article

Comment on this article

(Limit 5000 characters / 5000 characters remaining)

Overall Rating:

Video of the Day

Check Prices

Check Current Prices

  1. Hotels
  2. Flights
  3. Cars
  4. Cruises

Choose Sites

Choose Sites

Choose Sites

Choose Sites

Advanced Search

Select the details relevant to your trip to see a list of articles that match your needs — it's the best way to get ideas!
SELECT YOUR DESTINATION
SELECT YOUR ACTIVITIES