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HISTORY / MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES 9
Russian Trip October 2018
Joseph Moore, U6E
During October half term, at the
far too early time of 5am, a group
of Bancroftians gathered at School
prepared for the long journey to St
Petersburg. We arrived at around
4pm and headed straight to the
hotel, where we unpacked and
went for dinner. The anticipation for
our first Russian meal was building
and it is safe to say that it did not
disappoint; the Russian salad and
selection of fish soups proved
especially controversial. After this
we headed out for our boat trip
through the city. The setting of the
voyage was fantastic; it was a clear,
crisp night as we passed all of the
beautifully illuminated palaces built
alongside the River Neva.
Throughout St Petersburg, our omniscient
tour guide Helena amazed us with facts about
Russian history and entertained us with her
many catchphrases. On our first full day,
we headed out for the Peter-Paul fortress
and saw the tombs of the Romanovs. After
lunch we explored more of the city, including
a seemingly never-ending shopping mall
on Nevsky Prospekt. Once we were done
gallivanting we travelled back to the hotel, had
a speedy dinner, and got ready to see
Swan
Lake
at the Hermitage Theatre. The building
itself was stunning and, despite not being the
biggest ballet fan, I was able to appreciate the
talent that the dancers had shown.
On our second morning in Russia we headed
to Catherine’s Palace just outside the city.
Despite the cold it was a brilliant experience,
and one of the most incredibly decorated
places I have ever seen; every mirror, wall
and piece of furniture was covered in gold
leaf. We followed this by visiting the Yusupov
Palace where the infamous Rasputin was
murdered. The palace had a wax recreation
of the murder and showed us once again,
what the lives of the rich in Tsarist Russia
would have been like. The next day we
visited possibly the most fascinating sites
so far on the trip. Firstly the Hermitage
Museum, inside the Winter Palace; the
former residence of most of the Russian
Tsars, and the location of the downfall of Tsar
Nicholas II. I was in awe the pure size of it,
the grandeur in every room and the stunning
pieces of art, including a Van Gogh display.
We took the bullet train to Moscow, a
journey which lasted 4 hours. We passed the
time playing cards, working on our promising
careers in music and listening out for very
frequent reminders from Mr Brennand that
we were in a quiet carriage. On our first
morning in Moscow, we visited the Kremlin,
accompanied by our new local guide Tatiana.
It was fascinating to see the spot in which
Lenin once worked, and in which Putin
still works today. Whilst walking through
Cathedral Square we briefly looked round
the beautiful Cathedral of Annunciation. The
Cathedral was built in the 15th century and
we learnt that while, many of the original
ornaments survive, much had been removed
during Soviet rule. Once we left the Kremlin
the group walked into Red Square and saw
the world famous St Basil’s Cathedral.
That evening we headed to the 30th floor of
the stunning Hotel Ukraina, where we had
a karaoke night. Whilst some of the singing
wasn’t quite of the standard of my and Dr
Hunn’s rendition of
Love Shack
, I think it’s
safe to say that everyone had a good time.
This was a good chance for us to reflect on a
brilliant trip, full of culture and fun. On our
final morning, we headed out Lenin’s tomb,
the location of his embalmed body. We
queued outside in the cold for over an hour,
as the former leader is still considered a hero
in Russia. The security outside the tomb was
unmatched by anywhere else we had seen,
showing again the sacred nature of Lenin to
the Russian people. Once we saw the body,
it was time for our final meal and to head
to the airport. After the scare of potentially
lost passports and a final few souvenir
purchases, we boarded the plane and headed
back to Heathrow. Overall the trip was truly
memorable and one I enjoyed thoroughly.