Archaeology!

So, this week, between working the door and cleaning flints in the archaeology department, my favourite work highlights have been meeting 2 curators from Holland and starting my first archaeological drawing. There is a site in Smolensk with artifacts from the late Neolithic Age to the early Iron Age. The piece of pot I was given to draw was from the beginning of the Bronze Age, about 4,000 years old. I cannot believe I was holding something that old. Earlier in the week, I saw their archaeological pen drawings and asked if I could try and they gave me a few guidelines.

Profile—the piece must be held at an angle as if it were sitting in its place within the entire pot. Sketch only the front line (outer face of the pot) then use compass to mark the width of the back line, for accuracy. Longest profile is only necessary, it should be aligned on the paper with the front view.

Front view—again must be held as if a part of the whole pot. Use compass constantly to check spaces.

It was really interesting. Apparently this site has clear layering of artifacts through the different ages. The area was once a lake and the people lived in houses on stilts. Wooden and ceramic objects were preserved by the swamp environment left after the lake dried out. I guess it's a bit like Pete Marsh the Iron Age bog man. It was kind of them to let me try. I will return next week to finish with pen work over the pencil.

Welcome to the archaeology department! Surprisingly, it's not in the basement despite appearances.

More news:

Alert, Russian wine can be flavoured with rose water and one named wine will be made at different strengths, i.e. 11% and 14% and so forth

Flower, light and colour all come from the same word

There are lots of flower shops, nearly all the flowers come from Holland

Sushi is pretty good, I think Sydney has the edge though

10 or 100 mormons are coming to volunteer next week, it can't possibly be 100

Tried 'Krokodil' a restaurant recommended in GT's Phaidon book with the American John, it was good (still have yet to sample a Russian beer)

Ended up playing the piano to my hostel acquaintances—2 guys, one is a Russian electrician called Sarvar who sang along to Kalinka, which I didn't play very well. Another couple arrived today. I am looking forward to moving in with my babushka lady. I visit her on Sunday.

Ballet tomorrow!!!

Got to see the Bronze horseman, the statue of Peter the Great and inspiration for Pushkin's poem (better read it now!). Apparently the wave underneath the horse (only partially visible in this photo) represents his struggle over the Baltic Sea.

More snow, so more scraping. It's been between -5 and -10

Spakonye noche!

Winter light in St Petersburg

Monday 8 February

Everywhere I look I see paintings, impressionist paintings. I'll have plenty to paint when I get back to London. The light is stunning, especially as the Sun goes down.

Trubetskoy Bastion

Ducks swimming in the frozen Neva, chilly feet.

Above is the Palace Stroganov

The corner building above is the House of Books, one of the largest bookshops in St Petersburg.

Today was my day off. I arranged Russian lessons for Mondays and explored the city.

St Petersburg—first Sunday

Sunday 7th February

With a stomach full of pancakes, I went to the museum for an hour or so in the morning. I don't know quite what to call this giant black dish, but it's huge. Did a sketch of Jupiter, then met with a couple of the volunteers who showed me some St Petersburg sights, until we got too cold. Below is the Armenian church—for Katherine and Mike.

Found the music to Dr Zhivago in the cupboard in my room, so found myself playing it on the piano, which is also in my room, this evening. Funny because I watched it for the first time on the plane over here. I must admit I find the tune a little creepy, it reminds me of circuses.

Wintery Russian Scenes—February 2010

The Winter Palace, one of the Hermitage buildings, overlooking the frozen Neva river.

Winter sunlight, as it was in Sydney, is special. This was around 6.15pm. The light starts to get really interesting, when it is sunny and not overcast, from about 4pm. I had a stupid moment the other day when I couldn't work out why my calculator wasn't working—

I remembered eventually that it was solar powered.

It gets light around 9.30am.

The above photo is a game for Shelley, guess who?

Nobody spoil it for her, please.

A clue for you: they have them from 1066 to 1820, something we saw together recently...your crush maybe

Above is the silver room and one of the many Flemish art rooms.

I can't believe how opulent the museum is and I've only visited part of one floor, in only one of the buildings. Everything is so detailed and I'm so surprised that photos are allowed.

The blind lady in Russian Ark is first found in this hallway.

Today the 6th was bright and sunny, a rarity apparently.

The Church of Our Saviour on Spilled Blood

The Hermitage at night the 5th Feb, I left 8.30pm after helping at the opening of Spazialismo

Below left, second window in from the left, on the ground floor, that window is above the volunteer office where I go during the week.

Below right is typical snow clearing activity, although I need to get people in the shot too to fully appreciate the scraping off of snow and icicles or 'sasukia'. Olga told me 59 people have been killed around the Hermitage by falling snow and ice.

Below are photos from my hostel window on my second night here.

And the view from my first hostel room (don't ask!) and to the right the staircase inside.

I think I'm in heaven, it's brilliant. I volunteer, totally immersed in Russian language, during the week from Tuesday to Friday. I get to go behind the scenes to underground basement areas where the cats hang out on warm pipes ready to see off any rodents; work in rooms that were once the Communist military General's offices and move in staff-only areas around the buildings. And then, at the weekend, I have free access to the museum, to wander, to absorb and to draw.

The volunteers are so friendly; one I met today. We watched a chick flick in Russian. And tomorrow she and Paline are taking me on a walking tour around the sites of the city. Apparently Paline had to prepare a tour in English on the major sites, great for me. Next weekend I'm going to the Mariinsky theatre to see the Nutcracker ballet and the weekend after a free Mozart concert in the Cathedral. The Hermitage is closed on Mondays, so I hope to take a Russian class and I can start my new project—life is good.

A little about the city, there seems to be lots of sushi, but I haven't seen any Chinese or Indian food. Most unlike me, I'm not up for the sushi, funny that in minus 10. I just yearn for hot soup, rice, potatoes anything warm.

And to end, today I saw a schnauzer. He had a partially frozen beard, bless, and a dog coat that was not just a puffy coat but covered the legs too like little trousers, so cute.

Spakonye noche!