St Petersburg 5 to London

Erata museum, flying to London

Checked out and took a taxi to see the Erata museum, described by Lonely Planet as one of the art sights in St Petersburg. It is set in a converted warehouse in a previously industrial area. It is a very light airy museum spread out over 5 floors with very contemporary work. They were very enthusiastic about modern art. I enjoyed a few pieces, there was a nice sculptures comparing the right and left halves of the brain with the left half being organised angles and clear pathways but the right a growing organic mass of connections. There was a beautiful large sculpture of aluminium pieces called "earth worm cast”. There were witty pieces; one painting of a kitchen included a Mondrian fridge. But it did feel that it was trying a little too hard and the explanations were too long.

Went to the airport by taxi and was there ridiculously early by my standards! I caught up with my blogs. On the flight I finished reading the Baltic Revolution by Anatol Liven which I am glad that I read but it did take too much of my reading time. But it did give me a good insight into the history, and especially problems like the Baltic Russians who are a large part of the community in both Latvia and Estonia. It was much better than the Balkan History by Misha Glenny that I struggled with last year.

Took the tube home and it was good to be in a multi- cultural society again. Both the Baltics and Russia were mono ethnic with pale skinned northerners.
My Russian add on was a fascinating part of the trip and I loved being in Piter. But it also diminished the Baltic States a little. They seemed so small and Russia is so big.