My tour group was blessed to have 3 sunny days in a row in St. Petersburg and the nearby areas, where the total days with sunshine in a year is only about 60.

On the last day, we had a tour of Peterhof Palace. Actually we only had access to the gardens, which already took the whole morning. The most impressive part is the Grand Cascade, with the Samson Fountain that depicts Samson tearing open the jaws of a lion (the last 2 photos). This fountain was a symbol of Russia's victory over Sweden in the Great Northern War, but unfortunately this masterpiece became a victim in another war - the statue was looted by the Germans during the World War II. The one we see now is a replica installed in 1947.

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