We experienced grit lock on the St Petersburg roads
We saw many big muddy trucks with oversized loads

Cars have doubled in the last 10 years we are told
But many cars on the road are over 20 years old

We drove 15 miles outside the city and arrived late
At one of the ornate palaces of Peter the Great

It was built for his wife Catherine the first, to have her own …
” Little Country” palace when she was alone

She had 11 children with Peter the Great
Who traveled much and often came home late

Elisabeth a daughter was the only one who did survive
And she rebuilt the palace during her life

It’s grandiose façade stretches nearly 1000 feet
With more rooms then anyone would ever use or need

She spend all the money on glitter and gold
And the states coffers were e empty when she was old

13 thousand dresses she left when she died
an obscene lifestyle paid for by money on which others relied.

The palace was destroyed during WW2but the restoration goes on
And one wonders is all this money spend right or wrong

Millions of locals call a dilapidated high rise home
Of which many buildings look like a danger zone

In the evening we again sat in traffic for a long way
To see a Russian ballet

But it was worth the inconvenience
To have this theater experience.

Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” was a treat
While reclined in a comfortable seat

Traffic on the way back was just as bad
When we arrived late at the ship everyone was glad