St Petersburg

As I have said before – it is obvious to me why there was a revolution. The ordinary people were being squeezed dry between the lavishness of the Church and opulence of the aristocracy. The gulf was immense. Inequality leads to great fury.

Catherine had her palace pulled down and rebuilt three times because she thought it wasn’t lavish enough! This is when people were starving.

Catherine loved gold. You can see that everywhere. The gold onion domes of the church are a clear illustration.

As soon as you enter the place you are struck by its size, scale and the sheer dazzling glistening of gold.

Great porcelain woodstoves in every room. Massive windows to let in the light. Mirrors to reflect the opulence. Murals on the ceilings to create grandeur. And gold, gold, GOLD.

Then there are the extensive grounds with their statues, walkways, lakes, bath houses, pavilions and landscaped gardens.

The place was magnificent but one could not help wondering how much misery lay in its wake.