Leningrad 1999

I was in Leningrad in the summer of 1999 for a meeting of the Earth Sciences Joint Working Group. My Russian friends guided us around this incredibly beautiful city, beginning with a trip to the banks of the Neva, and including a private tour of parts of the Hermitage Museum. Official side trips included a visit to the huge flood containment dams in the Gulf of Finland and a surprise visit to the formely closed island of Kronstadt, where Peter the Great established his navy. We also toured a palace outside of town (Pushkin perhaps) and the impressive memorial to defenders of Leningrad during the 900-day Siege in WWII.

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Much to our surprise and the astonishment of our Soviet hosts, we were taken to Kronstadt, a normally closed navy base. I furtively snapped this shot of "Uncle Ilyich". A short time later I was told it was okay to take pictures!