*Street sweepers use birch branch brooms, though they use them very efficiently. By mid-morning, the streets were always clean and tidy. But they definitely had their work cut out for them, since Russians leave their beer and vodka bottles absolutely everywhere, most times broken.
*Garbage cans apparently set fire often, because we passed one near a busy bus stop and everyone acted completely unsurprised.
*A communist era holdover, three people commonly occupy the job of one. Every museum we went to had a person who’s job was to direct you to his/her left, where the lady in the ticket office would sell you a ticket, then another lady next to her to take your ticket and allow you in the museum. Literally. All in a row.
*Russians must have phlegm issues because loogies were all over the sidewalks.
*Though the temperature outside consistently stayed around 50 degrees Farenheit, ice cream was the most popular street food. Go figure.
*Brides were all over the city. We ran into multiple large wedding parties drinking champagne and taking pictures at every iconic place we visited, as weddings commonly parade around to city landmarks and party all day long. It was inspiring to see so many joyous people out and about.
*Its tragic to see Russian soldiers who lost limbs simply ambling around without them. Its shameful that the government gives them no aid with it. Of course, the US gov’t cannot be said to treat their veterans much better.
*Why do people who look very unstable and unsure of themselves on roller blades feel the need to roll right down the sidewalk of Nevsky Prospekt? The sidewalks are jammed with walkers, the roads are jammed with crazy cars, and here are people who do not seem to know how to turn or stop trying to navigate it causing disaster at every step.