Peterhof, Puskin, Pelmeni

Hi everyone!!! I am still having an amazing time here. I'm a little sick today, I have a sore throat and a runny nose, i.e. the common cold. I'm feeling good though!!! I LOVE my classes, my favorite being my conversation class. I am surprising myself with how much my speaking skills are improving. :) I am speaking much more quickly too. Two weeks ago I went to Peterhof! It was amazing. Peter the Great built it and it was influenced by the Palace at Versailles in France. It has this unbelieveable cascade of fountains, statues and BEAUTY. We walked around the park and we ate lunch on the grass, overlooking the Gulf of Finland! It was incredible. There are also a bunch of fountains that you can run through and get wet, I was soaked by the end of the day. It was really fun though.
This past week, I went to Puskin which is just outside of St. Pete. I got a tour of Catherine's Palace. It was beautiful. My favorite part was the amber room where literally everything in the room including the walls, picture frames etc. is COVERED in gorgeous amber. For those that don't know, amber is a brownish-reddish-yellowish-orangy kind of stone. We had so much fun that day and my friends and I have alot of great pictures from walking around the grounds of the palace and lunch over looking the water. I feel so lucky to be able to see so many amazing places like this and it is unlike anything I ever imagined. I'm sorry I can't put up pictures right now, but I'm in an internet cafe and have no idea where to stick the USB drive. I'm also having alot of trouble putting pictures up on facebook, but I will keep trying! Maybe one day it will work. The weather is dreary here today, it's been getting colder and it has been more rainy.
Ok, now I need to talk about the food. I have had quite a culinary experience here. Firstly, I must mention pelmeni, which everyone I know loves. They are basically potstickers but are more circular; they are dumplings with meat inside. There are many different types of pelmeni but my favorite are the Siberian pelmeni. Of course, they have to be covered in sour cream. :) I have made it a rule for myself, to try everything that is offered at dinner at least once, because I never know if I will like it or not. It was pretty funny the other night, my Babushka made this appetizer that was a fish (herring, I think) that she said I wouldn't like. She told me to try it though. She slathered butter onto a piece of black bread (my favorite kind of bread so far) and then put the piece of fish on top with some onions. To make a long story short, I loved it and she was shocked, but of course happy to hear that. I am also eating alot more than I normally eat but I walk EVERYWHERE so I'm not worried lol. Well, I going to go and have some blini (thin pancakes, alot like french crepes) for lunch with my friend on this rainy afternoon in St. Pete. Love you all.