Breakfast the next morning in the Palace was lovely: fresh fruit, yogurts, croissants, cappuccino, etc. in a vaulted atrium tiled in marble, followed by a long shower in the luxurious bathroom. After which Vic made arrangements to hire a guide and driver to take us to the Summer Palace, a long, yellow building that stretches across acres of gardens filled with germinating flowers and golden fountains and arboreal greenery. Touring the gilded rooms and gardens we gasped in delight and awe, then walked outside and watched children play in the fountains, listened to musicians entertain us, and tried our hand at a coin toss into the boot of a statue. When we felt we had seen it all, we boarded the high speed catamaran powerboat across the harbor and back into the heart of the City.
That night, we decided to eat dinner at the Russian Empire restaurant -- a palace formerly owned by the Stroganoff family, where we ate an amazing meal of Venison Stroganoff, sorbet, and various delights. Our dinner ended with a tour of the basement where ancient wines were concealed and hidden bedrooms hosted unexpected overnight visitors. Our guide informed us that the members of the G20 Summit had just eaten there the week before. When we returned to the hotel, we had a vodka and ran into the lead singer for Nazareth, Dan MacCafferty, and the Village People, who were also staying at our hotel. What a great end to an amazing City!
No comments:
Post a Comment