By Bob Van Leer

  (LENINGRAD, USSR, May 20, 1989) - Today was a day for Russian history and culture, both past and present. We were scheduled to go to Petrodvorets, the old czarist summer palace, by hydrofoil boat. Our Intourist guide, Alla, said the hydrofoil trip was called off because "the hydrofoil navigation season has not begun" and we would go there by bus instead.

  Later in the day when we were on the Neva River downtown, we saw a hydrofoil loaded with passengers coming up to dock. Even with this evidence right in front of us, Alla insisted that the hydrofoil navigation season had not yet begun because her superiors in Intourist had told her so.

  The Summer Palace was occupied by the Germans for 28 months in World War II. It is located on the south shore of the Gulf of Finland and from it you can see downtown Leningrad within artillery range. But the Germans were unable to get those last few miles.

  In retreating, the Germans torched the palace, leaving little more than a shell from the photographs displayed at Petrodvorets. The Russian Communist government spent many millions rebuilding the palace to the same opulence enjoyed by the czars. And the communists see no contradiction in this. The palace is part of Russian history. It is now a museum open to the public.

  On the drive to and from the palace we passed new residential area. New, boxy 10-story apartments lined up for a mile or more along the road and equally as deep. They look drab and sterile.

  In town we were driven on a sightseeing tour. Bronze statues are much favored; they are all over the place. Most buildings are painted and there are a few favored colors, most in muted tones. Frequently seen are burnt orange, umber, yellow, blue; and one bright red building.

  We stopped at the red brick walled fortress of Sts. Peter and Paul which served as the original center of the town. It was started in 1703, which is considered the founding date of Leningrad. It was built as a fort in a war with Sweden. A cathedral in the fort became the burying ground for the czars and Peter the Great, the builder of Leningrad, is buried there. We returned to the hotel for dinner. Tonight's was worse than the other evenings.

  After dinner we went to the Kirov Opera House to hear a performance of the Leningrad Symphony Orchestra, which has nearly a hundred musicians. The performance was outstanding. Two Rachmaninoff pieces were featured, Third Concert for Piano and Orchestra, and Vtoraia Symphony. As with the Summer Palace, what the Russians target, they can do extremely well. But other things go downhill. The city generally looks shabby. A few outstanding examples don't make up for poor maintenance all over the city.

  Alla says the average Russian makes 200 rubles per month. In hardship areas such as Siberia, the pay is twice as much with doubled vacations. Housing is often subsidized up to 70 percent by trade unions. To gain access earlier to apartments Russians join cooperatives and are able to buy apartments for about 10 rubles per square meter. This works out to $18-20 per square foot. A lot of ordinary things are low cost or free, such as house rent, medical care and transportation.

  Our party has had no problem with freedom of movement. We have an Intourist guide, but any of us are allowed to drop out in mid-tour and go another direction. When nothing is scheduled, we can move about town freely by subway, bus, or walking.

  Communicating with most people is difficult, however, as most are not able to converse in English and none of us speaks Russian.

  This evening I talked with George and Grigory, two young men, about 20, who sell black market goods around the subway station near our hotel. Both of them want to emigrate to the West. They see no future for themselves in Russia.

  Grigory wants to go to Canada because he has a girlfriend there. George is not sure of where he wants to go. How are they able to operate when there are police all around? They said they pay off the police. Will this work with all police? No, not KGB, not unless you "have millions".

  Tomorrow will be our last day in Russia. We will start by visiting the famous Hermitage Museum, part of the Winter Palace. Sightseeing and shopping will follow and then we will get ready for our flight to Warsaw on the Polish Airline, LOT.

  We are to leave at 10:50 p.m., but because we will be changing a time we will arrive in Warsaw at the same time. Here at Leningrad we are 11 time zones from Gold Beach, the farthest east we are to go on this trip. From here we will be getting closer to home. Leningrad is the farthest north we will be also. These are called the "White Nights of Leningrad". Sunset is about 11 p.m. and there is still a little light in the sky at midnight.