DAY 10

After breakfast Alison and I set off in the golf buggy to try and find the sandhill cranes, and we struck gold first time. They were on Hole 5. We managed to get ourselves really close but could see no chick. After taking a few photos we realised that the little brown balls near them were moving. There was not one chick as we had been told, but two. One problem was golfers were starting to play on the hole and we should not have been there. We apologised but the couple did not look amused, obviously not nature lovers. After they are played onboard we took a few move photos but it was starting to get busy so we left. I am sure Alison will be back there, maybe very early tomorrow.

We left Alison’s begrudgingly, having had a lovely few days. We floated the idea of her coming to stay with us. She has always wanted to visit Cornwall, so hopefully it may come about next year.

Geoff and I set off for St Petersburg. Loads of traffic. It should have only been about an hour and a half but turned out longer. A very impressive drive over the Sky Bridge.

One of Alison’s friends had advised us to visit the James Museum of Western Art so we decided to find it before heading for our hotel. What a fabulous suggestion, it was full of bronze sculptures and fantastic paintings and jewellery, being a personal collection of a local couple (or a small part of their collection). A lovely way to spend an afternoon. I have enclosed one of the bronze sculptures of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and one other.

Checked into our hotel and spent the rest of the evening planning our next few moves. The Dali Museum tomorrow and maybe the Chilhuly Collection!