Thursday, September 8, 2011

White and grey sky, but a royal skyline

Dick went on a tour of the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg during our August holiday with Viking River Cruises. He couldn't take photos in the famous Amber Room, but he did take plenty of inside photos, plus plenty of outside photos in spite of the colorless, cheerless sky.

















A colorless sky looks better behind a gold fence, above left, or from
the beautiful window of an ornate palace room, below right.



© Photos by Richard Schear


Posted for
SkyWatch Friday
the meme for people, like me, with their heads in the clouds.
To see other skies of other colors, please click HERE!


Even the dullest sky looks good when reflected, along with trees, in a decorative pond.
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29 comments:

  1. CarverSeptember 8, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    The ornate buildings are perfect for a white or gray sky. Gorgeous shots.

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  2. Daliana PacuraruSeptember 8, 2011 at 1:23 PM

    Wonderful place here!
    Thank you for visiting me and have my best regards from Romania!

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  3. S K DittaSeptember 8, 2011 at 1:27 PM

    These pictures help to get a feel for what it was like, for those inside and those outside the Catherine Palace. Thanks!

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  4. EbieSeptember 8, 2011 at 1:37 PM

    Is it also a Royal palace? Cool photos for a grey sky day!

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  5. EaglesbrotherSeptember 8, 2011 at 1:40 PM

    Truly an awesome Royal Residence I can just imagine the Art within.
    Sorry about the skies..wish they had been better for you.

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  6. Sylvia KSeptember 8, 2011 at 1:44 PM

    Terrific captures, Kay! The rather grim skies do make a perfect backdrop for the Catherine Palace -- so colorful and dramatic! Happy SWF!

    Sylvia

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  7. Inger-MSeptember 8, 2011 at 2:03 PM

    Wow, they certainly knew how to build palaces in those days!

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  8. LolamouseSeptember 8, 2011 at 2:04 PM

    Gorgeous pictures!

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  9. jabblogSeptember 8, 2011 at 2:23 PM

    Glorious! A grey, some may say nondescript, sky makes a wonderful backdrop for such beautiful buildings.

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  10. Penelope NotesSeptember 8, 2011 at 2:45 PM

    What a massive building this is, Kay, probably requiring miles of walking to view. Even a colorful sky would likely pale in comparison to the unique palace below.

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  11. Lisa Ricard ClaroSeptember 8, 2011 at 2:58 PM

    Terrific photos. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  12. Magical Mystical TeacherSeptember 8, 2011 at 4:08 PM

    An imposing palace...makes me feel like a commoner! :-)

    BLESSED BE THE SKY

    Cloudy, clear,
    Bright or drear—
    Blessed be the sky!

    Sun and star,
    Near or far—
    Blessed be the sky!

    Rain or snow,
    Sunset glow—
    Blessed be the sky!

    Wind or calm,
    Healing balm—
    Blessed be the sky!

    © 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher

    Arizona Sunset

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  13. JoyfulSeptember 8, 2011 at 5:04 PM

    I love the blue and gold of the ornate building and gates. Such grandeur.

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  14. JudySeptember 8, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    On the bright side, there are no shadows when the sky is gray...
    My favourite is the one through the ornate window!! I just love it!

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  15. Frostbite and SunburnSeptember 8, 2011 at 9:25 PM

    Oh what a treat on your travels - looks stunningly ornate.

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  16. Chubskulit RoseSeptember 8, 2011 at 9:59 PM

    Beautiful details!

    My Skywatch

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  17. AnonymousSeptember 8, 2011 at 10:05 PM

    Wow wow and more wow! What impressive architecture! Great shots of a magnificent city.

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  18. IngridSeptember 9, 2011 at 12:50 AM

    The buildings are spectacular ! the skies less ... looks like our skies here, grey !

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  19. Pearl MapleSeptember 9, 2011 at 1:45 AM

    Oh how pretty, the blue and gold and lovely details, thanks for sharing your images of someplace I always wanted to visit.

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  20. Ms. BeckySeptember 9, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    well my jaw dropped when the page loaded and I saw these photos. the colors of the palace are so very beautiful. such opulence though. but it's very well preserved and that's wonderful - it's a historical treasure. what a beautiful spot. happy day to you Kay!

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  21. Sallie (FullTime-Life)September 9, 2011 at 11:28 AM

    These pictures really do help me feel as if we were there with you. What a beautiful place. And the gray skies kind of seem right for there, like what I'd expect somehow.

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  22. Cafe au laitSeptember 9, 2011 at 12:48 PM

    These are beautiful.

    My Sky.

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  23. DimpleSeptember 9, 2011 at 3:56 PM

    Wow! What a huge building! It looks large enough to house a small city!
    Beautiful photos!

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  24. KarineSeptember 9, 2011 at 4:44 PM

    You are so lucky to have visited so many of St. Petersbug palaces, it is one of my dream destinations...just for the palaces!

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  25. EG CameraGirlSeptember 9, 2011 at 6:00 PM

    What a pity that he couldn't take photos in the amber room! The photos he was allowed to take are neat in spite of the grey skies!

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  26. Kim, USASeptember 9, 2011 at 7:08 PM

    Wow that is something else. Huge and pretty!

    Sky View

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  27. Kay L. DaviesSeptember 9, 2011 at 7:09 PM

    @ EG Wow — Now he tells me he couldn't take pictures IN the Amber Room, but he did take some from one doorway on his way in, and from the other on his way out of the room. I'll have to post them separately, now that I know what, and where, they are.
    — K

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  28. Tatjana ParkachevaSeptember 10, 2011 at 10:25 AM

    Very nice photos.

    Regards!

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  29. LindaSeptember 11, 2011 at 2:25 PM

    Amazing architecture! The palace outshines the skies.

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