Captain Marvel (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

Captain Marvel (2019): Satisfying origin story. Plot twist halfway added interest and created real world parallels to this fictional universe. Too many fist fights for aliens with super powers and advanced technology. Go to defy Internet trolls who hate there's a female lead. B-

POTD: More Onion Domes

From 2018 08 13 St Petersburg

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the onion domes of the Smolny Cathedral on the Neva River in St Petersburg, Russia. According to Wikipedia, "This Russian Orthodox convent was built to house Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great. After she was disallowed succession to the throne, she opted to become a nun. However, her Imperial predecessor, Ivan VI, was overthrown during a coup d'état (carried out by the royal guards in 1741). Elizabeth decided against entering monastic life and accepted the offer of the Russian throne."

Yeah, that's the story. As if Elizabeth had nothing to do with the coup and would have been happy retiring forever to a convent. Russian women could be just as ruthless and cunning as any Russian man in history.

POTD: Architecture as Art

From 2018 08 13 St Petersburg

Today's photo-of-the-day is of some unknown ship and building along the Neva River in St Petersburg, Russia. No story this time. The patterns just caught my eye. Not everything has to have great historic or cultural significance, even in the capital city of the tsars.

POTD: The "Other" Hermitage

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the Hermitage at the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. It's a totally different Hermitage than the famous art museum of the Winter Palace. I know, I know, St. Petersburg is so stuffed with treasures that they cannot even find unambiguous names for everthing. In this case, hermitage means a retreat or sanctuary. It's a totally separate building from the palace, smaller of course, but still large and luxurious in any modern sense. It was used by the tsars for summer parties.

POTD: Ceramic Stove

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is of a ceramic stove inside the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. I don't know how these worked, as there was no obvious chimney. Also of interest are the cheek-by-jowl paintings covering the walls.

POTD: The Hall of Lights

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is of the ballroom, the Hall of Lights, in the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. What can be said? Lavish to the point of excess.

A bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Golden Onion Domes

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the church that is part of the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. One thing that surprised this tourist is not only how many churches there are in Russia, but how many survived 75 years of Communism. Many have been restored as national treasures. Some have been re-sanctified as churches. Others have been restored as museums.

POTD: Ekaterina I

From 2018 08 13 Catherine Palace

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg, Russia. It was the summer home of the tsars. It was named after Peter the Great's wife and successor, Empress Catherine I (not the later Catherine the Great, who began the Hermitage art collection in the Winter Palace that we've seen in previous POTDs). There are so many palaces and tsars and tsarinas that tourists can be forgiven for not keeping them all straight.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: The Throne Room

From 2018 08 12 Winter Palace & Hermitage

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Winter Palace in St Petersburg, Russia. The Winter Palace houses the Hermitage Museum, which is one of the world's great art museums, but it's impossible to overlook that this building was also home of the tsars. As you wander from one art gallery to the next, you keep running into rooms like this. Go for the history, go for the architecture, go for the art, but do try to go.

POTD: Just a Malachite Vase

From 2018 08 12 Winter Palace & Hermitage

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Hermitage in St Petersburg, Russia. It shows a malachite vase, but it's not the Giant Malachite Vase, nor is it in the Malachite Room. I guess it's just a run-of-the-mill malachite vase. Such is the excess of treasures on display in the Winter Palace.