I'd woken up really early that morning to visit The Hermitage. I made it before the gates opened and before any crowds (almost anyone) had arrived. Or so I thought - once inside the main gates there was a slow moving queue waiting for the next set of doors. However the Winter Palace was the most opulent of any I've seen anywhere in the world and memories and photos are what I have to remember it by.
It wasn't surprising that I spent a long time here and didn't get out until late afternoon for lunch. Teplo was known for potato pancakes, pastries and desserts, and just down the road from the hostel, but the time of day meant it was nice and peaceful inside.
I settled for the Potato Pancakes (with Buko cheese, red caviar and smoked salmon). This was a really excellent plate with the crisp pancakes (or rosti perhaps?) complemented well by the cheese, smoked fish and the potent salty caviar. Caviar from Russia and Scandinavia is really like none I've had in Australia and Asia (including Japan) and this was a shining example.