St. Petersburg, Russia: Beyond the Stereotypes
A Summer That Never Slept in Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia: Beyond the Stereotypes
June 2026
When it comes to travel, I put politics aside. That doesn’t mean I ignore political issues; however, my goal is to understand the locals instead of believing Western propaganda. I’m still travelling with my own family. I brought my dad, who has Parkinson’s, and travelled with his wheelchair. My parents, whom I call the travelers, have always been my inspiration. They both taught me to travel comfortably. My mom eventually became a travel author and sells her well-known books in Malaysia.
Well, let’s move on.
When people hear about Russia, they just imagine gangsters like in the movies, mafia, and all that. Even I believed it.
When I arrived at St. Petersburg Airport, I was assisted by a wheelchair assistant, and his name was Yuri. He was one of the kindest people I have ever encountered. His blue eyes showed that he wasn’t cold, but was a person who was trying his best to assist us using Google Translate. He helped us until he brought our bags to the bus. It was easy to deal with immigration because of his help. Thank you for that, Yuri. We prayed that we would meet him again, and we did when we were going to Kazan.
That was my first surprise in Russia. I came with an image of Russia already in my head, but within just a few hours, that image had already started to change.
The first place that we visited was Peterhof Palace. The first place that we visited was Peterhof Palace. Versailles inspired Peter the Great to build an imperial palace outside his new city. After an earlier attempt at Strelna was abandoned, he chose Peterhof — meaning “Peter’s Court” in German — as the site for his Monplaisir Palace and later the original Grand Palace. The estate became equally beloved by his daughter, Empress Elizabeth, who ordered the Grand Palace to be expanded and the surrounding park to be greatly extended. She also developed the palace’s famous fountain system, including the spectacular Grand Cascade.
A warm summer breeze, which I hadn’t experienced for a long time since I don’t usually travel during summer. The palace stood magnificent, wrapped in gold, gleaming under a sun that never quite set. It is filled with fountains, with around 150 of them in total. And the most unique part is that each one runs not on modern pumps, but on gravity alone, using the natural elevation difference between the gardens and nearby water sources to create water pressure.
Something built hundreds of years ago, yet still working to this day.
"Genius!" I whispered.
Most famous of all is the Grand Cascade, with the Samson Fountain as its centrepiece. Every day at 10 a.m., there’s an opening show where the golden lion’s jaws burst open, with water shooting out forcefully. The lion is symbolic of Sweden, carrying the story of Russia’s victory over them long ago. The palace sits right beside the Gulf of Finland, gazing far out to sea. But behind its beauty lies a bitter history. This palace was once destroyed during World War II and occupied by German forces. Yet it was rebuilt and is now one of the most beautiful places to visit in summer, when the flowers in the garden are in full bloom. Compared to the Austrian palace, I preferred the Peterhof Palace due to its huge gardens and fountains with golden statues around.
One thing I’ve realized is that there were no police, soldiers, or any authorities around. I thought this place would be surrounded by them, just like in Pakistan, but there were none. The people of the Soviet Union don’t smile much, but I know their hearts are just like watermelons.
Once you cut open a watermelon, the sweetest and kindest parts come out from within. It felt safe.
Especially as a Muslim hijabi traveller. They just don’t seem to care and mind their own business, a little differently from Europeans. It’s because they are also living alongside Muslims. A country that is multi-ethnic and multicultural gives them a greater maturity and understanding of different cultures. I didn’t notice many immigrants during our time there, and most of the people I encountered seemed to be locals.
For the next location, we headed to the Church of the Spilled Blood — a name that carries a dark story. Built on the exact spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated in 1881, this church holds 7,500 square meters of mosaics, covering every inch of the walls with breathtaking religious artwork. From the outside, its onion domes make it look like it stepped straight out of a fairy tale.
The church survived through the Soviet era and World War II, though it suffered serious damage and was once used for various non-religious purposes — understandably so, since during Soviet times, religion wasn't allowed to flourish. Now it has been turned into a museum, preserving its history for generations to come.
My first day in St Petersburg is super serene.. A bit romantic with France style. It feels like a carefully planned government city, and it reminds me of Putrajaya in Malaysia. My tour guide was one of the softest woman guide us so well, and she smiled a lot. She told us that Malaysian tourists taught her to smile, and it is a beautiful culture that we perhaps represent for it.
Looking back, I think that was what I loved most about the first day.
I came to Russia with an image already formed in my mind; an image shaped by movies, stories, politics, and everything I had heard before. But travelling is different. You see the people. You see how they live. You experience their kindness. You notice the small things that you would never understand from a screen.
I think the kindness from Yuri left a strong impact on me. It reminded me that sometimes, the first person you meet in a new country can change the way you see the entire place. Before I even explored St. Petersburg, Yuri had already given me a different impression of Russia.
And within just one day, St. Petersburg had already shown me that a place can be very different from the picture you carry in your head. Maybe that is why I travel. Not just to see the world, but to understand it.
From Surah Al-'Ankabut (29:20)
قُلْ سِيرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَٱنظُرُوا۟ كَيْفَ بَدَأَ ٱلْخَلْقَ ۚ ثُمَّ ٱللَّهُ يُنشِئُ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ٢٠
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Travel throughout the land and see how He originated the creation, then Allah will bring it into being one more time. Surely Allah is Most Capable of everything.
Thx for reading
14th June 2026
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