Rob commented that, “they have a lot of nice things they never use there”, referring to the massive cannon and broken bell. Well here is one more for you.

This carriage was built for one of the empresses (I think Elisabeth, but maybe Catherine). According to our guide, when it was completed they hitched 6 horses to it. The carriage didn’t budge. They doubled the number of horses and it still didn’t move (it needed more horse power – ha ha). So they took the wheels off of it and put it up on cinder blocks in the front yard. Okay, maybe not. They did pretty much park it until they had a museum to show it off in though.

It does look like something straight out of a fairy tale doesn’t it? I wish I could take credit for the photo – but I had to use someone else’s since photos we not permitted while we were there. Since I’m in a photo borrowing mood, let’s see what else I can find from the Armoury.

Here is Catherine the Great’s wedding gown. Check out that tiny, tiny waist. She was married when she was 16.

She was crowned empress at age 33. This was after she’d had three children. Look what it did to her hips! You can sort of see the emblem of Russia which is embroidered on her gown in gold, it’s a double headed eagle.

Tomorrow night we’re going to the circus and then Saturday it’s off to the 8th International Cucumber Festival. I’ll be taking lots of pictures!