Catherine's backyard

Aha
Sorry about that. I have just learned that I cannot get three pix into one posting. This is the trial and error blog - still. If you click on the actual staircase image you'll be bale to see it instead of having it peeking out from behind something else!

To press on however.

Depending if you regard the river side as the front of the Hermitage, then Catherine had quite a fine backyard.

We were there in the season of White Nights. 19 hours of day light and the night was dull not dark. It is the time of rock concerts and the huge square was being decked out with elaborate gear in preparation for what was going to be a mega concert.