The writing may be on the wall, but...

I visited St Petersburg first in 1999 – guest at the Ministry of Atomic Energy (no, I wasn’t a spy!). 'Pionerskaya’ was a bit out of town and I was a virgin to the alphabet of Cyril and Methodius.

Deciding to go downtown, I entered the deepest metro in the world. Was told Nevsky Prospect was 4 stops away. So it was.

Saw the stunning Church of Spilled Blood, bought caviar and black pearls.

Home... but what might it look like, in Cyrillic? Chose the wrong direction! Instinct kicked in after one stop. Five stops back, upupup...? Yes!!! .... whadarelief!