There has been some media attention in the past few years in the U.S. on the differences between the 1% and the 99%. (For the record, I am part of the 99%.)
And while there are plenty of “McMansions” in the U.S.; what I saw in terms of housing in St. Petersburg, Russia really illustrated this type of difference even more than what you typically see in the U.S.
This is the view from the cruise ship terminal. Blocks and blocks of ugly, concrete, but probably functional, housing for the masses. Maybe not for the 99% now, but I think there have been times in Russia’s (old USSR) history when there would have been huge differences between their 1% and their 99%.
For the 1%, this house probably illustrates how they would have lived. The Yusupov Palace is now a museum; but once housed a wealthy Russian family, and is the site of Rasputin’s murder. It was not a royal palace, but certainly looks and feels like one.
I assume none of those apartments have ceilings like this, and neither do it.
And who has a theater in their home? Not me!
Top of the stage
I was amazed at the love of gold in many of the places I visited in St. Petersburg. I love gold as much as the next girl, but I can’t imagine having this much of it in my home.
Catherine Palace
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