Blog by Sumana Harihareswara, Changeset founder
I Love Dead People
Hi, reader. I wrote this in 2001 and it's now more than five years old. So it may be very out of date; the world, and I, have changed a lot since I wrote it! I'm keeping this up for historical archive purposes, but the me of today may 100% disagree with what I said then. I rarely edit posts after publishing them, but if I do, I usually leave a note in italics to mark the edit and the reason. If this post is particularly offensive or breaches someone's privacy, please contact me.
Possibly the most interesting and relaxing thing I've done here in Russia is spend lots and lots of time in cemeteries. Today was the last time, I'm pretty sure. I leave St. Petersburg in only four days or so. I already miss it.
Today I went to a cemetery in St. Petersburg where a lot of famous people are buried. I laid the Periodic Table of the Elements card that Steve gave me once on Mendeleev's grave. I also paid my respects to Popov, Pavlov, and Blok; couldn't find Turgenev, though I searched hard.
Earlier today was The Best Excursion Ever -- well, at least on this trip. Yusupov Palace, where Rasputin was killed the first three times or so. The guide spoke slowly. There were wax statues that scared me a bit, and fake doors and secret corridors and stairways.
At the cemetery was a child's grave. Smaller than a bathroom sink. Near a tree.
Vasileva, Nina Vasilevna.
1929-1931.
Originally published by Sumana Harihareswara at http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2001/8/1/102342/2525
