The Hermitage - the Setting

OK, where to start with the Hermitage? How about with the setting itself, which is pretty hard to top. It's located, partially, in the old Winter Palace, which means that to get there you have to walk across the square from the Bloody Sunday massacre. Inside there are hundreds and hundreds of rooms, and sometimes you have to force yourself to look up from the da Vincis and Michelangelos and Rembrandts that you're focusing on and realize that the entire building is a work of art. As you walk through the corridors you can look outside and catch amazing glimpses of the city - the museum is located right on the water so you're always getting astonishing views. Today there was a travelling exhibit of jewels from Mughal India, so I got my India fix in as well.