We left the Hermitage in the mid-afternoon and spent the afternoon and evening walking around the city.  We found:

A warning sign with an expressive face:

A street artist on a canal:

A souvenir market in an excellent setting:

A man playing a saw:

A Seurat-like park scene:

An ominous owl:

A church for St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors:

A slow sunset around midnight:

And a wedding party releasing balloons on a bridge:

including a heart-shaped paper lantern:

Ah, St. Petersburg!  So romantically picturesque, even when soon-to-be giant flaming debris is about to fall mid-traffic.