Shopping.
We live in consumer society. The streets of our cities are full of advertisements offering to buy a new product of a famous brand. Our TV programs are interrupted by hours of commercials advertising new super shops, washing powder and food, and we are ready to spend big sums of money to look more fashionable, to have a better house or to eat tastier meals. To tell the truth, shopping has become a part of our lifestyle, a hobby or even an addiction.
There are a lot of types of shops. If you want to buy meat, you go to a butcher’s. if you want to buy bread, you visit a bakery. If you want to buy fruit or vegetables you go to a greengrocer’s. If you need not only food but some cleaning materials as well you choose a supermarket. All items are wrapped and conveniently displayed on special shelves or kept in refrigerators. You can walk among the rows with a shopping basket or a trolley, choosing things. You can take and study them, put them back and take again later. Finally, you have to pay at the cashier’s desk.
A lot of people don’t like shopping. Crowds of people, long queues, walking from shop to shop, trying on different clothes is tiring for them. The situation has greatly changed with the establishing of huge shopping centers or shopping malls. Shopping has become the sort of education for the whole family. Numerous departments with clothes, shoes, perfume, furniture toys and other necessary things, restaurants and cafes, cinemas and discos, children’s playgrounds and sports centers provide a family week-end under one roof for all tastes and wallets.
Speaking about shopping, which some people call a waste of time and money, we need to say about money itself. You can pay either cash or by credit card. Sometimes you may be offered a discount. If you want to return something which you have bought in a shop, you may be given a refund if you have a receipt.
As for me, I can’t say that I like shopping but I go shopping practically every week-end. As a rule, my parents and I go to shopping malls. We buy food there. Sometimes we go to the cinema or visit some clothes shops.
Saint-petersburg.
Every person who really loves his native city believes that it is the best. Saint-Petersburg is the most famous and beautiful city in Russia. It has population about 5 million people and is situated in the north-west of Russia being an important center of culture, science, industry and even politics.
St. Petersburg was founded in 1703 on Zajachiy Island by Peter the First and was the capital of Russia for more than 200 years. All Russian emperors after Peter the Great lived there.
The city lies on 42 islands and is often called Northern Venice. 363 bridges cross the rivers and canals. During the period from May to November all the bridges raise high over the Neva and lets ships pass up and down the river. Especially our city is magnificent in June during the period known as White Nights. Visitors admire our straight and broad streets, large squares, impressive architectural ensembles and granite embankments.
Our city is also called the city of museums for it has about 50 historical, art and memorial museums. The most famous ones are the Hermitage and the State Russian Museum with its outstanding collection of Russian art.
The best way to explore the city is on foot. Famous sights include Nevsky prospect, Palace Square, St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Admiralty, the Bronze Horseman and many others. There are a lot of historical suburbs around St. Petersburg which are famous for their palaces and parks such as Tsarskoe Selo, Petrodvorets and Pavlovsk.
Our city is also known for its popular culture, music, clubs and visual arts. Everyone can find entertainment according to his interests in our city.
As for me, I have lived in St. Petersburg since my birth. My favorite place in the city is the embankment near Finland Railway Station. It’s a beautiful place where we usually walk with my friends. We like to cross the Neva over Liteiny bridge and walk to Zajachiy Island to Peter and Paul’s Fortress. I like my native city very much.