Found: A Coin That Stopped the Tsar’s Police From Shaving You

[+ Avalon]

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-was-the-beard-tax

[+ WilliamM]

The Tsar's palace is now the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. That part of the city opens the bridges over all the canals during White Nights in June. I walked around that affluent neighborhood at 3 in the morning in daylight.

Edited September 10, 2018 by WilliamM

[+ Avalon]

The Tsar's palace is now the Heritage Museum in St. Petersburg. That part of the city opens the bridges over all the canals during White Nights in June. I walked around that affluent neighborhood at 3 in the morning in daylight.

 

Sounds wonderful! Thank-you for sharing!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Nights_Festival

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_Sails_(tradition)

[liubit]

Peter the Great had the right idea: I simply cannot stand any kind of facial hair