I'm finding it hard to connect my thoughts. Why I began the piece with "A ramble..." What I'm saying is in the wealth pecking order of the world Moscow and St Petersburg are not in the same leaugue. I view most wealthy people (including Russians) as the same, trans-national. I don't mean 2nd rate as not a nice place to live or visit, but I think you'll agree penthouse in Moscow is not the same as a penthouse in Manhattan or London--status-wise. The rich people in Moscow are upper-Middle class in Manhattan.

There's still no logic in my connections but I believe they're connected somehow anyway.