As we entered The Catherine Palace, our guide led us to a big box full of shoe slip-ons, just like doctors wear over their shoes when they are in the operating room. We had to wear them in order to protect the ornate palace floors. The winding, marble staircase led us up to the ballroom. This room was the model for the ballroom scene in the animated movie Anastasia. The room was lined with mirrors that not only made the room appear larger, but also reflected candlelight to make it brighter. Remember, that there was no electricity during early times. Shay was astounded by the enormous oil painting on the ceiling. Our guide told us that before the Germans looted the palace during World War Two, Russian workers discovered that the picture was actually painted on a huge canvas instead of the ceiling. This allowed them to save the painting by removing it, rolling it up, and storing it in a secret place.