This is a blog about life in modern Russia. I live and work in different Russian cities from the capital Moscow and to the remote settlements of West Sibiria. If you have questions or any requests for information don't hesitate to address me!

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Originally posted by kukmor at Soviet youth in Life Magazine pictures

I'm still here

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Can anyone please explain me what does "pumped up kicks" mean?
As if in "all the other kids with the pumped up kicks you better run, better run, outrun my gun"

I know it's posh, but still kind a like it.
"Empire State Spirit" I would call it. It's all in one picture.

These pictures are somewhat more personal than those I post usually as they kind of represent highlights and mood of each month. It was really hard to pic 12 ones out of lot and I tried to find those I haven't posted yet.

So, January



( February, etc )

With English subs, pretty small font though.

This September almost by an accident, or should I say without planning it beforehand I ended up in the Republic of North Osetia, which is a part of Russia, one of the North Caucasus republics. A friend of mine works in the capital city of the republic, and I went to visit him and he offered to go and see local place of interest with pretty tempting name - The city of dead. Certainly I agreed, unfortunately I didn't have my SLR with me, but fortunately modern small cameras are pretty good too, so I used my small camera which usually I use at work to make some pictures.

First short post about the trip with a LOTR tower you can find here (http://russia-insider.livejournal.com/60198.html)



( about 20 pictures )

This was one of the strangest places I visited. Nothing special maybe, but still it left some trace. It's only a couple hours away from the big city with night clubs and supermarkets and it makes a great contrast. Old shepherds we were asking for directions looked like they appeared from 19th or 18th century and barely spoke Russian. Next year I will definitely try to get there again.
(And the valley road is great too, driving pleasure with a lot of turns, nice pavement and very few cars, almost like in Swiss alps roads I guess, not worse).

I was watching a "World War Two in Color" today and the word 'pogroms' was used to describe the mass murdering of Jews by Nazi SS divisions in Soviet Union, though I must say that in Russian a 'pogrom' means a situation when local Jews living in some town or and area are being beaten, robbed and their houses put in fire by a mob of usually drunk anti semites. 'Pogrom' is an awful notion but still very far away from the mass execution.

Wikipedia article basically gives accurate picture.


So, I wander was it a mistake by documentary writers or it's a new example of a new word meaning.

...shows Greece instead of Moscow when narrating about protesters in Russia. 
Indeed there are no protesters throwing bottles with gas at the police or palm trees in Moscow. In Moscow there was a mild demonstration of about 3 thousand people that lasted for 3 hours. Yes, several provocators were arrested. But without any unnecessary violence. At least with less violence comparing to the Occupy Wall street actions.
Why do they show it like that? They want another enemy? As if Far East is not enough?

'Arab Spring' in Russia?

You wish.

After 5 weeks at work I just want to be like this one. Fall down somewhere and sleep for some time without being bothered.

I need a new screen. Trying to edit night shots like these on my laptop is stupid.
I also need a new camera. As trying to shoot night shots like these with my 8 years old one is stupid.
And I guess I need some other eyes, hands and brain or you know.



( few more pictures )