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Old 03-05-2009, 06:33   #1
akots
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Default Russia: The insider view

I've been putting this off for a long time and wanted to give the insider view of Russia with pictures. Unfortunately, I'm not much of a camera man and during my recent trip there, I did not take that many pictures but there are a few worth posting. Also, there is attachment size limit for the pictures (100 kB for jpg) and I need to find some upload space. Imageshack is nice but rumors are that pictures there do not last long and are periodically cleared. I've also went to Orenburg for a couple of days.

Here is the link for the photoset: http://www.flickr.com/photos/3797506...7617620669058/

Note that the pictures can be enlarged. It should work since I tried it without logging in, you just need to enable cookies from flickr.

Please comment here, I'd like to get some feedback.
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Last edited by akots; 03-05-2009 at 07:17.
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Old 03-05-2009, 16:17   #2
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Nice pictures, went thru the slideshow once and first impression is how clean everything is. Also, the street artist reminded me of a spray paint artist in San Francisco
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Old 03-05-2009, 17:09   #3
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Awesome pictures Akots! It always makes the shot 10X better when there is some text to go with it
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Old 03-05-2009, 17:23   #4
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That Peter the Great monument looks like a civ world wonder. Magellaen's voyage
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Old 03-05-2009, 18:28   #5
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Interesting photo's!! The architecture of Moskow is really beautiful and unique.

Quote:
The huge building on the background in Ministry of Defense and Chief of Command Headquarters.
Isn't that the building that was under fire during the revolution of 1991?

Quote:
The center of Orenburg with old monument to Lenin. Lenin is quite tall and looks quite intimidating with the sun setting down behind the statue.
Beautiful picture! Don't let anyone ever tell you that backlight is a bad thing. The silhouette is all you need.

Quote:
Another statue of Lenin. There are some flowers there which is a bad sign.
Meaning some people want to go back to communism?
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Old 03-05-2009, 18:30   #6
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Moscow competing for the title of Capital of the World, against New York, London and Tokyo ? Oh yes, that's because Paris is out of any comparison.

On a more serious note, I know our business district (La Défense, where I am working) is in competition with the one in Moscow (name ?). There is a strong movement to build taller skyscrappers here at the moment (tallest tower as of today : less than 200 m, which is quite small actually, but 90% of the skyscrappers of Paris are there), but in the end Moscow and its petrodollars will win, no doubt. OK, enough with the (usual) off-topic.

Great shot akots, nice to see such places. If you have any shot from St. Petersburg too...
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Old 03-05-2009, 20:33   #7
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Thanks for the feedback, guys.
Quote:
Originally Posted by grahamiam View Post
Also, the street artist reminded me of a spray paint artist in San Francisco
These were actually oil on canvas paintings and worth a fortune and the artist is quite famous. There is (there were before Ike, have not visited since) a spray paint artist in Galveston around here and I even bought one sketch from him but it were only $20 and 10 minutes of work.
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Old 03-05-2009, 20:42   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Matrix View Post
Isn't that the building that was under fire during the revolution of 1991?
...
Meaning some people want to go back to communism?
No, that was the White House (Russian Government building) which was under siege in 1991.

The situation in Orenburg is quite grave. There is a natural gas plant 20 kilometers outside of the city. It is probably the largest natural gas plant in the world and it feeds three quarters of Europe and half of Russia with the gas. The income from gas trade mounts to billions and billions of dollars per year. Yet you can see that the city is quite poor despite many people working for the gas industry (Gazprom Corp.). All the money from the gas trade disappear and never come back to the city. The company even canceled the medical insurance program for the workers claiming there is not enough funds to support the hospital. Some 10 years ago they were actively investing in the infrastructure of the city while now not a single dollar goes there.

Also, when the winds blow from the plant to the city, you can actually smell sulfur and gas in the streets.

No wonder, many people want to go back to the communist-like regime. The governor of the region and major of the city are communists which is quite common for Ural region.
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Old 03-05-2009, 22:32   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Socrates View Post
... Oh yes, that's because Paris is out of any comparison.
... If you have any shot from St. Petersburg too...
Paris is certainly in another category and is off this type of competition if there is any.

Unfortunately, I had no business in St. Peterburg this time. I've been there last time 10 years ago and it was gorgeous.
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Old 03-05-2009, 22:57   #10
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Nice and very informative. Thanks!
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