Sunday, August 26, 2007

MORE FACES OF RUSSIA

JBelle
Bellemaison
The 'Kan EWA

12 comments:

Idaho Dad said...

Absolutely fascinating photos! I was a Russian history minor in college, but that was eons ago. So much has changed over there, but at the same time so little has changed. The people of Russia still look tired and broken down. Very sad for a country so rich in culture, tradition, and resources.

JBelle said...

Phil, you nailed it exactly.
St. Petersburg is frozen in the 60s; Moscow in the 80s. The people look very tired and old. And while they have joy and humor, don't have much hope. The culture and tradition of these people is second to none! The Etruscans had nothing on 'em...

... said...

Sad and tired people, but so hard, rugged, and beautiful. Awesome pictures.

The Fool said...

So much said in these photos. I just dropped by before the students come in, and I've just caught up on your two latest posts, and these photos. Your reporting is magnificent, your eye for detail superb, Cheech. I'll be back later. Thank you for sharing.

Happy Monday!

Christy Woolum said...

The photo that stayed with me was the woman in the pink raincoat with the bouquet of flowers. It says so much.

Julie said...

I have to agree with inland empire girl. All the pictures spoke volumnes, but the other one that stood out was the lady feeding the cat.

susan said...

Woman, are you still on vacation. Geesh. Lucky.(Said in Napolean Dynamite voice)

These pictures are very interesting. Things are beautiful and dismal at the same time.

JBelle said...

Toad, they are beautiful, beautiful people, but sad. I followed that one woman for a good block and a half to get that picture of her hobbling into her ramshackle house. It can't possibly have heat, can it?

my Lord: these photos say a ton to me, too. Taken me a while to get them up because when I sit down to figure out which ones I want to post, I am taken back and taken away. Such a story these people have.

Mrs. Roosevelt: I know; I loved her and I got close to her, too. Those flowers are common weeds and you and I would get out of our car to pull them if they grew along around road. She picks them and puts them on her kitchen table.

Julie: The woman with the cat. The cat did a little dance when the woman was approaching with the food. Fed the cat right on the sidewalk. It was deeply touching.

Susan: I am home now. :) It was looong trek over there and a looong trek back. And all of it was beautiful, but haunting. The Tsar, Nicholai II, had a beautiful young family. They took them to Siberia and led them into a mine shaft and shot them. I can't get the images of this family out of my head. How terrified the children must have been and how brave the mother. Dismal. Beautiful. All at once.

Anonymous said...

Interesting shots, all. What struck me as I began the viewing was how such photogging would not have been possible during the Cold War years.

It's a sign of my years when one of my first thoughts is: "Wow, look at that, they let her take pictures. And leave the country...and develop 'em, hunh."

Crazy life.
Pendulums swing
and the wheels on the bus go round and round,
round and round,
round and round...


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Anonymous said...

Regarding the murders...I've always been haunted by that event. It's played as "too real" mental footage since learning about it as a child.

Yet how incredible to have had the opportunity to breathe the same air. It must have been something...and ere haunting.

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Carla said...

I love the photos of people just going about their everyday business. I can see I have a little catching up to do. I'll be back after I've had a good night's sleep.

... said...

Toad, they are beautiful, beautiful people, but sad. I followed that one woman for a good block and a half to get that picture of her hobbling into her ramshackle house. It can't possibly have heat, can it?

If there's a wood burning fire, a bottle of Vodka, and most importantly, family, then there is most assuredly, heat.

Humanity can survive in the most amazing conditions. We don't need much, but we need each other.