Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg resists photos. A lot of the major landmarks are spread along the canal so it's lovely but frustratingly difficult to capture the full scope in one shot. It was also so cold that I had a constant internal debate going: is this photo-worthy enough that I won't regret taking off my glove to take the pic? (-17 isn't too bad compared to other places, plus I'm originally from Canada, but the
wind there. It bloody
hurts to expose your hand for even a few seconds.)
The local government building, taken while standing on the frozen canal. It says "Who are we, where are we from, where are we going?" and I think that encapsulates everything about Yekaterinburg: the awareness of its history (Peter the Great ordered it to be founded in his attempt to modernise Russia. At one point it led the world in ferrous production. Also, of course, the place where the last royal family was murdered), the industrialism and modern buildings, the active interest the municipality takes in cultural development, the pride.
The Yeltsin Centre. A very sleek, modern building, glass and LED lights. Inside there's the Yeltsin Museum which, among other things, has the first Russian flag that flew at the Kremlin after Russia left the USSR.
Miscellaneous
The medieval fortress in Vyborg and the frozen harbour
Novgorod's kremlin. Kids toboggan down it
The wintry landscape from the window of an old train on a 1800 km journey. Does it get more Russian than this?
The Tsoi wall off Arbat Street. In that little cave at the bottom people leave their cigarette stubs
The galley on my Yekaterinburg -> Moscow Nordwind/Pegas Fly flight where I sat in row 1. Perhaps it's because I'm still relatively unaccustomed to flying, but I found the Sheremetyevo inspection stickers on the trolleys amusing.
A mosque in Vladikavkaz. Unlike the neighbouring republics, North Ossetia does not have an official religion. The majority of the inhabitants are Russian Orthodox or hold traditional Ossetian religious beliefs