Last time we looked behind us in Vietnam.
Today we’re going to look behind us – in Russia! As you already know, Russia is a very interesting and diverse country. And our ‘look behind you’ photos today are not going to contradict that.
Winter
First of all, Russia can get cold in winter. Really, really cold. Unfortunately, I haven’t been to Siberia, where it can get down to -45 degrees C or more (the January average is -25 degrees C). But Moscow can still get down to some very low temperatures in the winter months.
Which means that you have to dress accordingly. A wander around town reveals some very elegant winter wear.
It’s quite typical to see women wearing fur coats here. Young or old, fur coats are always in fashion once the cold weather arrives. And, as winter isn’t very long in Moscow (although some people would argue that it’s too long), you have to take advantage of the cold weather and wear your fur coat everywhere while you can.
Even to the park.
For my Russian friends reading this, as you can probably guess, we don’t have fur coats in Australia. And, for Australians, a fur coat is something that you would wear to the theatre or to a 5-star restaurant, not something to put on to go for a walk.
And then, suddenly it’s spring. It’s still quite cold but the fur coats have been carefully stored away and out comes something a bit lighter. It usually rains a lot in Moscow in spring.
At other times of the year, when the weather is more reasonable, or even hot, anything goes as far as clothing is concerned! Let’s look at some of the possibilities.
Summer
First, we have some friends walking to the park. It’s quite a warm day, and they’re probably going to meet some friends for a ‘shashlik’ party.
This young couple is already in the park, celebrating something with a bottle of champagne. Or is it ‘Sovetskoye Shampanskoye’?
And these women, in the same park as the couple above, seem to be wearing matching pants. What a good idea.
One last park photo – a fisherman. I’m not sure the fish are so abundant here, or that the water is clean enough to consider eating any fish that is caught, but there are always fishermen here in the parks. It’s nice to see them. A reminder for us to take some time out for some quiet moments sometimes.
Now, we’re out of the park and back in the street. Can you see the cat?
And this woman is surely going to the airport – an Aeroflot flight attendant. A very smart uniform.
I don’t know what this child and dad have in their suitcases, but it looks like it could be something very important. I love that the child looks so confident and grown up carrying the suitcase.
It’s nice to see such a colourfully dressed woman in the street. Her complete outfit makes a bold statement. I don’t know what that statement is, but I was happy to photograph her when I saw her in Tverskaya street one day! Those shoes!
Look behind you!
And finally, there are no words for this one. Or maybe just a few. This photo was taken near Moscow State University a few years ago. They were obviously celebrating something – maybe a Hen’s party (any Russian readers have any ideas?).
So, that’s Moscow for you. I hope you’ve enjoyed it.
Don’t forget to look behind you because you never know who’s there.
And let me know if you recognise any of your friends (or yourself!) in any of the photos in this post!
~ Cheryl
You may also enjoy Find out why I take photos from behind.
I loved the idea and your writing. Yours is a lovely website. 🙂
Hi Dani! Wow, thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate you taking the time to read it and comment. Feel free to share my blog with your friends and family if you think that they’d like it too. Have a great weekend! 🙂
I absolutely love your blog!
Hello Louise, thank you for reading my blog and commenting! I’m thrilled that you love it, and I hope that you will continue to read it 🙂 I’ll do my best to continue making it fun and interesting for you. Please share it with others if you think they’d enjoy it. I’m just about to pop over and have a look at yours. Have a nice weekend, and hope to see you here again soon. 🙂
Well, this is my first visit here and I must say I enjoy this “world from behind” perspective! How fun to think about what might be the stories of those who are so close and yet tantalizingly out of reach. They become something other than strangers but not yet friends. Characters in a play perhaps? Loved, but one-dimensional? Anyway, I enjoyed it.
Hello Angela, thank you for visiting and commenting on my photo post. I’m glad to know that you enjoyed it. Yes, it could be very different knowing who the people are, getting their stories, asking them about their lives, but I just can’t bring myself to talk to strangers! So, for now I’ll just keep taking their photos from behind. 🙂 Thanks again for your kind words, have a nice week! 🙂
Great post. Love the idea. Also love shashlik. Any chance you might have a marinade recipe? I can’t find a good one here in the States.
Hi Janet, thanks for the compliment. Unfortunately I don’t have a marinade recipe. I always buy it ready to cook, and I have never been disappointed by the taste, even when I’ve bought it in a big plastic bucket! I’m sure homemade is better, but I just haven’t had to do it. Much quicker and less mess to pop into the shop for some, especially when you know it’s going to be good. After saying all that, this one looks good. http://everydayrussian.com/?p=50 The secret, I think, is to make sure you’ve got some acid in there – some vinegar or lemon juice. But I’m sure that you know that already! 🙂
Great concept. I also loved seeing the fur coats come out onto the streets. I used to have a fake fur as a child. I loved wearing it – though I’m from Qld Australia so not too many chances to wear it! Thx for sharing your experience with us
Hi Kareletta! Yes, I also love seeing women in fur coats – very chic. I also had fake fur, but, like you, living in Australia I didn’t have much opportunity to wear it! I haven’t bought one in Russia, I can’t really justify the expense, and Moscow isn’t really that cold. If I lived in a colder part of Russia maybe I’d have one. Thank you for visiting and commenting! 🙂