Things are generally getting better in Russia. Times are still
far from easy, but thanks to the resourcefulness of russians,
there is plenty of food and life goes on. People still go to
work and kids go to school, but many people haven't been paid in
months, including parts of the army. The local garrison had their
heat turned off, since they could not pay their bills.
The first picture is on Lenin Street, the public transportation
is actually pretty good, but you'll have to get used to being
squeezed in like a sardine. Sometimes I'm sure I could have lifted
both feet and still be held up. The second picture is from a cemetary
in Irkutsk. The third picture is at the memorial
to the fallen in WW II. The honor guard is made up of local
high school students.
There aren't as many youth activities as during soviet times, and
the pull of the streets is now strong. There are still many youth
and sport clubs. Naturally, funding is difficult, as there are many
competing problems. I played chess many times in Russia and never won
a game.
Hiking and skiing are popular in Irkutsk. The scale of the
Siberian wilderness was hard for me to fathom, and I'm a native
Alaskan! The trains pull out of town on the weekends filled with
people going out to their dachas, to hike, or to ski. The train
stops at trail heads in the woods, where people start their hikes
or ski trips. We spent much of our time on the train playing
cards.