Here’s a small selection of photos taken in and around Moscow, where I was born and spent most of my childhood, before moving to the US 24 years ago. I recently came back from a trip to Russia, which included time spent in Moscow, Tambov, Rostov and St. Petersburg. I had a chance to see and walk around the city I grew up in, as well as visit with lots of relatives, learning more about my family, ancestors and lots of cousins I had never seen or even knew about.
It was a bit of an eye-opening experience to see how much the city has changed, even though I had been back once before eight years ago. With so many newly built buildings, gigantic advertising banners stretching out over most of the larger streets and an over-abundance of new German and Japanese cars everywhere, it seemed like the city I remembered only remains in my memories. That being said, I was happy to discover that my old apartment was still there, just like I had remembered it. Even my school was still standing, although due to an exterior face-lift, completely unrecognizable.
The photos of what appears to be a parade were taken during May 9th – Victory Day, a national Russian holiday celebrating the capitulation of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union in 1945. This meant a military parade, both of soldiers and the machinery of war, including armored personnel carriers, tanks, and rocket launchers. Unfortunately, the actual parade was held in the Red Square, with the only visitors being allowed in being high-level government officials and other invited guests. I was able to jam in with the crowds lining up alongside one of the main roads, along which the machinery would be moving.
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