# From Moscow to Beijing by train. Part one : Moscow.



## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

Last July, I went on a two weeks trip, travelling by train from Moscow to Beijing, going through Siberia, Mongolia and northern China.
It was a great trip and I took some pics...
well, actually I took more than 900 pics ! so I will post them (well, not all of them) in several threads.
So, here we go, part one : Moscow.

1- Flying from Paris to Moscow over rural Europe (eastern France or Austria, I don't remember...).









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3- Well, clouds !










4- The Moscow airport :









5- On the motorway, outisde Moscow : forests and ads.









6- The glamourous outskirts of Moscow :









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10- Russia !









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12- My hotel in Moscow :









13- A very Orwell's 1984-like neighborhood...









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19- What kind of business is that ?









20- Russian shop !









21- Russian metro :









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23- So, let's see, there are Napoléon, Mickey Mouse, Lénine, Staline, Pouchkine, Gagarine (?)... all of them in the same shop !









24- I hate these tourists who take pictures of them in front of the Lénine statue. So cliché !









25- The subway of Moscow :









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39- On the Red Square :









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43- The Kremlin :









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45- The Minister of Truth :









46- A Moscow's street :









47- I hate these fucking tourists who think they are so smart taking a pic of themselves with a CCCP T-shirt and a Russian cap in front of the Karl Marx statue !


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## .D. (Apr 8, 2010)

wow picture 44 is beautiful I love that architecture of the building.... great pics :yes:


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## levaniX (May 16, 2009)

GM said:


> 19- What kind of business is that ?


It was actually the sex/erotic shop....
(ewww, i don't like them)

And thanks for showing us the other side of Moscow, most visitors don't see...
Some people will think:
"Oh, what the hell is he doing in our [typical district of Moscow]"
Because Russians don't like them
But I do.

oh my, I don't wonder about these districts with typical blocks of flats of 70s-80s, but tourists will like it....

\


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## garcia.calavera (Jun 10, 2009)

cool pics -better put all pics from the journey in a single threads with many posts , easier to fallow


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Great, very nice photo tour (of Moscow and its suburbs) so far; i will wait for the rest of your photos kay:


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## eklips (Mar 29, 2005)

Interesting thread, keep them coming.

What did you overall think of Moscow, coming from Paris?


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## jutinyoung (Dec 9, 2007)

i anticipate that this will be the most classic thread i browsed, and i definitely will support you , waiting for ading pix


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## jutinyoung (Dec 9, 2007)

wow~~~ look at moscow's metro,it's just gorgeous, i really appreciate it, moscow is amazing and it is modern even in the suburb, come on! post more pix please!


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

Thanks all for your comments.
I will try to post the second part this afternoon.

@eklips

Coming from Paris, Moscow feels a little less cosmopolitan than Paris, but nevertheless it's more diverse that what I expected.
Moscow attracts people from all its former empire and this empire was quite huge and diverse (and Russia is actually still quite huge and diverse). So Moscow feels grand, and it's like the very center of its own world. Quite an exotic feeling, being there and feeling that you are in somewhat the center of the world for a great part of humanity.


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## NvkR (Oct 12, 2009)

^^
Hey man, chill, I'm sure our friend GM wasn't hating on Moscow or Russia... All he seems to be hating about is tourists in front of statues :lol:
Anyways Moscow looks awsome, definatly the city I want to visit. There's only one Moscow, It looks so unique and as GM said, "Grand".


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## Chadoh25 (Dec 28, 2007)

Great photos!


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## LarisaCh (Apr 12, 2010)

GM said:


> 47- I hate these fucking tourists who think they are so smart taking a pic of themselves with a CCCP T-shirt and a Russian cap in front of the Karl Marx statue !


Are you hate tourists who taking a pic of themselves near Napoleon's monuments in France?


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## LarisaCh (Apr 12, 2010)

GM said:


> 13- A very Orwell's 1984-like neighborhood...


*?????????????????????????????????????????????????*



GM said:


> 19- What kind of business is that ?


Sex-shop. Can be compared with Montmartre shops!



GM said:


> 45- The Minister of Truth :


*????????????????????????????????????????????????? This is not BBC main office!!!!!!*

I'm recommend you to made black-and-white photoshots when you come in Russia for next time. It's more corresponds to your style. It's hardly for me to understand why you don't do it.


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

And you could buy some sense of humour.

As for the tourist who appears in some of my pics, it's just myself. But I bet you can't cope with irony...


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## AlekseyVT (Dec 21, 2009)

NvkR said:


> ^^
> Hey man, chill, I'm sure our friend GM wasn't hating on Moscow or Russia... All he seems to be hating about is tourists in front of statues :lol:


I doubt it. GM uses the standard cliches from the Orwell novel (although Orwell wrote about London in "1984"). He saw only what he wanted to see. Same suburbs you can see in any large city - Paris, Madrid, London and even in Barcelona (undoubtely, the best city which I visited).

It's very strange - he hate tourists who made photos with statues of Lenin, but I can see Lenin's image on every second photo which he was made in Moscow Metro.


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

God, some people are just too sensitive.

BTW, I myself live in a housing project (in a Paris' suburb) that most people would consider ugly, like these suburbs of Moscow... the ones you don't want me to post pics. 
It doesn't prevent me to somewhat enjoy this kind of urban landscape, either in Paris or in Moscow.
You know why ? Because I love reality... even if it's not shiny.


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## JPBrazil (Mar 12, 2007)

I'm enjoying the pics so far... looking forward to see updates.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

GM said:


> It doesn't prevent me to somewhat enjoy this kind of urban landscape, either in Paris or in Moscow.
> You know why ? Because I love reality... even if it's not shiny.


I'm also a fan of "reality". And I think your pics from Moscow is a good mix of ugly and beautiful. Btw, Moscow, is top 1 or 2 on my "want to go" list for Europe. The other city is Madrid.


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## Mr Bricks (May 6, 2005)

LarisaCh said:


> Sex-shop. Can be compared with Montmartre shops!


Except it looks like shit.


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## Joulupukki (Jul 2, 2009)

ur hotel is beautiful  10$/night? I know, Moscow is very expensive for an ordinary tourists. you must be very brave person to sleep in this shooting galleries


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

tarmo1 said:


> maybe it is hard to enjoy photos inscriptions to which reveal attempt to insult the nation presented by those photos? Personally I can't enjoy attempts of humiliation of any nation or race or country or ethnic group. There may be any kind of photos here, but inscriptions should not be arrogant or sarcastic (as mentioned by some posters)-some other threads of this author are of the same kind unfortunatelly.


Wow... so you actually made three accounts, just to troll in my thread ? :lol:
You're beyond ridiculousness with your out of place oversensitivity.
I fail to see how posting a pic of a commieblock could be interpreted as racism or as an attempt to humiliate Russia... you're really deranged.

So, stop whining and get a life.
BTW, if you can't face to other views than your own, you should really stay away from the internet.


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## Maipo Valley (Feb 3, 2008)

calm down russian people. gm was sarcastic but no offensive at all. he was sarcastic against his own, not just about russia. i think he is actually very polite with so much trolling here


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## GammaHamster (Jul 22, 2010)

GM said:


> You know why ? Because I love reality... even if it's not shiny.


Thats funny because i just went the same route as you from Domodedovo airport to Moscow( returning from vacation in Greece) and your photo report has very little to do with reality.


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

arlekino said:


> I don't know whom do you mean as a troll with 3 accounts - I counted 7 people on this thread who have mentioned your sarcastic and humiliating inscriptions under several photos ("glamorous suburbs of Moscow", "Russian shop", "Ministry of trurh", "Orwell quoters" etc...). Nothing wrong with posting ANY photos here - in fact we SHOULD post all kind of photos so that to see ALL sides of a city - another story how do we comment those photos- what atitude do we express by inscriprions under those photos. I am surprised that moderators of this site have not payed attention at your "sarcasms" - as far as I understand politics of this site is to promote mutual respect in learning about different countries and cultures of the world though photos of city life. By the way I wonder what would be your picks from Berlin (taking into account your pics of Moscow are so much with your dressing in CCCP t-shirt and Soviet military hat and near the monuments of Lenin,Marx etc?- would you pose in nazi uniform there? -majority of Russians have said good buy for their past as commies have only 12% of vote in Russia, yet you presented Moscow in particular way you want to present it ignoring all the other sides of it-it is your right,ofcource as rudiments of the past still exist in Moscow - but sarcastic comments about delapidated outscirts ("glamorous') ,insult to the Russian Parlament ("ministry of truth" sarcastic inscription)presenting dirty vodka stand as "russian shop" says it all about you...Your other threads are of the same kind- you are the type who like to rise your own selfesteem by insulting others. I don't like people like you -thats for sure. Your sensitive reaction to critics (calling your critics as trolls etc.) is one more prove to my words. And don't pretend that you are critisised for photos - no way - you are critisised for your atitude which you revealed in your sarcastic inscriptions.


Blahblah...
You are paranoid, you need help.





arlekino said:


> By the way I wonder what would be your picks from Berlin (taking into account your pics of Moscow are so much with your dressing in CCCP t-shirt and Soviet military hat and near the monuments of Lenin,Marx etc?- would you pose in nazi uniform there? -


The great difference between Berlin and Moscow is that in Berlin you don't find souvenir shops selling nazis uniforms at all streets corners, contrary to Moscow with CCCP T-shirt and tons of other soviet stuff... Moreover they don't have any Hitler statue in Berlin contrary to the numerous Karl Marx or Lenin statues that we can see in Russian cities.
So don't blame me for the parts of Russia's history that you refuse to assume, and for the urban landscape that you refuse to see.

Again, you could be constructive by showing the other part of Moscow that you think I didn't show. Instead of that, you prefer wasting your time by creating multiple accounts and troll in my thread. It says a lot about you.





GammaHamster said:


> Thats funny because i just went the same route as you from Domodedovo airport to Moscow( returning from vacation in Greece) and your photo report has very little to do with reality.


So you are free to post your own thread about your own vision of the road from Domodedovo to Moscow, if you think that my pics don't reflect the reality.
Yet, all I saw was forests, ads and commieblocks... but maybe your reality is different from that and somewhat more beautiful (at least to your eyes).
Post your pics, I will gladly comment them.


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

Maipo Valley said:


> calm down russian people. gm was sarcastic but no offensive at all. he was sarcastic against his own, not just about russia. i think he is actually very polite with so much trolling here


Thank you Maipo Valley.
Fortunately most of my fellow forumers seem to enjoy this thread.
There is just this one guy with his three or four accounts who has a particularly childish behaviour... even for the SSC standards ! 

So thanks to all of you who have enjoyed my threads !


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## GammaHamster (Jul 22, 2010)

GM said:


> Yet, all I see was forests, ads and commieblocks...


Oh, realy? Not a single suburban district, shop, restaurant, market or car dealership along the road? 
Makes me wonder what thing you failed to notice in other parts of you report, since i wasn't in those places myself.

And, come on, do you really think that your photo report is just so awesome that anyone who dislikes it is automatically a troll?


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

GammaHamster said:


> Oh, realy? Not a single suburban district, shop, restaurant, market or car dealership along the road?
> Makes me wonder what thing you failed to notice in other parts of you report, since i wasn't in those places myself.


Oh, you're right I remember seeing a car dealership. But I didn't take a pic of it because I wanted that everyone seeing my thread thought that there was not a single one car dealership in all Moscow !
I am unmasked.
My thread presents a highly distorted view of Moscow because the luxury car dealership is missing. 
:|





GammaHamster said:


> And, come on, do you really think that your photo report is just so awesome that anyone who dislikes it is automatically a troll?


A guy who makes three differents accounts, just to post critics on my threads. And who comes back again under a new user name after being banned a first time. Yes, I call that a troll.


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

arlekino said:


> I don't want to argue anymore as I already was namecalled here, so I am not writing it as a responce to the author of the thread, but just to express my opinion to others - actually car dealerships, restorants, malls and shops are exactly what we see on the way from an airport to the city EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD - be that New Yourk or Berlin or Helsinki - and that is what this site is about as such facilities show how the country lives, its vibrant buisiness (or absence of it),existing infrastructure etc... - so ofcource this photo-report about Moscow is misleading and distorted....I would say it is one-sided and biased and illustrats political agenda of the author of this thread (as he explained his take on Russia in his post on this page)...Every country has its disadventages, but picking ONLY ugly side of it and what is even more disgusting - mocking about it in sarcastic inscriptions under picks-it is absolutelly contrary to politics of this site (as it is stated in rules and conditions). Thanks God there are a lot of other threads about Moscow and other Russian cities here.



You saw what you wanted to see. There are three or four pics of commieblocks in this thread (btw, what's wrong with commieblocks ? I still don't understand) and dozens of pics of Moscow subway and the Red Square.
You are not the owner of your country image. Everyone has the right to take pics of it, even of the sides that you don't want other people to see.

Oh, and what is, above all, contrary to the politics of this site is creating multiple accounts in order to troll in a thread. On the contrary, putting some humour in the pic's descriptions has never been forbidden.
Proof : you are the one who has been banned a first time, not me.


FYI, some of my other threads with tons of pics of commieblocks. :
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=441374&highlight=
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=805434&highlight=
Those are located in France... I probably wanted to humilate my own country, under your logic. :|


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## nomarandlee (Sep 24, 2005)

arlekino said:


> By the way I wonder what would be your picks from Berlin (taking into account your pics of Moscow are so much with your dressing in CCCP t-shirt and Soviet military hat and near the monuments of Lenin,Marx etc?- would you pose in nazi uniform there? - majority of Russians have said good buy for their past as commies have only 12% of vote in Russia,.


 Well in Germany they don't sell trinklets of Nazis or Hilter, nor vote +10% for Nazi-esque parties, nor still have any vestages of statues or commerations symbolizing those leaders from that era and Stail still rates rather high in terms of the esteem of Russians today so I think your analogy is rather BS. That is fine, you don't have to treat your history the exact same way the Germans do theirs but don't go on and try to pull the wool over other peoples eyes that you do when it is clear your society doesn't.

Clearly Russians don't feel nearly the shame or repugnancy to the same degree as Germans do from their less noble era's.

Photo threads often highlight what is most representative or noteworthy about a place. Why anyone thinks that car dealerships or restaurants be vital to that end I am not sure.

This paranoid Russian idea that GM payed thousands of dollars to go to Russia only to humiliate and denegrate Russia is off the charts stupid and frankly just paints the Russians making the accusations in a highly insecure and pathetic light.


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## GammaHamster (Jul 22, 2010)

nomarandlee said:


> This paranoid Russian idea that GM payed thousands of dollars to go to Russia only to humiliate and denegrate Russia is off the charts stupid and frankly just paints the Russians making the accusations in a highly insecure and pathetic light.


Explanation is much simplier - GM is bad photographer who cannot choose good materials for his photos and photos themselves are of poor quality on top of that. That results in a photo report that does not do justice to places he visits. The problem is not that he posted commieblocks, the problem is that he missed everything else.



> Photo threads often highlight what is most representative or noteworthy about a place. Why anyone thinks that car dealerships or restaurants be vital to that end I am not sure.


"Highlight"? "Most representative"? It seems to me you missed this part of GM's position:



GM said:


> Because I love reality...


You see, it's reality! It's not brief report highligthing something or showing most representative parts, it's reality. 
When you are claiming to show reality and attack anyone who doubts you, then it is pretty vital not to forget restaurants, car dealership and markets, becasuse they are as much parts of reality as commieblocks and forests. 


I am not aware of any "you don't post in photothreads you don't like" tradition, but if there is one, then it's negative influence is apparent. Just look at GM and yourself: so used to forumers just spaming meaningless posts like "awesome photos" and "great thread" that you assume anybody posting his honest opinion about a bad batch of photos is "paranoid", "insecure" and "pathetic".

Btw, your attack against russians was completely unnecessary and flame provoking. Againg i am not aware of any "you don't post in photothreads you don't like" rules, but i am aware of "don't start country vs country fights" rule.
Seriuosly, try to come up with better argument than "people in Russia are pathetic".


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## GM (Feb 29, 2004)

GammaHamster said:


> Btw, your attack against russians was completely unnecessary and flame provoking. Againg i am not aware of any "you don't post in photothreads you don't like" rules, but i am aware of "don't start country vs country fights" rule.
> Seriuosly, try to come up with better argument than "people in Russia are pathetic".


Attack against Russian people now !???
Where !? :nuts:
What's the point of accusing me of such nonsense things ?


And "Pathetic" ? I haven't even used that word, but it's true that it's pathetic to create multiple accounts like that guy who managed to get banned two times just by posting paranoid and excessive comments on my thread.

I am glad that most people, including several Russians, have enjoyed this thread though. But it's a pity that someone who didn't enjoy it thought he had the right to create multiple accounts in order to flood it and make his own opinion appear like the prevalent one.


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## alekssa1 (Jan 29, 2009)

GM takes pictures of everything he sees. When I been to Moscow, I also saw many of those things he showed. Many of bad things (including homeless people and homeless dogs GM did not even take), and many of good things (beautiful metro, squares, avenues, skyscrapers one could take pictures of much better than GM who's amateur). We actually can see that in any country and city. Me and most of people try to show good things, try to take pictures of good quality (as far as they can do it). If GM can't do that...

If only you people could see the other side of other megacities or other places, you'd realize GM's other side of Moscow is... even more or less nice 

Regards


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## nomarandlee (Sep 24, 2005)

GammaHamster said:


> Explanation is much simplier - GM is bad photographer who cannot choose good materials for his photos and photos themselves are of poor quality on top of that.


Everyone is entitled to their small and bitter derived opinions including yourself. 
I think his photos are of respectable quality.


> That results in a photo report that does not do justice to places he visits. The problem is not that he posted commie blocks, the problem is that he missed everything else.


The mundane crap you insisted he show to show "balance" are frankly mundane crap found most places and would be expected to be found in western Russia as well as most elsewhere and as such there would be no need to document them. 

You really want people to fill their threads of Europe, South America, or North America with typical restaurants and the local BMW dealership? While it is nice such things awe you but I hate to break the news that much of the world has long ago moved beyond the idea of thinking such typical places as anything other then mundane background. These are things that the vast majority don't find interesting and which fail to convey a sense of place! 

He didn't seemingly go out of his way to take photos of the most dilapidated or undignified places he could find in Moscow/Russia and he highlighted some of Moscow's best aspects (metro, Red Square, #44). I think it is you who is being unreasonable here. If you are embarrassed by what is conspicuously Russian don't get mad at the messenger.


> "great thread" that you assume anybody posting his honest opinion about a bad batch of photos is "paranoid", "insecure" and "pathetic".


It is not bad to post a dissenting opinion but yours and some of other Russians here have a strain of nationalism, face saving mechanism, and insecurity that makes you lash out at those who are no way attempting to denigrate or slight your nation. _THAT_ is pathetic. 


> Btw, your attack against russians was completely unnecessary and flame provoking. Againg i am not aware of any "you don't post in photothreads you don't like" rules, but i am aware of "don't start country vs country fights" rule.".Seriuosly, try to come up with better argument than "people in Russia are pathetic"


"Russians are pathetic" was never said and so its so very low and gross that you would attempt to go the "anti-Russian" route. I said "the Russians making the accusations are pathetic". Unless over +100 million Russians have flooded this thread making accusation it is obvious that the point was directed towards yourself and other deranged Russians in this thread specifically making multiple accounts and throwing nonsensical fits.


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## HD (Sep 17, 2003)

I can't believe this thread is getting ruined by insecure people with an inferiority complex.

this is a very interesting post (well actually the whole series) with many great pics of russia (among others). I don't think GM's photos are showing russia in a negative way. they're showing a very colorful and diverse country. the only people which make russia look bad here are those complaining about GM's contribution in a very rude way.


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## GammaHamster (Jul 22, 2010)

HD said:


> the only people which make russia look bad here are those complaining about GM's contribution in a very rude way.


Please, do complement your post with proof of "complaining in a very rude way" by me. Go on, just quote those rude parts of my posts.

I, for example, can show you how polite my opponets are:



> deranged Russians





> nonsensical fits





> paranoid Russian





> insecure and pathetic





> You are paranoid, you need help.


In short, a stream of ad-hominem and nationality based attacks just for asking not to present authors subjective view as reality. 

This "you are _insert nationality here_ so you are wrong" is one of the silliest arguing technics on the net. I have no idea why people from "leave Britney, oh sorry, GM alone" crew think that appealing to opponent's nationality is such a great argument.

Stop it, i am much more concerned with GM's and his support crew disgusting bahaviour than image of my country, so can we please get over it. 



> I can't believe this thread is getting ruined by insecure people with an inferiority


Dude, GM already posted his photos, there will be no more material in this thread as he is using new thread for next part of his journey, anything else in this thread will be comments to his photos. So i take it that you think posting anything else other than "great thread, post count + 1" spam is "ruining the thread". Thats hillarious.:lol:


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## GammaHamster (Jul 22, 2010)

nomarandlee said:


> The mundane crap you insisted he show to show "balance" are frankly mundane crap found most places and would be expected to be found in western Russia and as such there would be no need.
> You really want people to fill their threads of Europe, South America, or North America with typical restaurants and the local BMW dealership? While it is nice such things awe you but I hate to break it to you that much of the world has long ago moved beyond the idea of thinking such typical places as anything other then mundane background. These are things that the vast majority don't find interesting and fail fail to convey a sense of place!


You are not even reading my posts. Try reading my posts, focus on the word "reality". And, please, try to come up with something better than another ad-hominem attack.


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## Jonesy55 (Jul 30, 2004)

Awesome photos, great thread!


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## jutinyoung (Dec 9, 2007)

tarmo1 said:


> maybe it is hard to enjoy photos inscriptions to which reveal attempt to insult the nation presented by those photos? Personally I can't enjoy attempts of humiliation of any nation or race or country or ethnic group. There may be any kind of photos here, but inscriptions should not be arrogant or sarcastic (as mentioned by some posters)-some other threads of this author are of the same kind unfortunatelly.


 well, i don't````ok maybe my english really need some improvement and i can't understand you very well, let's make it straight, i did not see any insult words here, i mean i didn't see it with my eyes, and i didn't see it with my mind too, and i'm sure i am "in" my mind, i don't know, i think the pix of moscow are very beautiful, be honestly i really like them, i think what people feel about the same scene is depend on their experience and notion, just like we used to consider the ancient construction in beijing are very ugly, and we delimited them as the representation of feudalism and oppression, but now many cities in china are tring to recovery some blocks to their Original style to attract tourist, Yes, some times moscow it not very modern(dispite it's stunning cbd) , but modern is not the only reason for beatutiful is't it? the city is unique and mysterious, and the pix remember me some amazing memory of russia, i think that's enough for me to enjoy it, so i didn't find this author of what kind at least in this thread, maybe i'm not a person very good at "find" 

I'm not a racist but i have to admit that countries and ethics did have some difference, just like any movement of china will be conside as omen of invade by indian, and many chinese compony are treated inequality by local gov, i likeand respect india and i hope to travel in india so badly but it's so hard for chinese to get a indian visa, i don't think indian reaction overly to china's "invade" and English ' "discrimination" is because they are narrow mind and sensitive, i believe it's up to their experience , and their way of thinking, and this is a very important difference between countries and enthnics


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## zmeyplissken (Dec 11, 2010)

some pejorative remarks here about russia but a nice photos anyway.


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## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

Updates please....


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