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The south bank of the Daugava river in Riga is filled with sprawling suburbs, from communist blocks to crumbling mansions, all set around extensive parkland.
The centerpiece of the endless flat, tree lined space is a monsterous monument to the victory of the soviets. I never heard a word of this in the guidebooks and needless to say it's a little controversial today.
Mural in an abandoned former barrack of the soviet military in eastern Germany / Wandbild in einer verlassenen Baracke der Sowjetarmee in Ostdeutschland
Pyramiden was a coal mining settlement on Svalbard that was founded by the Swedes in 1910 and sold to the Soviet Union in 1927. Despite the harsh climate, the Soviet’s turned Pyramiden into a settlement and by the 1980’s had over 1000 people living there. As any foreigner could visit the town without a visa, it was meant to showcase the Soviet Union at it’s best and prove that Communism could create a true Utopian society. It boasted a cultural palace with a cinema & library, a swimming pool, gym, school, sports grounds and even had grass imported from Ukraine.
The coal mines however were never profitable and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, living standards and salaries began to dwindle. In March 1998 the last coal was extracted and by October of that year the last residents departed.
The law on Svalbard states that anything abandoned for ten years means the ownership goes back to the state. In 2008, the Russians returned, but not to mine coal. As Pyramiden is technically in the West, it’s easy to see why they would want to maintain a presence here. To keep sovereignty, at least two people have to live here all year round. Now that tourism to the ghost town is on the rise, this number can be up to 20 in the summer. Despite this, almost everything remains frozen in the Soviet-era and the town is home to the most Northernmost statue of Lenin.
Rangefinders from the old USSR. Here is my Soviet Gear......Fed 2, Fed 3 with following lenses - Jupiter 3, Jupiter 8, Jupiter 11, Jupiter 12, Industar 26m and Industar 61ld. Apple iMac - Made in China....:-) I've been shooting Ilford HP5 Plus 400 on these and developing it in the Garage as its not cheap or easy to get done here.......
Testing out my new Helios 44-2 lens. I had one previously and sold it. Silly me!!
This is one sharp lens. I love the bokeh on it and the incredible images it produces. Definitely more pronounced on a full frame camera too!!
The Order of the Red Star was awarded to soldiers of the Soviet Army, Navy, border and internal security forces, employees of the State Security Committee of the USSR, as well as NCOs and officers of the bodies of internal affairs; to units, warships, associations, enterprises, institutions and organizations; as well as to military personnel of foreign countries.
It was most awarded during the Second World War with the main criteria being for personal courage and bravery in battle, for the excellent organization and leadership in combat that contributed to the success of our troops; for successful operations of military units and formations which resulted in the enemy suffering considerable casualties or damage; for courage and valour displayed during the performance of military duties, or, in circumstances involving a risk to life.
The south bank of the Daugava river in Riga is filled with sprawling suburbs, from communist blocks to crumbling mansions, all set around extensive parkland.
The centerpiece of the endless flat, tree lined space is a monsterous monument to the victory of the soviets. I never heard a word of this in the guidebooks and needless to say it's a little controversial today.
The Polikarpov I-16, a pioneering monoplane fighter with a retractable undercarriage. It made existing biplane fighters obsolete overnight. The I-16 saw combat service during the Spanish Civil War, on the Republican side, where initially it proved highly effective. But by 1938, the Nationalist forces had regained air supremacy, bolstered by the German Condor Legion, which had been equipped with the new Messerschmidt Bf109. Many Soviet Air Force squadrons were still equipped with the I-16 in 1941, at the time of the Nazi invasion. The design was by then obsolete and Luftwaffe pilots gained hundreds of easy victories.