Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,
Russia – Siberia and The Far East

Having crossed Russia from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka in the Far East, and visited the former Soviet Union states, I was both curious and surprised to observe how the historical and cultural heritage – the influences of the Soviet regime – were present in these territories even twenty-six years after the collapse of the empire.

Babushkas in head scarfs, jam-packed marshrutkas, workers’ quarters, wooden Orthodox churches, and other elements of Russian culture, like pieces of a history puzzle, make up the reality of Central Asian nations today – the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs.

Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,
Russia – Siberia – The Far East

Having crossed Russia from St. Petersburg to Kamchatka in the Far East, and visited the former Soviet Union states, I was both curious and surprised to observe how the historical and cultural heritage – the influences of the Soviet regime – were present in these territories even twenty-six years after the collapse of the empire.

Babushkas in head scarfs, jam-packed marshrutkas, workers’ quarters, wooden Orthodox churches, and other elements of Russian culture, like pieces of a history puzzle, make up the reality of Central Asian nations today – the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs.