Trans-Siberian – An experience of becoming
This series depicts aspects of people’s daily life as part of a visual journal written while I crossed Russia riding the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Irkutsk in June 2019. It’s about humanity, endurance and hope.
My route: More than five thousand kilometers, five time zones (and endless cups of tea)
The train itself is a story. More than connecting travelers and families, approaching distant places, this route is the spinal cord of Russia that holds this huge country together. Following the same path that Stalin used to transport political prisoners to the Siberian gulags, The Trans-Siberian goes through every chapter in the history of the last century.
Moscow, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk were the cities that I have seen.
This journey was a chance not only to explore the culture and history of this enormous country but also to see the real Russia away from the trendy cafes and fashion boutiques of the prosperous Moscow. While crossed the country, I got a better understanding of how the great events of Russia shaped the people and to where – three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union – this country is headed.
Beyond the amazing things to do and the epic places to see, the people are what made it everything worth the effort. Life in Russia has never been easy. Communism has taught them that life is serious. The Russians don’t laugh for no reason. By their nature, they are not exuberant. They don’t hide under a false appearance, they don’t pretend to be someone else. The difficulties have been always present in the lives of Russians, but they face them with courage. The Russians do not deny their history and assume the past with dignity.
This route was a true pathway loomed in Russia’s history which it taught me not just about Russia, but also about the human condition. When I planned this journey I imagined it as a National Geographic type, but at some time, it took another direction. Somehow, it became an inner journey too.
Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, 2019
Trans-Siberian – An experience of becoming
This series depicts aspects of people’s daily life as part of a visual journal written while I crossed Russia riding the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Irkutsk in June 2019. It’s about humanity, endurance and hope.
My route: More than five thousand kilometers, five time zones (and endless cups of tea)
The train itself is a story. More than connecting travelers and families, approaching distant places, this route is the spinal cord of Russia that holds this huge country together. Following the same path that Stalin used to transport political prisoners to the Siberian gulags, The Trans-Siberian goes through every chapter in the history of the last century.
Moscow, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk were the cities that I have seen.
This journey was a chance not only to explore the culture and history of this enormous country but also to see the real Russia away from the trendy cafes and fashion boutiques of the prosperous Moscow. While crossed the country, I got a better understanding of how the great events of Russia shaped the people and to where – three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union – this country is headed.
Beyond the amazing things to do and the epic places to see, the people are what made it everything worth the effort. Life in Russia has never been easy. Communism has taught them that life is serious. The Russians don’t laugh for no reason. By their nature, they are not exuberant. They don’t hide under a false appearance, they don’t pretend to be someone else. The difficulties have been always present in the lives of Russians, but they face them with courage. The Russians do not deny their history and assume the past with dignity.
This route was a true pathway loomed in Russia’s history which it taught me not just about Russia, but also about the human condition. When I planned this journey I imagined it as a National Geographic type, but at some time, it took another direction. Somehow, it became an inner journey too.
Novosibirsk, Russian Federation, 2019