Project XX-XXI. The beginning.

One day I saw an interesting photo of Vladivostok in the Internet:

It was posted by Tony Case. His grandfather took that picture near 100 years ago in Vladivostok in young and unstable Soviet Russia.

The photo was dated 1919, but I recognized the place immediately. Old Vladivostok remained almost the same, plus the tramline was a good hint.

Few days later an idea had crossed my mind. I considered that it would be interesting for some other people to see, how that place looks in the current century. The weather was good, I went to the downtown, where the old city is, and took the pictures.

The focus of the original photo was people on the streets.  In 1919 there was one of the central streets. But the time made that direction unpopular for pedestrians. People go up underground passage in that direction rarely. I had to wait for a while to see new citizens in my viewfinder. It was unreal to catch more than two persons simultaneously. One couple was nice and friendly, thats why they are opening a 100-years shifted photo-answer:

In the old photo there were men wearing hats. Nowadays hats are not so popular, but I was lucky:

Besides the man in a hat, the young man passed by. Only at home I noticed , that he had nikon belt on one shoulder and antique camera case on another. The time gave me a sign :)

The next person:

I don't know who he is. Maybe he's one of the asian students from our universities, maybe one of russian Koreans. But I saw some symbolism in that person. The region often became the point of conflict, but Russia defended that territory. There is no intervention for now, there is no conflict with our neighbours. The peace lives here. And now some of my friends live/study/work in China/Japan/Korea, and asian students come to Vladivostok to study language or science.

While I was writing this micro article, I found out about a new popular social hobby: making photos with window to the past. The point is to get old photo, to find the place pictured on the photo, to find the same angle of shot, and get a new photo with a printed old photo. Looks like viewing the past through the photographic window. I had to return to that street crossing and make my window to the past:

The world changes. Each photo catches more cars than walking people. Trams stopped running a year ago. Possibly, all people from the photo are dead. But the age-old buildings stand in the same place silently watching.

PS: Our town is now under great reconstruction. That's why sometimes streets look like building sites. We all hope, that it will be finished soon, and renewed Vladivostok will please the eye.

PPS: The point from witch the second photo was taken is located and in a few weeks I will present a new photo-answer.

PPPS: If you know Russian or just want to see funny letters like "Я" visit my Russian-speaking blog.