Derek and I enjoy many of the same things when we travel. Walking, exploring, markets, finding random street art, food, and of course, taking LOTS of pictures! (Our last trip together to BC netted about 2,000 photos for one week). With our television in the living room hooked up to a computer, and photos running as our main form of wall art via the screen saver, we actually get to relive trips, events, and random days frequently. So what could be better for our art-collection and obsessive shutter-bug disease than a month in foreign lands!?
Trains, mountains, temples, cathedrals, the lands of Genghis Khan. So exciting. The photos will be great!
But wait! What? This might be a problem? Oh crud.
According to not only The Lonely Planet Guide to the Trans-Siberian Railway and The Trans-Siberian Handbook, but also according to the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, taking pictures in Russia isn’t as benign as we are used to.
Photographs and Film
Taking photos of railways, bridges, dams, airports, train stations, the underground Metro system, and all official buildings is prohibited. Incidents have occurred at marketplaces where Canadians have taken photos of market stalls and found themselves remanded to the market police authorities. Cameras, film, and all other equipment may be confiscated, and fines payable in cash on the spot may be imposed. Any traveller in this situation should contact the Embassy of Canada.
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=249000
No photos of railyways? Bridges? Train stations? What the heck are we going to take photos of while on the train for the better part of a month!?
Who’da thunk? That’s something I’d expect during the active years of the Cold War, but am rather surprised to still see this be the case. Note to self: take photos of the trains and stations while in Mongolia, China and Lithuania. Dang – the whole way of travel and antiquity of the trip won’t be captured.
So we might be stuck taking photos of each other. And trees. Trees will be safe, right?
Photo of the photographer.
At least in this day and age, I won’t have to change film!
2006 – when I still used film! Stopping to perform “camera surgery” as Derek calls it, in Quebec City.
Rails Across the Curtain 