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Picked up by KGB after making a photo Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  Next

Way to Russia Talk Lounge Forum Index -> Russian Contexts, Myths and Truths

Author	Message
FlyingDutchman Just Starting Joined: 26 Feb 2003 Posts: 5 Location: Netherlands	Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 3:55 pm    Post subject: Picked up by KGB after making a photo I just discovered this forum and I just have to post to following true story. The following happened in Nizhny Novgorod during an AEGEE summer univerisity in August 2001. Every morning we had 4 hours of Russian lessons. One of these lessons was skipped by a friend of mine from Brussels (he works at the European Committee there). The weather was really nice, sunny, 25 degrees, I guess typical weather for Nizhny Novgorod in the summer. So he walked around the city centre making photos of interesting buildings. Then suddenly two guys came out of the building he was making a photo of. They took him inside and gave him a third-degree cross-examination. The reason was the fact that he was making photos of a former KGB building, something a Russian person would never do. Since they weren't used to tourists in Nizhny Novgorod (in August 2001!), they found it really suspicious and asked him what he was doing in the city and who invited him to come to Russia. He tried to answer in his best Russian, but in the end he needed to call the organiser of the summer university to get him out. So remember: don't make photos of former KGB buildings outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Chances are you get interrogated by the former KGB.
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caz Frequent Guest Joined: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 17 Location: England	Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 5:59 pm    Post subject: or aeroplanes - my friend had to pay the requisite bribe for taking a picture of planes at Min Vody aeroport with his camera phone
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wu687 Lounge Lizard Joined: 18 Jul 2003 Posts: 199 Location: Victoria BC, Canada	Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:15 pm    Post subject: In St Petersburg one time I was about to take a picture of one of the bridges, when one of the local miltia said, "No photos".
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cyndy22 Lounge Wizard Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 1076 Location: massachusetts	Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 9:27 pm    Post subject: There is definitly still a large Soviet mentality in Russia. It is very evident and yet you also see in most tourist places, individuals dressed up by Peter, Alexandra, Nicholas etc., who will only let you snap their photo if you pay the fee. So much for freedom.
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mr-barley Lounge Lizard Joined: 04 Dec 2004 Posts: 159 Location: somewhere in minnesota	Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 2:38 am    Post subject: I got told "Nyet! Nyet!" by a guard rushing at me in front of the US embassy in Moscow when I took out my camera to take a picture of the little plaque that said US Embassy on it. I guess I wasn't thinking.It's such a nondescript building and if that little plaque (and of coarse the long line of Russians further down) wasn't there, you wouldn't know it was the US embassy.
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cyndy22 Lounge Wizard Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 1076 Location: massachusetts	Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 5:29 am    Post subject: Barley, You were of course thinking. There is no reason why you should not have been free to take that simple photograph. Your son is very lucky to live in US.
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Jutrzenkapolska VIP Joined: 16 Sep 2004 Posts: 534	Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 5:33 am    Post subject: So's yours.So were are you all now, back in Massachusetts?
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cyndy22 Lounge Wizard Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 1076 Location: massachusetts	Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 5:48 am    Post subject: Polska, Yeah we're back in Mass. and happy as clams to be back. St. Petersburg was cool, Estonia and Helsinki even better. But the US rocks and I never realized that until this trip! NY IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN SPB. SORRY BUT IT IS TRUE.
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Keoki Lounge Lizard Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 117 Location: Moscow	Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 8:54 am    Post subject: cyndy22 wrote: Barley, You were of course thinking. There is no reason why you should not have been free to take that simple photograph. Your son is very lucky to live in US. You're not supposed to photograph an embassy or consulate anywhere in the world. That's why they never look like the real thing in the movies - no one's allowed to film there. Even when I worked at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, the security office wouldn't let me take photos of it for souvenirs. It's pretty silly, since there are tons of places from which to take photos unnoticed, but it's the same in all countries. Along the same lines, I wasn't allowed to photograph Lukashenko's residence in Minsk, Belarus. But they were polite about it. In Russia, I believe it's military installations, bridges, KGB/FSB buildings and the like that are still off-limits to photographers. It used to be mentioned in all the tourist guides, but it's been a few years since I've read one (maybe I'll write one now someday ).
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e VIP Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 654	Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 9:34 am    Post subject: Quote: In Russia, I believe it's military installations, bridges, KGB/FSB buildings and the like that are still off-limits to photographers. It used to be mentioned in all the tourist guides, but it's been a few years since I've read one (maybe I'll write one now someday Smile ). According to my tourist guide that dates from 2 years ago: The photographing of any military installation, establishment, or site of strategic importance is prohibited; this includes airports, bridges, power plants, police and civil services, and certain government buildings. People not observing this rule are likely to have their film confiscated, be detained for questioning and possibly arrested. Several foreigners have been even accused of spying in this regard. If prior permission is obtained from officials of the institution concerned, photographs may be taken of industrial enterprises that manufacture non-military products, farms, railroad stations, airports, riverports, riverlocks, dams, construction sites, and governmental, educational and social organizations.
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Keoki Lounge Lizard Joined: 21 Jan 2005 Posts: 117 Location: Moscow	Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2005 7:25 pm    Post subject: Rick wrote: Keoki wrote: You're not supposed to photograph an embassy or consulate anywhere in the world. That's why they never look like the real thing in the movies - no one's allowed to film there. Even when I worked at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, the security office wouldn't let me take photos of it for souvenirs. It's pretty silly, since there are tons of places from which to take photos unnoticed, but it's the same in all countries. funny rule indeed. i didn't know that. and quite silly, especially if you consider some consulates have their buildings photo's published themselves on the internet: http://ambrunl.tripod.com/images/cons.jpg It is silly. It doesn't mean you won't be able to find a photo of an embassy or consulate, but they definitely like to dictate what can and cannot be shown. I think it's an outmoded rule that should disappear soon, especially since hidden cameras have been available to the intelligence community for years, and are now even available commercially in mobile phones. Then I'll go get my damn souvenirs:).
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MrSpice Lounge Wizard Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 3431	Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:01 am    Post subject: cyndy: As a New Yorker who recently visited St Petersburg (just before you), I cna say that there are things in St Petersburg that are better than New York. First of all, this historic beaty and sense that the center of the city was built and designed to look beautiful. There are many places in New York that look beautiful, but the city was built up sporadically based mostly on commerical need. Basically, that's how US cities are different from European Cities. Also, there are lots and lots of great desert coffee shops in St Petersburg., I don't know if you like sweets and good capuccino, but I think there are more dedicated coffee shops in St Petersburg than you can find in New York. There are lots of good restaurants in New York with good deserts. But if you want to just have a cup of coffee and a selection of deserts, there is more choice in St Petersburg. Also, it's my imression that you spent a lot of time in "touristy" areas or as part of some kind of tour. In the center of the city, I did not notice Soviet mentality that much. My mini-hotel was very clean and nice. ANd I actually bought myself a cell phone for use in St Petersbirg - it worked great all over the city. I visited Helsinki. I thought it was clean and nice like many European city, but could not compare in beauty and charm and architectire to St Petersburg. But maybe I am just biased...
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Only Frequent Guest Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Posts: 48	Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:09 am    Post subject: It is only silly than you think of embassy building. If you consider for a moment that it helps protect people who exit/enter/walk about embassy grounds it might seem a bit more plausible though. At least to me.
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cyndy22 Lounge Wizard Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 1076 Location: massachusetts	Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 12:36 am    Post subject: I agree that St. Petersburg has stunning architecture and is visually magnificient and superior in that sense to New York. It also has so much history that also adds to its charm and interest. I was not part of a tour there. We did however spend most of our 5 days there with a local SPB resident who I connected with this past year on internet. Natasha was born in Piter and has lived there all her life. She loves her city and takes great pride in showing it off and explaining its richness etc. She was very kind, open and responsible. She did this non gratus and even took time off from her job that week to drive us and guide us etc. We became like sisters, even my husband was jealous! Yes we did do the touristy things such as the boat canal tour, Hermitage, Peterhof, Pushkin, Marrinsky Theatre, Alexander Nevsky cemetary etc., We did however see probably alot more of the city than average tourists because Natasha drove us in her Lada all over different parts. And we got to know her and her 18 year old daughter, Katya very well. While St. Petersburg is beautiful artistically and you would know more than I about the positive changes in the city, the city fell short of my dream and expectations. Iam glad I visited but for me, Piter's service industry lacks the friendly, caring attitude and delivery that one should expect in world class cities. And we did pay a pretty penny, but that doesn't mean much there. There is also in my opinion a lack of relaxed freedom. I think this is just part of Russian culture. Also as a person with a disability and uses a wheelchair, it is very apparent how indifferent people are there concerning access. Even when for example the Hermitage has ramp and lift, attendants there don't seem to care and act almost deaf to providing any useful information. And mind you we spoke good Russian with Natasha. It is no fun perhaps visiting anywhere as a 2nd class citizen if you can understand. Mind you, I have traveled in Venice and while access issues are also a problem the attitude of people and relaxed lifestyle make all the difference.
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MrSpice Lounge Wizard Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 3431	Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2005 3:25 am    Post subject: I would be interested to know what you mean by "relaxed freedom" I visited many countries in Europe and have travelled across the US many times. I really did not see much difference, especially in the center of the city. If anything, Russians seemed a bit more free and uninhibited to me (casinos and nightclubs are abundant there, not to mention adult enterntainment, etc.) than many people here. Maybe this is something I just did not notice being born in St Petersburg. As far as service is concerned, as one would expect, it's spotty. Western tourists should not stay in the Soviet-era hotels (I understand you stayed in one) since they still lag in service quality. There are lots of small, boutique hotels noadays in St Petersburg. The one I stayed in on Nevsky Pr. was nice, clean and the service was good. It was not Ritz Carlton or anything, but everything was similar to what you would get in the US at the local Holiday Inn. If you want great service in St Petersburg, you need to stay at the elite hotels like "Europe" or "Raddison SAS". but they are very expensive, especially during White Nights. Any cafe/restaurant/club I went to in St Petersburg, the service was good at worst and great at best. I ate almost every day at "Elki Palki" on Nevsky where for 10-15 you can have excellent Russian food - could not get enough. As far as access for people with disabilities, I am sure ST Petersburg and many other cities and countries of the former Soviet Union are far behind the Western, developed countries. This is not something that happens overnight. In that respect, it's much worse, I bet.
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