This is such a great archive. Our tech team is partially in Minsk, Belarus. As a result I've had the opportunity to sneak to nearby countries and photograph th

This is such a great archive. Our tech team is partially in Minsk, Belarus. As a result I've had the opportunity to sneak to nearby countries and photograph them anytime I go back for work. The region is still relatively undiscovered to photographers and in many places there are many remnants of the old Soviet Union still around. There are ghost military towns in Latvia. Soviet spy dish, numerous memorials to WWII, old train stations and tons of brick chimneys that still spew a lot of smoke and steam to provide heat to the city. There is also something about aged faces of the region. There is so much character and wrinkles in them. Then you have places like Georgia that have amazing historical village from 12th century and very beautiful mountainous views. If you have nostalgia like me for the photos in these archives, there are still opportunities to photograph some yourself. On the side note. Belarus just recently opened a 5-day visa free access to the country. Georgia and Armenia don't need a visa and they love American tourists. In Tbilisi the main road out of the airport is named after George Bush. Best of all, US citizens have the best visa options of western citizen to visit Russia. There is a 3-year multiple visit visa that is not available to other European citizens (AFAIK) and with the World Cup hosted there next year, it might be a good time to apply for your visa now. edit: added some photo samples https://www.skypixel.com/photos/soviet-secret-spy-dish https://www.skypixel.com/photos/soviet-secret-spy-dish https://www.skypixel.com/photos/me-monument-and-snow https://www.skypixel.com/photos/me-monument-and-snow https://www.skypixel.com/photos/dji_0680_0686-panorama_skypix-jpg https://www.skypixel.com/photos/dji_0680_0686-panorama_skypi... https://www.skypixel.com/photos/me-monument-and-snow https://www.skypixel.com/photos/me-monument-and-snow https://www.instagram.com/p/BMe3U1ABrQS/?taken-by=photojournalist https://www.instagram.com/p/BMe3U1ABrQS/?taken-by=photojourn... https://www.instagram.com/p/BLpvdTDB0rS/?taken-by=photojournalist https://www.instagram.com/p/BLpvdTDB0rS/?taken-by=photojourn... https://www.instagram.com/p/BHNV4ZfhkD0/?taken-by=photojournalist https://www.instagram.com/p/BHNV4ZfhkD0/?taken-by=photojourn... https://www.instagram.com/p/BHGEV3ahjDb/?taken-by=photojournalist https://www.instagram.com/p/BHGEV3ahjDb/?taken-by=photojourn... https://www.instagram.com/p/BB4qnkbsDnR/?taken-by=photojournalist https://www.instagram.com/p/BB4qnkbsDnR/?taken-by=photojourn... https://www.instagram.com/p/BLg2V_OhzHh/?taken-by=photojournalist https://www.instagram.com/p/BLg2V_OhzHh/?taken-by=photojourn...