CauKazEthnoexp. X. South Ossetia

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August 1–2, 2010

All cars now have to get X-rayed when they enter Russia. The setup only fits three cars at a time, the procedure takes 15 minutes. If a line of 20 cars forms at the border, you’ll have to spend all day waiting.

On the photo below, you can see where Coucousique has its two spare batteries, where the two jerry cans with gasoline are, and where there’s a camera lens on the seat. Unfortunately, the vehicle inspection procedure isn’t limited to an X-ray, it also includes an electromagnetic scan. This unsparing method fried the car computer I’ve had for a year because it didn’t shut down in time. So we were deprived of built-in music and navigation for remainder of the expedition.

The expedition, consisting of two vehicles (the third had to depart in the direction of Moscow to deal with urgent matters), crossed the border of Georgia and North Ossetia. To get to Tskhinvali, you have to go to Vladikavkaz and then take another road which used to lead to Georgia. On the highway, we encountered some phenomenally high North Ossetians who were celebrating the joy of life from the roof of a BMW going 120 km/h.

Another border—and we’re on the territory of South Ossetia, a country which has already been officially recognized by Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru in addition to Russia.

Tskhinvali

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We stayed at the best hotel in the capital.

With shopping nearby.

Photo 2: Store, vegetables wholesale, greens ’n things, potatoes. Photo 3: Cigarettes

Various services are offered everywhere.

Photo 1: Electrician. Photo 2: Cobbler. Photo 3: Hair salon. Photo 4: Stock exchange!

The city’s streets are decorated with original installations.

Cultural heritage is treated with care here. You can find historical street signs dating back to Soviet times.

Moscow St.

Old building numbers remain in places.

K. Marx

And Stalin Street has retained its name here, just like in Gori.

Stalin St.

There are bullet holes in many of the buildings.

Many also have traces of shellfire.

Russia helped South Ossetia (and Abkhazia) win their independence.

Now they have their own license plates here.

Photo 2: For sale

Practically all the cars have tinted windows on all sides, including the windshield.

Now Tskhinvali is blossoming.

Peace has been restored and things are back to normal.

Many of the buildings have been re-roofed. A local peculiarity: these new roofs have horizontal bars going across them. Their purpose is unclear (snow guards? at this latitude?).

New electricity meters are being installed on freshly repaired buildings.

Insulated glass units are being put in.

And “project passports” with the national emblem of Russia are being put up.

Project Passport. Two-story individual house, 125 m² area at 53 Angloeva Street. Contractor: StroyBytRemont LLC. Beginning of work: August 17, 2009. End of work: November 30, 2009. Superintendent: D.E. Mikhailov

Unfortunately, South Ossetia doesn’t have its own postal system. To be more precise, a post office does exist, but it’s a Russian Post branch and only sells Russian stamps.