Vladivostok again

August 25–26, 2007

The city is getting handsomer by the minute. They’re doing well for themselves — otherwise there wouldn’t be nine refrigerators stocked with refreshments next to the kiosks.

A cheering detail — the legs of the rubbish bin by the bus stop have been fashioned to look like the letter “A”.

This sign has got an impossible letter “K” on it (cf. the bookshop in Tver).

Another rubbish bin — sister of the technomodel spotted in Fryazino.

The city’s buses are all from South Korea and have a central sliding door.

They make special holes in all of the across the street banners so as to prevent billowing, just like in New York.

In addition, every traffic sign is fixed at four points to withstand the wind.

Free-standing advertising structures in front of buildings are all the rage (the blue whatsit on the right of the photograph is another such standalone totem, complete with abbreviation and coat of arms).

The state registration service went and got itself a sign with a Barbie-pink background.

Although the locals aren’t all that bothered about being glamorous.

You could even say they’re not the least bit bothered.

Yet for some reason they do love their pink.

Another local distinguishing trait. Instead of going to a bureau de change, here you change your money by approaching one of the women sitting right there in the street. These currency dealers await drivers in beach chair-like seats. The whole process happens on the fly, much like at a “McDonald’s Drive-Thru”.