Fascinating front-page story in yesterday’s New York Times about how Russians, newly prosperous and free of Soviet-era travel restrictions, are hitting the road by the millions. Countries like Turkey are now scrambling to cater to the influx of Russians—one resort resembles the Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral—and Russians are wondering how seeing more of the world may change the way they see themselves and their homeland.
"Through all this travel, we are seeing a change in mentality at home,” writer and commentator Viktor Yerofeyev told the Times. “People are now seeking pleasure, whether it is in the night clubs of Moscow or in restaurants. Travel is a continuation of that pleasure. Just to have pleasant lives, not to suffer, to feel positive. Their life compass changes, from ‘I don’t care about anything’ to ‘I would like to have a better life.’ Travel is a part of this.”
Photo of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow by JackVersloot, via Flickr (Creative Commons)
