A cemetary and a wedding. Cemeteries are interesting; many graves are fenced off (either individual graves or a family’s set of graves) and almost each has an ornate decoration including a picture of the deceased. As you can see, the cementaries are not kept up – the grass grows high, and except for individuals maintaining areas around tombstones of loved ones, it looks neglected. Russians visit cites of loved ones on special days, and usually leave some candy or drink a toast with vodka, pouring a shot down on the ground for the deceased. Weddings, on the other hand, are true celebrations. In the picture (the couple being married are Natasha’s brother and his wife) you see the official ceremony, similar to how it was in Soviet times. The long dark haired woman represents ZAKS, the agency in charge of marriages. She has an absolutely beautiful voice, talking slow about Russian traditions, the importance of love and commitment. The ceremony takes about 15 minutes, with someone playing a small keyboard for background music. After that you go to a side room for some chocolate and champagne, and then drive around town in decorated cars, honking horns, and starting the celebration. The drive includes a visit to a local monument to honor the war dead, as well as climbing up a tree or, in this case, a small cabin outside of town, to place a ribbon representing the marriage (usually alongside numerous other ribbons). The evening is a celebration, which in some cases can last well into the next day. Weddings in the orthodox church are becoming more popular, but are lengthy and still not the norm.