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Rostov Through My Lens: Saints, Soviets, and the Don River Whisperers

@Iris Vega2/8/2026blog
Rostov Through My Lens: Saints, Soviets, and the Don River Whisperers

rostov’s got this weird mix of orthodox gold domes and brutalist concrete slabs, like a soviet-era wedding cake left out in the rain. i’ve been shooting here for three weeks trying to capture the religious schizophrenia-armenian apostolics sipping tea next to *roofless orthodox churches still getting rebuilt after WWII. rent’s dirt cheap though-$300 gets you a one-bedroom with a view of some crumbling mural glorifying tractor production.

a large white building with a cross on top of it

the air’s thick enough to chew today-classic rostov summer-like god left a wet towel in the sky. caught a train to krasnodar yesterday (three hours, $12, babushka seatmate fed me pickled carrots) and realized how much this city smells like fried dough and diesel. overheard at the central market: > "‘you see that new mural near the cathedral? city council hates it, but the artists keep sneaking back-paint thinner’s cheaper than vodka here.’" job market’s uh…creative. met a guy who strings together gigs restoring icons and tattooing sailor jerry designs on drunk sailors. safety’s whatever-just don’t flash cash near voroshilovsky avenue after dark unless you wanna fund someone’s vodka research.

white and brown concrete building under blue sky during daytime

best finds? the armenian church cemetery with sun-bleached khachkars, and this hole-in-wall chebureki spot* near the don embankment that yelp swears will give you meat sweats. tried photographing the old jewish quarter but got side-eyed by a grandma selling radishes the size of baby arms. overheard at a tram stop: > "‘that new imam from dagestan? he plays chess with the russian orthodox priest every thursday-they bet church donation money.’" keep ending up at this reddit thread arguing whether the city’s more cossack or armenian. truth? it’s both, plus stray dogs that outnumber people. diversity here isn’t polished-it’s peeling paint and overlapping prayers. reminds me why i quit corporate gigs.

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About the author: Iris Vega

Believes in the power of well-chosen words.

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