The dark side of the metro

Sorry to break my relatively long hiatus with such depressing photos, but the sight of elderly women begging in the metro will not be a new one for anyone who's spent any appreciable time on mass transit in Moscow. I'm the first to admit that all countries have their social problems, homeless, panhandlers, etc., but I find the elderly ladies who are forced to work the street (or metro platform) with their hands out to be a most arresting and disturbing phenomenon that's unique to Russia in my experience.


Park Kul'tury station (ring line)



Kurskaya station (blue line)

(click on the photos to enlarge them)
Both photos taken between 3:20 and 4:00 pm on February 19, 2005.