The city of Grozny may appear cold at first glance — military vehicles, even armed police, patrol the streets — but the atmosphere isn’t overly tense. And when you delve into the local life, the chilly weather of just 7 degrees Celsius is quickly warmed by the hospitality of the residents.
Walking down the street, possibly due to religious reasons, it’s hard to make eye contact with passersby. But you can feel that people around are watching you. From their expressions and gazes, it’s not suspicion, but mere curiosity. Likewise, seeing European-looking locals wearing veils also sparks my own curiosity.
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Muslims place great importance on gender relations. Mixed-gender photos often require faces to be covered, and interacting with unfamiliar men may even be frowned upon. However, as long as you keep your distance and avoid photographing women accompanied by their husbands, there shouldn’t be too much of an issue. |
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Usually, when you see a man and a woman together, they tend to be mother and son, father and daughter, or husband and wife. The photo shows a mother and her son. |
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The first stop on the second day was the city’s largest market. Unlike markets in other cities, Grozny’s marketplace is all concentrated here — food, clothing, daily necessities, and even two mosques.
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Aside from clothes, Grozny’s market also has restaurants, takeout shops, household items, and even… |
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I really love the warmth here. Even if I’m just at the market to take photos or just “blow off some steam,” people don’t mind at all. In fact, during my time at the market, some passersby even lingered nearby, afraid I might get lost.
I also love the leisurely yet close-knit vibe. Shop owners sit together at street corners chatting, sometimes even leaving their shops unattended. When I arrived at their market, several people would come out just to see what I was doing. They’d even call out to me from afar in various languages — English, Japanese, and even some Chinese that I couldn’t tell if it was Mandarin. Even without a common language, we managed to communicate for a whole morning through gestures and by sharing photos.
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They stayed by my side the whole time I was exploring the market |
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Usually, the ones smiling at the camera are men |
This is how communication works. So what if we don’t speak the same language? With the right intention, whether using translation apps or simply gesturing, genuine effort can bridge the gap. At the market, I was reminded of the warmth of the Russians I met on an overnight train in Siberia a year ago.
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