Like so many other immigrants, Russians who move abroad bring with them so much of their former lives. Paul Berger of The New York Times reflects on one such activity which has crossed the Atlantic and is now quite visible in Russian filled Brighton Beach: walking.
Of course, everyone walks. But in Russia, and so many other poor countries around the world where money is tight, walking is favored over bars, nightclubs and cafes for the simple fact that it is free. On weekend nights and summer evenings throughout Russia, promenades, boardwalks, and sidewalks are filled with the masses out for a stroll.
The same can be said of Brighton Beach where old customs die hard. Sit in the same place long enough and you will start seeing the same pedestrians over and over again as they stroll away the evening hours.