As the northernmost ice-free deepwater port on the Pacific coast, Dalian has been coveted by both the Russians and the Japanese. In fact, the city was leased to, occupied by, or ruled by one or the other of these two nations between 1895 and 1955. Most guidebooks list Russian Street as one of Dalian's main attractions. The street itself is now a wide pedestrian walkway runnng for about 200 yards near the old seaport. It was the heart of the Russian community around 1900. Many historic Russian-style structures remain, but they have all fallen into severe disrepair. The street is now the definition of "faded glory." It is lined with decaying buildings in front of which sidewalk vendors hawk cheap knick-knacks and souvenirs.The narrow streets surrounding the main boulevard once held numerous brick-and-stucco residences for the Russian community posted to Dalian. Today, the area is mired in poverty and neglect. It is worth bearing in mind that despite China's rapid economic transformation, the rising tide has not lifted all the boats. Poverty is real and brutal, both in the city and in the countryside. I will have more to say about China's economic miracle and the increasing income gap in a future blog post. I'm a visitor, not a journalist, so it was hard for me to take these pictures. There are other scenes that I chose not to photograph at all.
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