Blokes of Russia and Eastern Europe

(WARNING:  This post contains gratuous nudity, a murder mystery and a great deal of silliness)

 When you go to Russia and Eastern Europe, you can't help but notice the blokes.

There are some real spunks, all shapes and sizes - in the flesh or marble, ivory, paint, stained glass...

Come with me, and I'll show you.

Starting with these blokes below.  They were hanging about everywhere - on buildings inside and out - overworked and under-dressed - to good effect, I felt.

He has to hold up the ceiling AND keep the painting straight. 

Just imagine the physio bills!

Thankless job - if you ask me

Here's a young soldier, doomed to forever miss trains in a suburban underground Moscow station:

This group of men are special: they sang like angels in one of the small chapels inside St Basil's, Moscow.  The baritone is Egor Chernegov-Nomerov, and he is singing here with the folk group, Doros. 

Egor Chernegov-Nomerov singing with the folk group, Doros, in St Basil's, Moscow

Here's another group of men - dolls all, and dolls inside dolls...

Russian dolls

This bloke below qualifies for this blog because he is such a snappy dresser.  He is sculpted in a frozen moment, possibly demonstrating a new kind of egg beater, or the path taken by the moon around a stick.

By contrast, this big bruiser, who barely fits into his alcove (along with a sheep and a giant shell), would be most appreciative if you could spare a couple of dollars...

Whereas this physically-challenged fellow (below) tries to earn his keep.  His brief is to stop people walking on the grass...

...but as you can see, no one takes the slightest notice of him...

...so he calls a policeman to point out the error of their ways.

Then the mobile phone rings...

                                           ...and it is Death calling...

                                           ...with news...

                                            ....sad news...

...very grave news...

...that Eros has lost his head...


                                          no no, not this is not Eros...

'Cloak of Conscience' by Anna Cromy

Below is the head in question.

Identified as the head of Eros, it was found in Market Square, Krakow.

The rest of the body is yet to be located.

'Eros Bound' by Igor Mitoraj

Urgent phone calls were made...

The police arrived...

Along with two detectives...

And the cavalry.

Suspects were rounded up...

Another suspect...

It turned out that this fellow had an alibi.  At the time of the murder, he was chained to a rock and his liver was being consumed by an eagle.  Without, may I add, pain killers.







This suspect was found carrying an illegal sword.  It was examined by forensic experts, and the suspect, who could not be named, was helping police with their enquiries. 

Another suspect had weapons concealed upon his person...

And this suspect obviously had something to hide...

After some months, another beheading took place, and the killer was caught red handed...

Here is the scene of the second beheading...

At his trial, the killer, a mere boy, was found to be under age, and escaped the death penalty.

The executioner was disappointed, as he had been warming up his bludgeoning technique...

The boy was sentenced to a year's community service...

Here you see him repairing the plumbing in the ladies' loo.




He also had to promise that he would no longer use his knife as a weapon, but as a tool for good.

He took up carving tiny ivory figures...

Sometimes using himself as a model...

So - everyone lived happily ever after, and that calls for a parade, don't you think?