Foto Friday ~ Architecture

This weeks Foto-Friday is Architecture. When we think of Architecture as Art, we often imagine beauty, uniqueness and intrique, but lets think for a moment about contrast. I want to show you a several pictures of architecture around the world that illustrate the sharp contrast between opulence/wealth and poverty/oppression.

To begin, here is a picture of Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia.

This picture evokes in our minds beauty, awe, history, but in contrast please look at.....

A Russian Apartment building. This building was built during the Soviet rule. It is stark, gray and looks like 90 percent of the homes(apartments) in Russia. I don't think most American's can imagine living for so many years under the oppression that the Russian people did.

Next lets move to the wealthy Asian city of Singapore.

It is here that we see this very unique building along the river. It is a modern performing arts center.

In contrast there are still old sections of Singapore where the architecture is distinctly old and charming.

There are beautiful gardens and parks in Singapore.

We then go to the nearby country of Cambodia. There is very little in Cambodia that exudes wealth like its neighbor Singapore. There is the beautiful old National Museum. I believe that it represents the good and best of Cambodia.

But if we move a little further we come across another museum that illustrated some of the horror and sadness of Cambodia. Some may have heard of the Pol Pot regime that existed between 1975-1979. It is here in this building that many people we imprisoned and killed during this time.

If we look in a window we see a room where many were tortured and died.

One and a half million people died during this terrible time. Here are a few of them.......

A little closer......

And we can't begin to think that the suffering of people here is not continuing. The poverty is staggering to ones "Western" eyes.

Here is a little village where workers and their families live.

Where do they work you wonder.......Well just up here on the Garbage dump mountain. The whole family trudges up onto the toxic waste daily to scavenge for items to sell.

I know this weeks, architecture pictures took a twist here on my blog, but these places are on my heart right now. The world around us is so big and sometimes we wonder what difference we can make whether it is next door or across the sea in Cambodia. Today I am thinking of people that sacrifice so much to help those less fortunate then they are. Every one of us can make a difference in this world. We can bridge that gap of contrast. So please don't wish you had not stopped by here today to see these pictures, instead do something......do something for someone else and know that today you are making a difference in someone's life.

Edited to Add: We lived in Russia for a little while. My parents live in Singapore and minister to many surrounding countries.  When we visited them 2 years ago we were able to also travel to Cambodia. I took these pictures when we were in those places.