Pictures and reality

Pics taken in Russia...but it is probably not that difficult to take similar picture in many other countries (except for Vatican, I guess).

The question which arises is quite simple - what is the reality? Is the pictures? Or something else? Here the pictures obviously (or at least to certain level) make fun of Russia. As a person who has never been to Russia it is quite difficult for me to assess the level to which it reflects reality. But this is, I believe, the problem of all pictures - whoever took them for whatever reason. But it is probably this kind of funny / weird pictures which makes us aware of this fact.
But try to explain it tabloid readers..
More pictures on englishrussia.
P.S. Sometimes I am not sure whether my thoughts are total crap or not.