Moscow in bloom

Babushkas stand in a row, hoping to sell flowers to busy Moskvichi. The working day starts at a pretty flexible 9am, probably to accommodate the vodka-based evening traditions (or possibly for other reasons).

Muscovites feel that they are always stressed and busy - as in capitals the world over - and they need things to be just so.

It's just after the solstice, and it'll be light here until 10.30pm. Some of the flowers tend to look almost more wilted than the sellers by then. But hey - it's a free market.