These selected pictures were made on several trips I made in the Soviet Union in the early 1980's . The country was not as difficult to visit as what people figured in the West , if you were aware of the routes and rules . Taking pictures of the daily life did'nt pose much problem . You occasionally had to be careful with certain facilities , but on the whole, it was close to a photographer's dream , with the thrill of exploring an unknown and strange world . The country at that time was at the same time frugal and quiet .