( CNN ) -- CNN is taking an in-depth look at contemporary Russia as part of the `` Eye on Russia '' series . We asked you to share your photos of Russia and tell us about your experiences in the country , and photos and stories poured in of beautiful places and ordinary places , and of hopes for Russia 's future in the 21st century . Anna Glubokina , 27 , jumped at the opportunity to send photos of her country . A business analyst in Moscow , she has traveled through Russia and collected photos along the way . Murray Gillis took this image of an ice sculpture during a trip to Gubkinsky , Russia . `` I think that Russia is like a mountain river : fast , dangerous and beautiful , '' Glubokina said . `` You will never know what is waiting for you in the future . But I love Russia very much . I will never be bored here . I know that tourists like Russia , because of its astonishing churches and palaces , because of Kremlin and Red Square , because of its great scenery . '' Many of those who sent us photos were originally from other countries , like Justin Goney , originally from Urbana , Ohio . He now lives in Helsinki , Finland , but spent 14 months teaching English in Moscow . At the small Soviet-style grocery store where he sometimes shopped , he would tell the store clerk what he would like to purchase , rather than get the items himself . The 26-year old said he thinks there are more tourists in Russia now than there would have been during Soviet times . He said he has very vivid memories of what it was like seeing the country on TV as a child . `` I guess that 's sort of a defining element of who I am is growing up during the Reagan presidency and seeing the end of the Cold War on TV , '' Goney said . Arturo Fortun , originally from Bolivia , has lived in Russia for six years . He said the Russian people will take time to become accustomed to democracy . He said life is different there , but after a time , your impressions may change . `` It 's like a constant adventure , '' he said . `` You can not take anything for granted . '' Volker Kleensang , of Hamburg , Germany , frequently visits Kaliningrad , Russia , a former German territory that lies between Poland , Lithuania and the Baltic Sea . Physically separated from the rest of Russia , Kaliningrad has a different character than other parts of the country , Kleensang said . `` Many people from Kaliningrad , they still use the old German name . For me it 's a sign that they say , 'We are Russian , but we are more and more European-oriented than the people from Moscow or St . Petersburg . ' '' Craig Dillon of Queenstown , New Zealand , visited the country after winning a contest through a New Zealand vodka company . He said he had a choice of taking an $ 8,000 prize or a trip to Moscow , and out of curiosity , he took the latter . It was his first trip out of the region , and he said it was a `` major eye opener '' to see the gap between the rich and poor : `` Fast cars power past a begging woman on the streets of Moscow . '' On a more mundane note , he visited a Russian McDonald 's and found that the food was much the same as anywhere else . The only thing he noticed about edible items was that the water had a slightly different taste . E-mail to a friend .
Eye on Russia is part of a CNN series looking at contemporary Russia . CNN.com asked readers to share their photos , views of Russia .