Nearby, a young boy sits huddled against the side of a building, a bucket of potatoes at his feet. He draws his legs up against his body and rests his head on his knees, watching the movement around him. He will wait, shivering in his thin pants and jacket, until the potatoes are sold.

Farther down the street, a crowd gathers to watch a woman spin cotton candy. Children press close as the woman twirls a wooden stick around a tremendous metal bin, catching the pink wisps blowing out of the bin's edges. A girl in pigtails watches in fascination, a few green 500-ruble notes clutched in one hand. There are many children waiting, but she is next in line.