We crossed the border into Poland and the level of prosperity was palpably greater than Belarus and Russia. Villages were better kept and houses better maintained. Roads were variable but it wasn't clear whether that was a proper sample or ERA routing. We took the 'scenic' route - no time trials or time controls - but travelling through miles of pine forest wasn't obviously better than the fast road.
In towns like Omsk, Minsk and Brest, I looked for evidence of city centre cosmopolitan life and generally found some. Seeing the relaxed style and hustle of Rszeszow, a provincial town of 200,000, set a benchmark. Rszeszow's market square is lined with shops, cafes and restaurants and was lively in the evening. It was at least the equal of Kazan, the most sophisticated of the places visited since Mongolia.
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