The parade runs the length of Nevsky Prospect, from Uprising Square all the way to the Hermitage Museum on the embankment of the Neva river.
I muscled my way through the crowds to find a good place to stand. Most were taken as the parade was about 2 hours late in getting started.
As you can see in the pictures below, the parade is a blend of old and new. Lots of fresh faces in uniforms, but also a lot of WWII-era cars. It's really strange to see so many Soviet flags in the parade. I don't remember this always being the case. I mean, it's understandable in some senses -- the people who served in WWII were Soviet soldiers, so it makes sense for they to have Soviet military symbols on their military banners from the period. But it seemed to me that there were a lot of contemporary Soviet flags that were meant to symbolize Russian pride, but with a particular political bent -- the one that says "things were better under the Soviet Union." It wouldn't surprise me to discover that (Czar) Vladimir Putin is quietly encouraging this brand of nostalgia.
I've also included the picture of the giant woman I got stuck behind as I was looking for a place to watch the parade. She was trudging home from work and wearing this advertisement on her back. Judging by her apron, I think she's in food service. Maybe she brings in a few extra rubles by slipping the sign on when she's out on the town.
