Kiev

February 1–3 2005

Terminal one of Sheremetyevo airport was unusually empty. The customs officer in the green lane was polite, smiley, and didn’t say much. The woman at the check-in counter was polite and offered me a seat “with legroom” without me having to ask.

One floor up a courteous female border control officer sat in a passport control booth.

I just had to ask:

— What’s happened? Why is everyone so calm and courteous?

— I can yell at you if you like, — the officer said, put an exit stamp in my passport, and smiled.

Just before take-off there’s a pavilion. The stickers on its doors have been meticulously tampered with.

The Russian word for “Push” above has been changed to “Having fucked” by deleting just one letter

In Kiev they always give way to pedestrians, even when the zebra crossing is hidden beneath dirty snow.