My trip to Ukraine during the Orange revolution, was not bound to Kiev, but in a remote place close to the Romanian Border : Tchernivtsy (?) Don't know if it explain the metric business .. Anyway, as far as I remember, time was frozen in the 60's over there . Poor ATC english, virtually no Handling, but very helpful and nice people (they tend to wear all the same name : Serguei
)
A travel in time if you ask me, but a good souvenir.
The Airport director invited me in the office for a coffee and a chat (well ... he didn't speak a word of french or english , and my russian is ...limited ) Just above his desk, there was still pictures of Soviet Leaders : Stalin, Brejnev .... Amazing. The guy was in his 70's, a former navigator at Aeroflot (well, all the airport staff were former naivgators in aeroflot
)
The next day, when we had to leave, I remember the airport people helping me to prepare the plane "Quick ! Quick, the Orange Revolution is coming to the Airport !! Go ! Go ! They'll block the parking " Oh dear !
Finally we did it quietly (as the revolution was ) But I remember I could picture myself being jailed for obscure reasons ! (A bit paranoïd, maybe ? )