Greetings again from Gary.
I write this time about some lighter times Alla and I had in Kiev. One of those times was while riding the Kiev Metro.
The Metro is an incredible transportation system providing transport to virtually all of Kiev very efficiently and inexpensively. It’s 36.5 miles long, built entirely underground (some of it deeply underground) and provides 1.6 million passenger rides per day. It’s that “deeply underground” part that gets exciting.
To get from the surface station to the trains, you need to ride on what has to be the steepest and longest escalator on planet Earth. Is it fun? Well “a picture is worth a thousand words”. But there’s a little more to the story than just this ride when I took Alla’s picture.
You see, the first time we rode the Metro, we were in transit with all of our luggage consisting of handbag, cameras, airline carryon, and 2 large suitcases each. Getting on and off the escalator being thusly burdened was sheer terror. As we were pressed forward by the crowd, with no time to think we had to fight to remain standing, maintain control of our unwieldly belongings, and avoid knocking into people.
Well we made it and now have survival rules for riding the metro escalators - - one suitcase only; and going up the bag follows you, going down, you follow the bag. We joked for days (and still do) about our harrowing ride on that escalator. So in the photo, Alla is having fun, yes. But she is also having a “relief laugh” at having an unburdened ride.
More travels in Ukraine later. Have a beautiful weekend.
Gary.
