R&R is over ;-(

Lorenza (pictured above at one of the Kharkiv markets) returned to Richmond yesterday. [Insert sounds of weeping and anguish here.] She departed in typical whirlwind-Ukrainian fashion:

On Friday night, we went out to dinner with my friend (and landlord and downstairs neighbor) Sergey, and his friend Sveta, and her daughter, Lana. Sergey has a car -- a roomy Renault -- so we drove to a restaurant away from the center of town. After dinner, we walked around (through Gorky Park) until it was about 11 p.m. Then Sergey drove us to the bus station, so we could catch the 11:30 p.m. bus to Kiev.

This bus stops at Borispol airport before heading into downtown Kiev, which was perfect. Lorenza and I arrived at the airport at around 7:30 a.m. -- in plenty of time for her 11 a.m. flight.

You're not allowed to leave Ukraine unless you've spent a night on a train or a bus. It's the law.

Lo and I hung out in the airport, drinking coffee and talking, until her flight started the customs and boarding procedure around 10 a.m. Then I got a ticket for the return bus to Kharkiv -- which passed through the airport around 11:30 a.m. I hopped on that bus and got back to Kharkiv around 7 p.m. Lorenza arrived in Richmond around 6 p.m. her time, so everybody got home safely.