Derek Kedziora of The Kalpak is traveling by train from Beijing to Kyiv and is currently in Russia. Here's what he writes about his short stay in Irkutsk: “One of the first things I noticed is that people hold doors for each other here. […] Cars stop for you at crosswalks. In general people are very polite – oh to be called Вы again and hear such quaint words such as excuse me and please. […] It is funny how 13 months in China will make Russia seem so polite, orderly and even free.”