Behind The Iron Curtain--News

　　I visited Leningrad as it then was (now renamed St Petersburg) just before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989.
　　
　　

　　
　　It was a side trip from London where I had stocked up on books to help me in a research project I had back in Hong Kong on regulating surveillance. Back in Hong Kong I showed the photos of my trip to a friend at the Hong Kong Football Club-one of the expensive clubs with then mainly expatriate membership-no wonder people there a bit ambivalent about Westerners. Nonetheless it provided a respite from more crowded conditions elsewhere and an acquaintance of my friend joined us-a Brit police officer. He expressed interest in my shots-including that of a Russian lass I had encountered and gone on a few outings with while there.
　　
　　I was only back a week in my office at Hong Kong Attorney General’s Chambers when I received a call from another police officer-another Brit. He said that they were conducting “debriefing” interviews with “randomly selected” recent returnees from the USSR. He announced that he would come to my office in 30 minutes. He arrived punctually, equipped with what I surmised was a recording device in a carry case. He cut to the chase. “Why did you visit the USSR? Did you meet anyone? Who initiated the interaction?” To say I was taken aback was an understatement. And he pressed me for the name of the woman. I was subsequently told they wanted to feed it to their computer.
　　
　　There is a point to this tale. In a paranoid world (and 9/11 was still a decade away) if you wish to interact with those with in countries considered suspect back home, don’t feature them in your travel photos! Notwithstanding the misunderstanding I do not regret my visit. St Petersburg is a beautiful and historic city and the Winter Palace witnessed the commencement of convulsions of epic proportion.
　　
　　

　　
　　The Hermitage Picture Gallery collection ranks with the Louvre, Metropolitan, London National Gallery and Prado. The Marinsky Theatre is home to the famed Kirov Ballet.
　　
　　
　　