On my way back to Poti, I passed by the Russian checkpoint again. Just like in the morning, the soldiers were on the main highway. But this time they were just squatting and smoking cigarettes. In contrast to the scuffle with journalists that we saw earlier, things looked peaceful. The excavator was working again, however, digging trenches.
"What exactly are they digging out there, and how long will they go on doing it?" I think it’s the most frequently uttered question in Poti these days.
Later I went for a stroll in Poti's center. After yesterday's ceremonial atmosphere, when hundreds of people were in the port welcoming the "USS Mount Whitney," today the town is having one of those cool and relaxed early autumn evenings.
A lot of people are outside, taking walks and dining out. Almost all of my friends and acquaintances have returned to Poti by now, and that makes me very happy.