Reminds me of when I flew into Moscow in the early 80's. I had to stand in a sort of airlock type place with mirrors behind me. The soldier in the booth kept staring at me, at my passport and visa, back at me, picked up the phone made a call (probably to his wife or something!), stared me down some more. It made me pretty nervous even though I was there simpy to join a bicycle tour (the rest of whom were all on a different flight). By the time I was allowed in I was sweating bullets and needed a beer big time!