Shoes off, please

I´m not sure if I´ve mentioned this, but here in Longyearbyen it´s customary to take your shoes off when entering most public buildings. So the entrances might look like this:



During the winter, when crisp, clean snow was everywhere, it seemed a bit pointless to always take your boots of, but nowadays - with puddles and mud all over the place, it´s a recommendable idea.



This is a tradition going back to the time when the mines were still close to the living accommodations. So boots were left outside to prevent coal dust on every floor.




Today, there´s not much coal dust left, but it´s still the polite thing to do. And it´s a wonderful social equalizer, when everyone from the janitor to the manager shuffles around in their socks, or some old slippers...