My Trip to Bulgaria
Tuesday, September 25th, 2007, 4:45 pm Guadalajara 11:45 Pm Sofia
Somewhere over Arkansas
Ok it is a nice Plane A340/600 Airbus, cup holders, bathrooms downstairs, but funny seats. This Should be about a 10 hour flight to Frankfurt, definatly not as exiting a flight over the North Pole to China. Also the Germans are pretty wierd with the coffee. For the first two rounds with the drink cart NO COFFEE!! Then a round with Wine, later water and Coke, then FINALLY coffee!! But a tiny little cup and NO return trip!! Well the coffee Wasn't that important but it was funny!! We are now over Canada north of New York. We will arrive in Frankfurt in about 6.5 hours.
Here in Frankfurt and so far nobody has asked for a Passport. You Would think that the first thing would be imigration!
Thursday, September 26, 2007, Sofia Bulgaria.
On the passport thing. I guess at Frankfurt, in the airport, you are in an international area when you get off an airplane, and only have to show your passport and go through customs if you want to LEAVE the airport. I guess that makes sense since Germany is so small and there are very few national flights. That way, they do not have to mess around with customs and immigration if you only have a layover in Frankfurt. You would think that the US would get a clue and have an international area at the airports where you did not have to go through customs or immigration. I do know that US airlines lose a lot of business because Mexicans do not want to go through the hassles of a US visa that would be required to take a US airline to Europe. So, the business goes to European airlines that fly out of Mexico City to Europe. I actually took Continental to Houston, then Lufthansa on to Frankfurt and on to Sofia.
Well, I just checked into the hotel as shown above. Bulgaria is very beautiful, but, my arrival was less than optimal. First, Continental completely screwed up my baggage, sending it to Newark, New Jersey, instead of transferring it to Lufthansa. They said my bags will be sent to Milan, and then on to Bulgaria, arriving at the absolute earliest tomorrow night. So, I spent hours in the airport, first waiting and looking for my bags which never arrived, then waiting in a long line to report them missing. After finishing with the very long process of reporting my luggage missing, I walked through the "nothing to declare line" and was immediately out of he airport with no hassles. I then took a taxi (15 Euros) to the hotel where there was a woman at the hotel desk very upset, talking to the gentleman at the hotel desk in Bulgarian. Now, after arriving to my room, I understand why she was upset: there is NO water and the toilet can not be flushed. Well, I think I will go to the conference site and see if I can check in and pay the registration fee.
The elevator in the hotel is also very interesting! There are no double doors, only a single door that swings out like a regular door into a room. When you first see the door, you wonder what it is, and the clue that it is an elevator is the call button on the side. You can see the elevator arriving when you see the light of the elevator coming through the small window with frosted glass in the door. Then it feels rather strange to open a swinging door and step into the elevator. When the elevator gets going, you can literally see the floors going by. If you had kids, you would have to hold them to make sure they did not get their fingers between the wall and the moving elevator car. When you get to your floor, you have to open the door yourself, and do it quickly. As I found out, if you do not open it withing a few seconds, and somebody else pushed the button for service, it will take off again. Well, I imagine it is relatively safe, just different that we are used to. (Update: My friend Lionel from Belgium, told me that these are common for residential elevators in Europe. He said part of the fun was poking your fingers where they should not be, triggering the safety mechanisms, to start and stop the elevator). Watch the video below:
I am now back in the hotel room after walking to the University, and there is now water. I was able to register for the conference and pay the conference fee. I got some very good pizza in an underground walkway under a major intersection. Even though Bulgaria is now a member of the EU, the smaller restaurants and shops do not yet accept euros, so I had to change euros to the local currency. At the bank, I could not just go to the teller and get euros changed. I had to first go to another desk where I had to show identification, tell them my birth date, etc, and she filled out a long form that I had to sign and take to the teller. Well, at least I did not have to tell them anything about my sex life to get money exchanged, and I walked out with what I hope was the rough equivalent of 50 euros.
I was invited to the "State Agency for Information Technology and Communications" for cocktails at 6 pm. It was a very elegant old building with everything very well done. I was very surprised to see Mark Harris from Intel from who was also at the conference on innovation in Berkeley California that I went to (100% paid for by Intel), earlier in the year.
Well, I have now finished my presentations for the two papers I will present, and will now go to bed.
Thursday, September 27, 2007, Sofia, Bulgaria
I am at the conference now and there is a terrible presentation about how digital TV will help reduce the digital divide in Bulgaria, so I might just as well write a bit. I got a very good nights rest last night. The room was cold, but they had extra blankets and I was very comfortable. I actually prefer to sleep in a cold room. A hot shower in the morning felt very good. I walked down the street, and found a hole-in-the-wall place selling sandwiches with pictures of various sandwiches on the glass outside. The guy inside selling sandwiches could not speak English and could not see which sandwich I was pointing at, but, the guy behind me told him which sandwich I was pointing at, and he seemed to understand the word "coffee" as I pointed at the espresso machine. Soon I was enjoying a delicious hot pork sandwich and fresh espresso coffee standing at a table on the sidewalk. The cool morning air made the breakfast much more enjoyable. As I passed through the underground walkway on the way to the University, I grabbed a croissant and another hot cup of coffee in a cute little shop. The coffee here is almost exactly like it was in Austria, very strong but delicious, always from an espresso machine.
Ok, at the conference we first had the opening with some apparently important people talking in Bulgarian with a translation presented on a screen in front. Towards the end, the presentations were still in Bulgarian, but with no translation. Well, the good thing is that all of the presentations are in English. First was a presentation about Information and Communication Technologies and how it makes companies more productive, next was a presentation about wireless mesh networks and algorithms for routing and channel assignment, and finally, a presentation on the history of the Internet, and future challenges. All VERY good presentations.
After this, we had a very nice lunch in "Alma Mater" Restaurant inside of the University, meat balls, chicken with peppers and onions, rice, potatoes, carrots with broccoli and cauliflower, etc. Though, since there were no smoking controls, I ate very quickly and got out.
I am now in a workshop on how to address the digital divide in the Balkans. We have had presentations from Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, . The very interesting guy from Albanaia said that they developed a program to put computers with Linux and OpenOffice in all of the schools, but Microsoft got wind of it, came in and offered Windows and a stripped down MS Office for only $1 per computer for all the schools, but only under the condition that they paid the license for all of the computers running Windows and MS Office in the government. The technical people were ready to use OpenOffice in Government too, but, Microsoft spent a huge amount of money lobbying the politicians and so the technical people were all overruled and have to live with Windows and Office, even though in the end it costs the country a whole lot of money that would be much better used in other places. Just like the drug dealer giving you just enough to get you addicted before starting to charge.
After the workshop, I came back to the Hotel, and still no sign of my luggage. I went walking around on some of the narrow streets around the hotel. Bulgaria may be a developing country, but, the capitol is decidedly European. Lots of coffee shops that are perfectly done right down to the last detail. I ran into a Gyro and fries shop, and could NOT resist one even though tonight was the conference dinner. It was one of the best Gyro sandwiches I had ever had! And, instead of fries on the side, they just put them in the sandwich! Lots of VERY LOW calorie sour cream as well! I stopped by the hotel for a few minutes, then took the hike to the University for the conference dinner. The dinner was not as good as the lunch, and, since it was a dinner, lots started lighting up even before I finished eating. So, I ducked out really quick, and here I am in the hotel room writing in my journal . . . . . .
Friday, September 28, 2007, Sofia, Bulgaria
I had breakfast again at the place where you eat on the street. If I had more time I would spend more time looking around, but, they do have a variety of sandwiches to try. We had a number of good presentations of articles, then lunch in the same place at "Alma Mater" Restaurant. More presentations in the afternoon, and I went home early to check for my luggage, and, FINALLY, almost 48 hours late I have my stuff. Being Friday night, they had a special researchers night, with dancing and other events all the way upstairs, two guys with wooden swords doing a fencing exhibition on the main floor, and cocktails and snacks at a different restaurant in the basement. I tried out some Bulgarian beer, which was very good. Petko told me it was from a brewery started by a Check guy who came to Bulgaria in the 1980s. There was an 11 year old kid that came and sang for us that was surprisingly good. Then there was a DJ and they turned up the music, and it seemed like all the smokers lit up at once, so it was time to go back to the hotel and get some sleep.
Saturday, September 29, 2007, Sofia, Bulgaria
Again, I had breakfast at the same place, trying a different sandwich. I WILL look around for breakfast tomorrow!! We had a couple of very good key-notes in the morning, but almost nobody came since most people stayed very late at researchers night. The first speaker told us about when he was in Columbia for a conference and was the first speaker in the morning. It seems like the local team had one a very important soccer game the night before, and everybody was out all night celebrating, and thus there was only ONE person other than the organizers that came. Well, we had at least 20, but it seemed very sparse considering the large auditorium. Lunch again at the Alma Mater, more presentations in the afternoon, and I presented my second paper, and then there was the closing ceremony, and the conference was over. It did go very fast.
So, I went back to the hotel and had a short nap, and headed out on the town. There was one large building on the map that looked important, that seemed fairly straight forward to get to (only two turns), so I struck out to find it. I have to say that the street names are of little use, since they are written in the equivalent sound using the English alphabet on the tourist map, and in the Bulgarian alphabet on the street signs. On the way I saw a number of very cute shops, a fruit stand, coffee shops, restaurants, large apartment buildings, etc. I arrived at the large building which looked like some sort of a convention center, and there was a free outdoor concert in front. There was a large crowd, and as I got close I realized there was just one female singer performing, but with the background music (guitars, drums, etc.) apparently from a CD. Well, no big shakes, so I headed back towards the hotel, and spied what looked like a residential area, so I decided to give it a look. On entering, I found an Italian restaurant with a wood burning oven for the pizza, so decided to give it a try. The waitress spoke a few words in English, and the menu was also in English, so I got along just fine and ordered a salami pizza and Bulgarian beer. The Pizza was thin crust, also came with red bell pepper and tomatoes and was quite delicious, being cooked to perfection. The beer hit the spot as well. I made my way back to the hotel, and, after a VERY long walk, here I am at the keyboard exercising my fingers. I think I will take a warm shower and retire for the night seeing as it is after 10:00 pm. Tomorrow I will walk around some more and look for some souvenirs.
Sunday, September 30, 2007, Sofia, Bulgaria
It has been a long, exciting day, and I have been walking forever! I did in fact eat at a different place this morning. It was a small place selling sandwiches and other things. The women running it did not speak any English, and it was not quite as simple as pointing at what you wanted like some of the other places, but, there was a guy right behind me that could speak English, and soon I had a toasted sandwich with salami, cheese, mustard, ketchup, and sour cream. The mustard was quite good, a little bit spicy. I had some mineral water with my breakfast since I was rather thirsty, then walked down the street to a coffee shop and had a sweet pastry and some coffee. Then I walked back to the hotel and asked where I could buy T-Shirts with BULGARIAN, NOT ENGLISH. You see, I think the kids want things written in English, and so it is very hard to find it in Bulgarian. He directed me to an area where the surface electric train runs through, and there were quite a lot of shops, but all very fancy clothes and almost all with English writing. I stopped into a little Bar to have another cup of coffee, and there was a guy that spoke very good English that had been in the US for 6 years, teaching fencing among other things. He told me of a place that sold Bulgarian made clothes with Bulgarian lettering. I walked up the street, and the one I think he was talking about was closed. There was a nice Bulgarian woman that was handing out advertisements to people that happened to speak English. I talked to her for a while, and she showed me on the map two other walking streets where I should find clothes. Walking to one of the other streets, I noticed Dunkin Donuts, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and McDonalds. I guess no part of the world is left untouched by American fast food!! There was a very nice young man looking for money for charity, though I am not sure he really was affiliated with a charity other than for himself. Anyway, I gave him some coins from my pocket, and continued talking with him, asking about T-Shirts. He assured me that he knew exactly where some shops were that had T-Shirts in the underground by the subway station close to the Sheritan hotel. Well, I wanted to try out the subway and get some pictures, so it sounded perfect! Arriving in the underground, where he told me the T-Shirts were seemed to be completely closed and under construction. Well, not to be deterred, I went back up crossing the street, figuring I might be able to go back down and reach it from the other side. Bingo! I hit pay dirt, here was a small set of shops, all of them with T-Shirts. There was one that had a very good selection, and a nice gentleman that spoke English. Unlike other shops, he was very ready to take US dollars and Euros, so I kept enough Leva to eat lunch and dinner, and pay for the Taxi ride to the airport, then I gave him the rest of the leva, then my Euros, then paid the balance in Dollars. He even gave me the full exchange rate for the Euros which were frozen at 2 Leva to the Euro. The best I got before was at an exchange place that gave me 1.98 Leva per Euro. The bank gave me even less and I had to fill out a long piece of paper.
Ok, now the more exciting part of the day. I crossed the street again to take the metro. The woman at the desk did not speak English, but, a young man was approaching with his monthly pass, and I asked if he could help me buy a ticket. I paid 0.70 Leva for a one way ticket. Down in the train station below, it was quite beautiful and I took lots of pictures. It turns out that the young man was a student in Government Administration, and we had quite a good time talking, and he even rode all the way to the last station with me so we could talk. They had a very innovative system of lights above each door that lit up to show you exactly at which station you are at. At the final station I got out and went up to take some pictures after saying goodbye to the student and thanking him for everything. Outside, there was a line of little shops and restaurants. I found one with some Pizza and Beer, and was able to sit outside and enjoy the sunny day. There was a man that looked a little drunk that wanted to talk to me, but could not speak a word of English. So, I just listened to him, and then realized he was actually quite drunk. So, I talked to him in English, and he talked to me in Bulgarian. I figured it did not really matter that we could not understand each other, it was fun talking anyway.
Well, then he wanted some money, so, I gave him a 2 Leva bill, thinking I should be nice to him. I took some pictures of the restaurant and the women working there, and the cutest little girl that was apparently the daughter of one of the women. Then, the drunk guy that was still hanging around wanted another 2 Leva, but the women chased him off. Ok, now for the good part . . . .
I went back into the subway system and bought a return ticket, and as the train had not arrived yet, I took a couple of pictures inside the station. I noticed that there was no electrical wire above the train, but, like the Bart in San Francisco, they had what is called a third rail where a pickup sticks out of the side of the train. For this type of system, you can not have any street crossings since the third rail sticks up, and it is also not pretty when little kids stick anything metal in them! Ok, so, I thought I should take a few good pictures of the rail to show the guys at the light rail system in Guadalajara, so I got down low and got some good pictures. Well, I think that was what got me in trouble. Only terrorists take pictures like these, looking for the best place to put a bomb. About a half a minute later, a not so happy looking policeman appeared. He did not really speak any English but he did know a couple of words like "Passport". I showed him my passport, and he motioned for me to come with him. At the end of the station, there were some stairs, and he motioned for me to stay, and he went up with my passport. I was left there for about 20 minutes, and he finally came down to get me. He then took me upstairs to a large room where they had video monitors and one little desk with two chairs, and a calender with an almost naked woman. It was kind of a funny place, this big room with almost nothing in it, only 4 video screens, the little desk, the chairs, a phone, and of course the oddly out of place calender, and a little window overlooking the station. Well, he got out 2 plain white very thin pieces of dirty paper and a piece of carbon paper, and very carefully put a paper clip on each corner to hold them together. He then started very carefully and meticulously writing what I assume was some sort of report. After a very long wait, two other policemen arrived, and they started what was a rather lively conversation with the third policeman, every once in a while pointing at me. If I were to guess, the two that arrived were not exactly convinced that I was a terrorist. Anyway, one of them finally signed the report, taking the carbon and leaving the original. They were actually very nice to me and led me downstairs, where there was a police car. There was a lot of stuff in the back seat, and they had to clear a place for me to sit. We took a ride down back streets and finally arrived at a police station. At the police station, I was lead up to the third floor, and in the hallway, there was a desk and two chairs where they motioned me to sit. I sat for a while, and a very nice young policeman arrived that could speak English. Well, he could not speak so well, but he could understand very well and he told me he needed to practice more. He told me that he watched lots of English movies and tried to learn English on his own. Another man appeared and asked for my passport again, and I gave it to him and he went back down the hall. Continuing to talk to the other policeman, I asked him if he wanted to see the pictures I had taken, and pulled out my laptop. I found out that he likes computers, and that they had just recently gotten Internet at the police station. I told him I had read about Police departments on a budget using Google Earth. He noticed that I was running Linux, and told me that he uses Firefox, and wants to learn Linux, but did not know how to install it. I told him it was quite easy and that he should go to ubuntu.com. Well, they did not have wireless in the Police Station, so I started showing him pictures. I showed him pictures of China (he liked Ricardo in a ball), Austria, Mexico, and Finally Bulgaria. It was a very long wait, but I was having a lot of fun talking to the young policeman, so I really did not mind. As we were looking at pictures of the conference, a group of policemen arrived with one that looked like he was probably the highest rank at the station judging by his uniform. He spent a long time asking the young man about me and why I was in Bulgaria, and since I had just spent a lot of time talking to him, he did all of the talking without translating. Just about that time, one of them in back noticed that one of the women in the picture on my laptop was a Bulgarian senator, and they started asking me about it and why I was wih her. Well, I had talked quite a bit to the woman, but she never told me she was a senator, I only knew she was one of the conference organizers. Anyway, the high ranking guy wanted to see the pictures in my camera. So, I went back through the pictures, and they had me delete the ones of the train station. When I got to the ones of the drunk guy, I told them about how he was drunk and sat with me and he talked Bulgarian, and I talked English, and that I gave him two Leva, and I had them laughing. We finally got back to the pictures of the first station, and I deleted those too, but, they let me keep the ones of me and the student in the station that I had asked another passenger to take. Anyway, the high ranking guy put my passport down on the table and shook my hand smiling broadly and walked away. They led me downstairs and outside, and the young policeman asked me how I was going to get back. I told him I would walk and I could figure out how to get to the train station, or I would just take a taxi. He insisted that I take a ride, and called down the same two guys that brought me. They took me back to the metro, but a different station, and I was free!!
The guy on the right is the only policeman that could speak English.
I bought another ticket, and entered, but this time, I ran into another student that was an International Marketing major and was just finishing his undergraduate degree, and was admitted to a school in Munich for a masters. We had a good talk while waiting for the train, and he was also going to the last station in the city center, so we continued talking on the train, and also after getting out. We talked about how Bulgaria is now free and joining the European Union, and the economy should be getting much better. I talked to him about the "brain drain" problem, and he said yes, that all of the best and the brightest had left Bulgaria and it was a very big problem. I told him that I went to a Iowa State University where a Bulgarian professor invented the digital computer (how many of you gringos know that the digital computer was invented by a Bulgarian while working at Iowa State University????). So, I told him that he should stay in Bulgaria and be part of the new economy, and he promised that he would come back after finishing his masters in Germany.
Back outside, I got the map out, and figured a route back to the hotel, a couple kilometers away. It was kind of hard to use the map, I had to go by landmarks and angles of the streets, etc, since the English names on the map did not match the Bulgarian alphabet street signs. At least where the subway station was, I had the Sheridan Hotel marked, and there was a large curve in the road to help me get oriented.
Well, the police station experience was actually very interesting, but, I don't think I would try it again!!!!
While I was writing, it clouded up and started raining, with some pretty good thunder and I was glad that I brought an umbrella. I ended up at one of the Arab Gyro type places and got to talking to the cooks, and was surprised to find that two were from Iraq, 1 from Syria, and the other just a plain old Bulgarian. I think the Gyro type meat is considered middle eastern, or Greek, but they have been serving it for many, many years in Bulgaria. The two from Iraq came here to escape the war, and have only been here for a short time. The one from Syria had a Bulgarian wife, and had been here for some time. Well, the way that they fixed my food was absolutely delicious. It was rapped up in a large thick pita, and the beef was perfectly spiced, cilantro I think, tomatoes, and of course the LOW calorie sour cream to top it off. I had to apologize to the Iraqis for our part in their pain. It is all very complicated and hard to know where all of the blame should go, but I am certain that part of it rests with us Americans. At the very least, we did not do Iraq right. Well, I really do wish that I could go to Iraq, but I don't think that will be possible in my lifetime. I will have to settle for speaking with Iraqis outside of Iraq. For the US, I think the Iraq experience will be like being a parent. It takes a lot of effort, it costs a fortune, it can be dangerous, you have mixed results, and in the end, your kids will never appreciate all you did for them, well, at least not until years later. I can only hope that Iraq will appreciate what happened 20 years from now. It makes me think back to my Iraqi friend from Iowa state, about 20 years ago. He was part of our late night group that studied together for exams and did homework together for Electrical Engineering courses. He was such a nice guy, and one of the best in the group. And, it makes me feel sad when I think about him, wondering what ever happened to him and his family, and knowing that his country is in turmoil. Back then, the country was in turmoil because of the war with Iran. Really, people are the same all over the world, and the Iraqis are just like us, just very different unfortunate circumstances.
Well, my time in Bulgaria is coming to a close, and I am sad to leave. I now want to come back and go to the mountains and to the Black Sea to know the rest of Bulgaria away from the capitol city. I have heard from many that it is quite beautiful. In any case, I need to pack everything up and get some rest before 3:00 am when I have to get up.
A vacation in Bulgaria is strongly recommended. Actually all of Eastern Europe is opening up and getting a lot more accessible.
Ok, I am here at the airport, and it is 4:40 am and I am sitting at a bar drinking my last cup of Bulgarian coffee and typing this message! I set some records! I was the FIRST to check in, I was the FIRST to go through security, the FIRST to go through passport control, and the FIRST to get to the gate. Really, I have never been the first at ANYTHING at any airport ever before, really, NEVER. I got up at 3:00 am sharp in order to be at the airport at least 2 hours early. I had time to shower, put the last things in my bag, and check that I did not leave anything, getting downstairs at 3:25 am, and the taxi was just pulling up 5 minutes early. I left the key at the desk and jumped in the taxi. The city was deserted, and we made very good time, getting to the airport at about 3:50 am. Well, I can tell you at 3:50 am in Sofia Bulgaria, there is almost NOBODY at the airport. There were a few that I could tell had slept overnight, and some sitting up that might have arrived in the morning. This is a completely new terminal that has only been open a little over 6 months. They have a system where the check-in counters are not assigned, and you have to check the board to see what counter number to go to. So, I walked around for a bit, looking for some coffee, but the only place that was just opening would only take Leva, and I wanted to save my Leva for souvenirs. I walked back over to the check-in counter, and the first woman from Lufthansa was arriving, and before the first class passengers could get up and get in front of me, I was checking in!!! Well, I then went over and camped out in front of the security area, hoping to set some more records, and, well, here I am right next to the gate typing and drinking coffee as others arrive. We should start boarding in about half an hour now.
Oh, at the Frankfurt Airport, they had what had to be a VERY expensive large MECHANICAL flight schedule board. Those darn Germans showing off their mechanical abilities!! Well, it really was quite impressive, and I decided I should make a movie of it changing. Well, given my experience in Bulgaria, and seeing an information booth nearby, I decided to ask about pictures. The kind gentleman informed me I could take all the pictures I like, but to try to not take any of security areas. So, I now have a movie of the sign changing.
Somewhere south of Reykjavik. If you fly Lufthansa, you get the best food coming FROM Germany. I had a delicious Bavarian style sausage dinner with sauerkraut! Still the same thing only serving coffee well AFTER the meal, but, this time I made a special request for another cup. Also, do I really look that German? Going over and back, they kept wanting to talk to me in German. I just have to say "nur ein bistchen Deuch". Well, I think if I spent enough time around Germans, my high school German would start coming back to me.
The 2nd meal was also delicious. It was roast beef in gravy with cooked cabbage and oblong dumplings. The Lufthansa food is much better original German for the return trip. They had to pay Gringos to make the food that we picked up in Houston for the way over.
And, here at the Houston Airport, I am hearing over, and over, and over, and over . . . . "SECURITY MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO ASSURE AIR TRAVEL SAFETY . . . . . DO NOT BE PERSUADED BY STRANGERS OR ANYBODY YOU DO NOT KNOW WELL TO TAKE THINGS ABOARD THE AIRPLANE . . . . . ANY INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS OR JOKING WITH SECURITY PERSONAL COULD RESULT IN YOUR ARREST . . . . THE NATIONAL SECURITY LEVEL AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SAFETY IS NOW ORANGE . . . . . YOUR COOPERATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. Well, I doubt those messages help improve safety, but they sure are irritating. We did not hear that sheeeet in Germany, and I bet the Frankfurt airport is safer than here in Houston.
I am now in my office in Guadalajara. My plane touched down at about 8:30 pm last night, and I was back at the house at 10:00 pm. The four hour layover in Houston with a constant barrage of loud security messages was very long and tiring. I heard that the international layovers are now much longer in the US because they instituted a minimum or 2.5 hours, and then it ends up 3 to 5 hours. I wish they would figure out how to cut out the immigration and customs for those just passing through. That alone would save over an hour and allow for tighter connections and happier customs using US Airlines. The US airlines could use all the help they can get to be more competitive. Now people are avoiding the US when possible. They also need to figure out how to make us aware of security in a way that is not so irritating. The Frankfurt Airport was much more enjoyable, and an international layover of only 2 hours. The Germans did make us go back through security though, which is reasonable.
Somewhere over Arkansas
Ok it is a nice Plane A340/600 Airbus, cup holders, bathrooms downstairs, but funny seats. This Should be about a 10 hour flight to Frankfurt, definatly not as exiting a flight over the North Pole to China. Also the Germans are pretty wierd with the coffee. For the first two rounds with the drink cart NO COFFEE!! Then a round with Wine, later water and Coke, then FINALLY coffee!! But a tiny little cup and NO return trip!! Well the coffee Wasn't that important but it was funny!! We are now over Canada north of New York. We will arrive in Frankfurt in about 6.5 hours.
Here in Frankfurt and so far nobody has asked for a Passport. You Would think that the first thing would be imigration!
Thursday, September 26, 2007, Sofia Bulgaria.
On the passport thing. I guess at Frankfurt, in the airport, you are in an international area when you get off an airplane, and only have to show your passport and go through customs if you want to LEAVE the airport. I guess that makes sense since Germany is so small and there are very few national flights. That way, they do not have to mess around with customs and immigration if you only have a layover in Frankfurt. You would think that the US would get a clue and have an international area at the airports where you did not have to go through customs or immigration. I do know that US airlines lose a lot of business because Mexicans do not want to go through the hassles of a US visa that would be required to take a US airline to Europe. So, the business goes to European airlines that fly out of Mexico City to Europe. I actually took Continental to Houston, then Lufthansa on to Frankfurt and on to Sofia.
Well, I just checked into the hotel as shown above. Bulgaria is very beautiful, but, my arrival was less than optimal. First, Continental completely screwed up my baggage, sending it to Newark, New Jersey, instead of transferring it to Lufthansa. They said my bags will be sent to Milan, and then on to Bulgaria, arriving at the absolute earliest tomorrow night. So, I spent hours in the airport, first waiting and looking for my bags which never arrived, then waiting in a long line to report them missing. After finishing with the very long process of reporting my luggage missing, I walked through the "nothing to declare line" and was immediately out of he airport with no hassles. I then took a taxi (15 Euros) to the hotel where there was a woman at the hotel desk very upset, talking to the gentleman at the hotel desk in Bulgarian. Now, after arriving to my room, I understand why she was upset: there is NO water and the toilet can not be flushed. Well, I think I will go to the conference site and see if I can check in and pay the registration fee.
The elevator in the hotel is also very interesting! There are no double doors, only a single door that swings out like a regular door into a room. When you first see the door, you wonder what it is, and the clue that it is an elevator is the call button on the side. You can see the elevator arriving when you see the light of the elevator coming through the small window with frosted glass in the door. Then it feels rather strange to open a swinging door and step into the elevator. When the elevator gets going, you can literally see the floors going by. If you had kids, you would have to hold them to make sure they did not get their fingers between the wall and the moving elevator car. When you get to your floor, you have to open the door yourself, and do it quickly. As I found out, if you do not open it withing a few seconds, and somebody else pushed the button for service, it will take off again. Well, I imagine it is relatively safe, just different that we are used to. (Update: My friend Lionel from Belgium, told me that these are common for residential elevators in Europe. He said part of the fun was poking your fingers where they should not be, triggering the safety mechanisms, to start and stop the elevator). Watch the video below:
I am now back in the hotel room after walking to the University, and there is now water. I was able to register for the conference and pay the conference fee. I got some very good pizza in an underground walkway under a major intersection. Even though Bulgaria is now a member of the EU, the smaller restaurants and shops do not yet accept euros, so I had to change euros to the local currency. At the bank, I could not just go to the teller and get euros changed. I had to first go to another desk where I had to show identification, tell them my birth date, etc, and she filled out a long form that I had to sign and take to the teller. Well, at least I did not have to tell them anything about my sex life to get money exchanged, and I walked out with what I hope was the rough equivalent of 50 euros.
I was invited to the "State Agency for Information Technology and Communications" for cocktails at 6 pm. It was a very elegant old building with everything very well done. I was very surprised to see Mark Harris from Intel from who was also at the conference on innovation in Berkeley California that I went to (100% paid for by Intel), earlier in the year.
Well, I have now finished my presentations for the two papers I will present, and will now go to bed.
Thursday, September 27, 2007, Sofia, Bulgaria
I am at the conference now and there is a terrible presentation about how digital TV will help reduce the digital divide in Bulgaria, so I might just as well write a bit. I got a very good nights rest last night. The room was cold, but they had extra blankets and I was very comfortable. I actually prefer to sleep in a cold room. A hot shower in the morning felt very good. I walked down the street, and found a hole-in-the-wall place selling sandwiches with pictures of various sandwiches on the glass outside. The guy inside selling sandwiches could not speak English and could not see which sandwich I was pointing at, but, the guy behind me told him which sandwich I was pointing at, and he seemed to understand the word "coffee" as I pointed at the espresso machine. Soon I was enjoying a delicious hot pork sandwich and fresh espresso coffee standing at a table on the sidewalk. The cool morning air made the breakfast much more enjoyable. As I passed through the underground walkway on the way to the University, I grabbed a croissant and another hot cup of coffee in a cute little shop. The coffee here is almost exactly like it was in Austria, very strong but delicious, always from an espresso machine.
Ok, at the conference we first had the opening with some apparently important people talking in Bulgarian with a translation presented on a screen in front. Towards the end, the presentations were still in Bulgarian, but with no translation. Well, the good thing is that all of the presentations are in English. First was a presentation about Information and Communication Technologies and how it makes companies more productive, next was a presentation about wireless mesh networks and algorithms for routing and channel assignment, and finally, a presentation on the history of the Internet, and future challenges. All VERY good presentations.
After this, we had a very nice lunch in "Alma Mater" Restaurant inside of the University, meat balls, chicken with peppers and onions, rice, potatoes, carrots with broccoli and cauliflower, etc. Though, since there were no smoking controls, I ate very quickly and got out.
I am now in a workshop on how to address the digital divide in the Balkans. We have had presentations from Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, . The very interesting guy from Albanaia said that they developed a program to put computers with Linux and OpenOffice in all of the schools, but Microsoft got wind of it, came in and offered Windows and a stripped down MS Office for only $1 per computer for all the schools, but only under the condition that they paid the license for all of the computers running Windows and MS Office in the government. The technical people were ready to use OpenOffice in Government too, but, Microsoft spent a huge amount of money lobbying the politicians and so the technical people were all overruled and have to live with Windows and Office, even though in the end it costs the country a whole lot of money that would be much better used in other places. Just like the drug dealer giving you just enough to get you addicted before starting to charge.
After the workshop, I came back to the Hotel, and still no sign of my luggage. I went walking around on some of the narrow streets around the hotel. Bulgaria may be a developing country, but, the capitol is decidedly European. Lots of coffee shops that are perfectly done right down to the last detail. I ran into a Gyro and fries shop, and could NOT resist one even though tonight was the conference dinner. It was one of the best Gyro sandwiches I had ever had! And, instead of fries on the side, they just put them in the sandwich! Lots of VERY LOW calorie sour cream as well! I stopped by the hotel for a few minutes, then took the hike to the University for the conference dinner. The dinner was not as good as the lunch, and, since it was a dinner, lots started lighting up even before I finished eating. So, I ducked out really quick, and here I am in the hotel room writing in my journal . . . . . .
Friday, September 28, 2007, Sofia, Bulgaria
I had breakfast again at the place where you eat on the street. If I had more time I would spend more time looking around, but, they do have a variety of sandwiches to try. We had a number of good presentations of articles, then lunch in the same place at "Alma Mater" Restaurant. More presentations in the afternoon, and I went home early to check for my luggage, and, FINALLY, almost 48 hours late I have my stuff. Being Friday night, they had a special researchers night, with dancing and other events all the way upstairs, two guys with wooden swords doing a fencing exhibition on the main floor, and cocktails and snacks at a different restaurant in the basement. I tried out some Bulgarian beer, which was very good. Petko told me it was from a brewery started by a Check guy who came to Bulgaria in the 1980s. There was an 11 year old kid that came and sang for us that was surprisingly good. Then there was a DJ and they turned up the music, and it seemed like all the smokers lit up at once, so it was time to go back to the hotel and get some sleep.
Saturday, September 29, 2007, Sofia, Bulgaria
Again, I had breakfast at the same place, trying a different sandwich. I WILL look around for breakfast tomorrow!! We had a couple of very good key-notes in the morning, but almost nobody came since most people stayed very late at researchers night. The first speaker told us about when he was in Columbia for a conference and was the first speaker in the morning. It seems like the local team had one a very important soccer game the night before, and everybody was out all night celebrating, and thus there was only ONE person other than the organizers that came. Well, we had at least 20, but it seemed very sparse considering the large auditorium. Lunch again at the Alma Mater, more presentations in the afternoon, and I presented my second paper, and then there was the closing ceremony, and the conference was over. It did go very fast.
So, I went back to the hotel and had a short nap, and headed out on the town. There was one large building on the map that looked important, that seemed fairly straight forward to get to (only two turns), so I struck out to find it. I have to say that the street names are of little use, since they are written in the equivalent sound using the English alphabet on the tourist map, and in the Bulgarian alphabet on the street signs. On the way I saw a number of very cute shops, a fruit stand, coffee shops, restaurants, large apartment buildings, etc. I arrived at the large building which looked like some sort of a convention center, and there was a free outdoor concert in front. There was a large crowd, and as I got close I realized there was just one female singer performing, but with the background music (guitars, drums, etc.) apparently from a CD. Well, no big shakes, so I headed back towards the hotel, and spied what looked like a residential area, so I decided to give it a look. On entering, I found an Italian restaurant with a wood burning oven for the pizza, so decided to give it a try. The waitress spoke a few words in English, and the menu was also in English, so I got along just fine and ordered a salami pizza and Bulgarian beer. The Pizza was thin crust, also came with red bell pepper and tomatoes and was quite delicious, being cooked to perfection. The beer hit the spot as well. I made my way back to the hotel, and, after a VERY long walk, here I am at the keyboard exercising my fingers. I think I will take a warm shower and retire for the night seeing as it is after 10:00 pm. Tomorrow I will walk around some more and look for some souvenirs.
Sunday, September 30, 2007, Sofia, Bulgaria
It has been a long, exciting day, and I have been walking forever! I did in fact eat at a different place this morning. It was a small place selling sandwiches and other things. The women running it did not speak any English, and it was not quite as simple as pointing at what you wanted like some of the other places, but, there was a guy right behind me that could speak English, and soon I had a toasted sandwich with salami, cheese, mustard, ketchup, and sour cream. The mustard was quite good, a little bit spicy. I had some mineral water with my breakfast since I was rather thirsty, then walked down the street to a coffee shop and had a sweet pastry and some coffee. Then I walked back to the hotel and asked where I could buy T-Shirts with BULGARIAN, NOT ENGLISH. You see, I think the kids want things written in English, and so it is very hard to find it in Bulgarian. He directed me to an area where the surface electric train runs through, and there were quite a lot of shops, but all very fancy clothes and almost all with English writing. I stopped into a little Bar to have another cup of coffee, and there was a guy that spoke very good English that had been in the US for 6 years, teaching fencing among other things. He told me of a place that sold Bulgarian made clothes with Bulgarian lettering. I walked up the street, and the one I think he was talking about was closed. There was a nice Bulgarian woman that was handing out advertisements to people that happened to speak English. I talked to her for a while, and she showed me on the map two other walking streets where I should find clothes. Walking to one of the other streets, I noticed Dunkin Donuts, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and McDonalds. I guess no part of the world is left untouched by American fast food!! There was a very nice young man looking for money for charity, though I am not sure he really was affiliated with a charity other than for himself. Anyway, I gave him some coins from my pocket, and continued talking with him, asking about T-Shirts. He assured me that he knew exactly where some shops were that had T-Shirts in the underground by the subway station close to the Sheritan hotel. Well, I wanted to try out the subway and get some pictures, so it sounded perfect! Arriving in the underground, where he told me the T-Shirts were seemed to be completely closed and under construction. Well, not to be deterred, I went back up crossing the street, figuring I might be able to go back down and reach it from the other side. Bingo! I hit pay dirt, here was a small set of shops, all of them with T-Shirts. There was one that had a very good selection, and a nice gentleman that spoke English. Unlike other shops, he was very ready to take US dollars and Euros, so I kept enough Leva to eat lunch and dinner, and pay for the Taxi ride to the airport, then I gave him the rest of the leva, then my Euros, then paid the balance in Dollars. He even gave me the full exchange rate for the Euros which were frozen at 2 Leva to the Euro. The best I got before was at an exchange place that gave me 1.98 Leva per Euro. The bank gave me even less and I had to fill out a long piece of paper.
Ok, now the more exciting part of the day. I crossed the street again to take the metro. The woman at the desk did not speak English, but, a young man was approaching with his monthly pass, and I asked if he could help me buy a ticket. I paid 0.70 Leva for a one way ticket. Down in the train station below, it was quite beautiful and I took lots of pictures. It turns out that the young man was a student in Government Administration, and we had quite a good time talking, and he even rode all the way to the last station with me so we could talk. They had a very innovative system of lights above each door that lit up to show you exactly at which station you are at. At the final station I got out and went up to take some pictures after saying goodbye to the student and thanking him for everything. Outside, there was a line of little shops and restaurants. I found one with some Pizza and Beer, and was able to sit outside and enjoy the sunny day. There was a man that looked a little drunk that wanted to talk to me, but could not speak a word of English. So, I just listened to him, and then realized he was actually quite drunk. So, I talked to him in English, and he talked to me in Bulgarian. I figured it did not really matter that we could not understand each other, it was fun talking anyway.
Well, then he wanted some money, so, I gave him a 2 Leva bill, thinking I should be nice to him. I took some pictures of the restaurant and the women working there, and the cutest little girl that was apparently the daughter of one of the women. Then, the drunk guy that was still hanging around wanted another 2 Leva, but the women chased him off. Ok, now for the good part . . . .
I went back into the subway system and bought a return ticket, and as the train had not arrived yet, I took a couple of pictures inside the station. I noticed that there was no electrical wire above the train, but, like the Bart in San Francisco, they had what is called a third rail where a pickup sticks out of the side of the train. For this type of system, you can not have any street crossings since the third rail sticks up, and it is also not pretty when little kids stick anything metal in them! Ok, so, I thought I should take a few good pictures of the rail to show the guys at the light rail system in Guadalajara, so I got down low and got some good pictures. Well, I think that was what got me in trouble. Only terrorists take pictures like these, looking for the best place to put a bomb. About a half a minute later, a not so happy looking policeman appeared. He did not really speak any English but he did know a couple of words like "Passport". I showed him my passport, and he motioned for me to come with him. At the end of the station, there were some stairs, and he motioned for me to stay, and he went up with my passport. I was left there for about 20 minutes, and he finally came down to get me. He then took me upstairs to a large room where they had video monitors and one little desk with two chairs, and a calender with an almost naked woman. It was kind of a funny place, this big room with almost nothing in it, only 4 video screens, the little desk, the chairs, a phone, and of course the oddly out of place calender, and a little window overlooking the station. Well, he got out 2 plain white very thin pieces of dirty paper and a piece of carbon paper, and very carefully put a paper clip on each corner to hold them together. He then started very carefully and meticulously writing what I assume was some sort of report. After a very long wait, two other policemen arrived, and they started what was a rather lively conversation with the third policeman, every once in a while pointing at me. If I were to guess, the two that arrived were not exactly convinced that I was a terrorist. Anyway, one of them finally signed the report, taking the carbon and leaving the original. They were actually very nice to me and led me downstairs, where there was a police car. There was a lot of stuff in the back seat, and they had to clear a place for me to sit. We took a ride down back streets and finally arrived at a police station. At the police station, I was lead up to the third floor, and in the hallway, there was a desk and two chairs where they motioned me to sit. I sat for a while, and a very nice young policeman arrived that could speak English. Well, he could not speak so well, but he could understand very well and he told me he needed to practice more. He told me that he watched lots of English movies and tried to learn English on his own. Another man appeared and asked for my passport again, and I gave it to him and he went back down the hall. Continuing to talk to the other policeman, I asked him if he wanted to see the pictures I had taken, and pulled out my laptop. I found out that he likes computers, and that they had just recently gotten Internet at the police station. I told him I had read about Police departments on a budget using Google Earth. He noticed that I was running Linux, and told me that he uses Firefox, and wants to learn Linux, but did not know how to install it. I told him it was quite easy and that he should go to ubuntu.com. Well, they did not have wireless in the Police Station, so I started showing him pictures. I showed him pictures of China (he liked Ricardo in a ball), Austria, Mexico, and Finally Bulgaria. It was a very long wait, but I was having a lot of fun talking to the young policeman, so I really did not mind. As we were looking at pictures of the conference, a group of policemen arrived with one that looked like he was probably the highest rank at the station judging by his uniform. He spent a long time asking the young man about me and why I was in Bulgaria, and since I had just spent a lot of time talking to him, he did all of the talking without translating. Just about that time, one of them in back noticed that one of the women in the picture on my laptop was a Bulgarian senator, and they started asking me about it and why I was wih her. Well, I had talked quite a bit to the woman, but she never told me she was a senator, I only knew she was one of the conference organizers. Anyway, the high ranking guy wanted to see the pictures in my camera. So, I went back through the pictures, and they had me delete the ones of the train station. When I got to the ones of the drunk guy, I told them about how he was drunk and sat with me and he talked Bulgarian, and I talked English, and that I gave him two Leva, and I had them laughing. We finally got back to the pictures of the first station, and I deleted those too, but, they let me keep the ones of me and the student in the station that I had asked another passenger to take. Anyway, the high ranking guy put my passport down on the table and shook my hand smiling broadly and walked away. They led me downstairs and outside, and the young policeman asked me how I was going to get back. I told him I would walk and I could figure out how to get to the train station, or I would just take a taxi. He insisted that I take a ride, and called down the same two guys that brought me. They took me back to the metro, but a different station, and I was free!!
The guy on the right is the only policeman that could speak English.I bought another ticket, and entered, but this time, I ran into another student that was an International Marketing major and was just finishing his undergraduate degree, and was admitted to a school in Munich for a masters. We had a good talk while waiting for the train, and he was also going to the last station in the city center, so we continued talking on the train, and also after getting out. We talked about how Bulgaria is now free and joining the European Union, and the economy should be getting much better. I talked to him about the "brain drain" problem, and he said yes, that all of the best and the brightest had left Bulgaria and it was a very big problem. I told him that I went to a Iowa State University where a Bulgarian professor invented the digital computer (how many of you gringos know that the digital computer was invented by a Bulgarian while working at Iowa State University????). So, I told him that he should stay in Bulgaria and be part of the new economy, and he promised that he would come back after finishing his masters in Germany.
Back outside, I got the map out, and figured a route back to the hotel, a couple kilometers away. It was kind of hard to use the map, I had to go by landmarks and angles of the streets, etc, since the English names on the map did not match the Bulgarian alphabet street signs. At least where the subway station was, I had the Sheridan Hotel marked, and there was a large curve in the road to help me get oriented.
Well, the police station experience was actually very interesting, but, I don't think I would try it again!!!!
While I was writing, it clouded up and started raining, with some pretty good thunder and I was glad that I brought an umbrella. I ended up at one of the Arab Gyro type places and got to talking to the cooks, and was surprised to find that two were from Iraq, 1 from Syria, and the other just a plain old Bulgarian. I think the Gyro type meat is considered middle eastern, or Greek, but they have been serving it for many, many years in Bulgaria. The two from Iraq came here to escape the war, and have only been here for a short time. The one from Syria had a Bulgarian wife, and had been here for some time. Well, the way that they fixed my food was absolutely delicious. It was rapped up in a large thick pita, and the beef was perfectly spiced, cilantro I think, tomatoes, and of course the LOW calorie sour cream to top it off. I had to apologize to the Iraqis for our part in their pain. It is all very complicated and hard to know where all of the blame should go, but I am certain that part of it rests with us Americans. At the very least, we did not do Iraq right. Well, I really do wish that I could go to Iraq, but I don't think that will be possible in my lifetime. I will have to settle for speaking with Iraqis outside of Iraq. For the US, I think the Iraq experience will be like being a parent. It takes a lot of effort, it costs a fortune, it can be dangerous, you have mixed results, and in the end, your kids will never appreciate all you did for them, well, at least not until years later. I can only hope that Iraq will appreciate what happened 20 years from now. It makes me think back to my Iraqi friend from Iowa state, about 20 years ago. He was part of our late night group that studied together for exams and did homework together for Electrical Engineering courses. He was such a nice guy, and one of the best in the group. And, it makes me feel sad when I think about him, wondering what ever happened to him and his family, and knowing that his country is in turmoil. Back then, the country was in turmoil because of the war with Iran. Really, people are the same all over the world, and the Iraqis are just like us, just very different unfortunate circumstances.
Well, my time in Bulgaria is coming to a close, and I am sad to leave. I now want to come back and go to the mountains and to the Black Sea to know the rest of Bulgaria away from the capitol city. I have heard from many that it is quite beautiful. In any case, I need to pack everything up and get some rest before 3:00 am when I have to get up.
A vacation in Bulgaria is strongly recommended. Actually all of Eastern Europe is opening up and getting a lot more accessible.
Ok, I am here at the airport, and it is 4:40 am and I am sitting at a bar drinking my last cup of Bulgarian coffee and typing this message! I set some records! I was the FIRST to check in, I was the FIRST to go through security, the FIRST to go through passport control, and the FIRST to get to the gate. Really, I have never been the first at ANYTHING at any airport ever before, really, NEVER. I got up at 3:00 am sharp in order to be at the airport at least 2 hours early. I had time to shower, put the last things in my bag, and check that I did not leave anything, getting downstairs at 3:25 am, and the taxi was just pulling up 5 minutes early. I left the key at the desk and jumped in the taxi. The city was deserted, and we made very good time, getting to the airport at about 3:50 am. Well, I can tell you at 3:50 am in Sofia Bulgaria, there is almost NOBODY at the airport. There were a few that I could tell had slept overnight, and some sitting up that might have arrived in the morning. This is a completely new terminal that has only been open a little over 6 months. They have a system where the check-in counters are not assigned, and you have to check the board to see what counter number to go to. So, I walked around for a bit, looking for some coffee, but the only place that was just opening would only take Leva, and I wanted to save my Leva for souvenirs. I walked back over to the check-in counter, and the first woman from Lufthansa was arriving, and before the first class passengers could get up and get in front of me, I was checking in!!! Well, I then went over and camped out in front of the security area, hoping to set some more records, and, well, here I am right next to the gate typing and drinking coffee as others arrive. We should start boarding in about half an hour now.
Oh, at the Frankfurt Airport, they had what had to be a VERY expensive large MECHANICAL flight schedule board. Those darn Germans showing off their mechanical abilities!! Well, it really was quite impressive, and I decided I should make a movie of it changing. Well, given my experience in Bulgaria, and seeing an information booth nearby, I decided to ask about pictures. The kind gentleman informed me I could take all the pictures I like, but to try to not take any of security areas. So, I now have a movie of the sign changing.
Somewhere south of Reykjavik. If you fly Lufthansa, you get the best food coming FROM Germany. I had a delicious Bavarian style sausage dinner with sauerkraut! Still the same thing only serving coffee well AFTER the meal, but, this time I made a special request for another cup. Also, do I really look that German? Going over and back, they kept wanting to talk to me in German. I just have to say "nur ein bistchen Deuch". Well, I think if I spent enough time around Germans, my high school German would start coming back to me.
The 2nd meal was also delicious. It was roast beef in gravy with cooked cabbage and oblong dumplings. The Lufthansa food is much better original German for the return trip. They had to pay Gringos to make the food that we picked up in Houston for the way over.
And, here at the Houston Airport, I am hearing over, and over, and over, and over . . . . "SECURITY MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO ASSURE AIR TRAVEL SAFETY . . . . . DO NOT BE PERSUADED BY STRANGERS OR ANYBODY YOU DO NOT KNOW WELL TO TAKE THINGS ABOARD THE AIRPLANE . . . . . ANY INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS OR JOKING WITH SECURITY PERSONAL COULD RESULT IN YOUR ARREST . . . . THE NATIONAL SECURITY LEVEL AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SAFETY IS NOW ORANGE . . . . . YOUR COOPERATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. Well, I doubt those messages help improve safety, but they sure are irritating. We did not hear that sheeeet in Germany, and I bet the Frankfurt airport is safer than here in Houston.
I am now in my office in Guadalajara. My plane touched down at about 8:30 pm last night, and I was back at the house at 10:00 pm. The four hour layover in Houston with a constant barrage of loud security messages was very long and tiring. I heard that the international layovers are now much longer in the US because they instituted a minimum or 2.5 hours, and then it ends up 3 to 5 hours. I wish they would figure out how to cut out the immigration and customs for those just passing through. That alone would save over an hour and allow for tighter connections and happier customs using US Airlines. The US airlines could use all the help they can get to be more competitive. Now people are avoiding the US when possible. They also need to figure out how to make us aware of security in a way that is not so irritating. The Frankfurt Airport was much more enjoyable, and an international layover of only 2 hours. The Germans did make us go back through security though, which is reasonable.
posted by doncarr at 5:03 PM
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