Germany

Well I left Brazil just a little over a month ago, and since that time, I have endured 11 take offs and 11 landings. And I have 2 more of each to go before I get to Milan. Not my favorite part of traveling. Right now I am in Germany. I have never been to Germany, so my six hour layover is tempting me out of the airport, but that means customs, immigration, more security, lugging my luggage all over town... so... I'm still debating it, but for now I am in the airport in Dusseldorf, using the free wireless interent. The first thing that struck me about being in Germany, I look like everyone else... so everyone just assumes I speak German. My last few years of traveling have brought me to places like Brazil, India, Vietnam and Singapore, where I am use to standing out. The second thing that struck me is that I don't speak German. I know that may seem obvious, but after Brazil I sort of got used to partially being able to communicate. I don't speak any German. I was trying to sleep on the airplane with my blinders on and my ear plugs in, and had just lightly dozed off when I woke to the sound of a female voice, very close. I lifted my blinder to see a flight attendant standing over me. I took out my earplug and stared at her. She continued to repeat herself, but to me it was total gibberish. Usually I can sort of guess what people are saying. Like earlier when they were passing out ear phone. When she came to me, I could guess that the question was either "would you like one?" or "did you get one?" (inconveniently each had a different answer, but I could communicate my general answer without a problem), but this women was getting more and more stern and I continued to stair at her like a deer in headlights. I think that's when it occurred to her that I probably didn't understand German and she said, "do you have your selt belt fastened?" I should be able to figure this language out, at least a little, right? I mean, it is suppose to be a lot like English, and I noticed the sign "Welcome aboard" on the plane was translated to "Willkome an bord." So that's not too difficult, but then "sorry" is "entschuldigung"... which I can hardly even sound out, let alone use when I bump into someone.

The third thing that I noticed about Germany... or at least the Dusseldorf airport, is that it appears that they haven't yet discovered escalators... or elevators. My 50lb luggage on wheels, did not appreciate this. Oh, and for not knowing about escalators or elevators... they have somehow managed to invent the multiple story airport. I mean, I have never had to go up and do so many stairs... I am pretty sure that the airplanes all have to pull up at the same level, so I really don't understand how there are gates right on top of each other, and how my gate seems to be at the highest story.

I'm glad I'm not in a wheelchair, although, that might somehow get me into the secret passageways that lead to the only elevator in the airport.