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Almost Home and Open Thread

I just landed at O'Hare after a nine hour flight from Madrid and am waiting to change planes to get back to Denver.

One constant thought I've had since packing the night before I left: International travel is exceedingly overrated. Thanks to Lexis Nexis and Martindale Hubbell, all of the board members flew business class (first class on the domestic portions.) I flew Denver to Chicago on American and then Iberia Airlines to Madrid. Iberia was terrific, seats that converted to flat beds for sleep, electrical outlets, even excellent food and champagne. Once in Madrid we stayed at the five star Ritz -- elegant with a great location, across the street from the Prado Museum and Botanic Gardens.

More.....

But the travel part is a major hassle and the 8 hour time change makes it harder. A lot of the difficulty has to do with how many hours in advance you have to arrive at the airport. We left the hotel in Madrid at 8:30 am for a 12:00 noon flight. There were miles to walk indoors and then a 15 minute train to a satellite concourse. Double document checks.

Coming back, disembarking at O'Hare, we walked forever, up and down hallways and escalators until we finally got to Customs, where there were hundreds of people in line. There were the same kind of snaking lines you see at airport security. Then you have to pick up your baggage, find your connecting airline's counter, then walk another mile, take another train and a few escalators to the domestic terminal, where you have to go through security again and back to the gates.

I have to say, I didn't see customs in either country asking a single person to open their luggage. Once it was your turn at the booth, it was stamp and go.

Madrid is not what one would call a "lovely" city. It's an efficient very industrial type city with lots of concrete and high-rises that at different points make you think of the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side, the Lincoln Tunnel and out in the suburbs, San Diego. It does, however, have great architecture, boulevards and the people seem sophisticated and very easy going. I got lost a few times and both a bus driver and a store clerk really went out of their way to help me get back to where I came from.

Last night we took an hour plus bus ride to a farm for dinner. We had a terrific time (as we always do, Lexis Nexis/Martindale treats this board like royalty and we love them to death) but after an all morning session, an afternoon spent painting, building fences, hanging shower curtains and gardening at a home for disabled young adults, it made for a very long day. (After reading some comments from readers here before I left, I skipped the home project and went to the Prado and Botanic Gardens instead.)

In any event, I had a great time, and if I haven't said it before, I 'll say it now, if I weren't a practicing lawyer my first choice of a job would be to work for Lexis Nexis. They are just the best and all the board members agree on that. We worked really hard all day Friday and Saturday with early morning rising and late dinners.

So, I can't wait to get home tonight and I hope I don't have to leave the country for a long time, but a huge thanks to Lexis/Martindale and all the board members for another outstanding experience. We also were all glad to welcome Harriet Miers back to the board this year. She really is a terrific person.

Note: I have to run to the gate, this hasn't been proofread for spelling and grammar.

This is an open thread.

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  • Display: Sort:
    ;-) I wish you hadn't said this, Jeralyn: (none / 0) (#1)
    by Edger on Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 04:28:47 PM EST
    I didn't see customs in either country asking a single person to open their luggage.
    You have no idea how many crazed freedom hatin' terrists could have boarded that flight with suitcase nukes. Jeeze! You could start a whole WOT ("war of terror") with a single verbal slip like that!

    O'Hare I have good memories of. The one time I was there was changing flights enroute to LA. Flew in economy, had a couple of drinks waiting for the connecting flight, which turned out to be overbooked, so I was bumped to first class, where I happily drank scotch "on the house" all the way to LA - where I was "poured" off the plane smilin' by the attendents. (I was much younger then than now..)

    Welcome home!

    Burma/Myanmar (none / 0) (#2)
    by diogenes on Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 06:43:18 PM EST
    In line with the criminal law nature of this site, is what the junta doing to the monks and others a violation of international law, or would action by anyone but the UN (fat chance they'd do anything effective) be a violation of international law?

    It was the main story (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by Jeralyn on Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 11:37:22 PM EST
    on the news in Europe for all the days I was there....Sky News, BBC, CNN International, and Bloomberg.  The miltary blocked journalists from entering the country so all were reporting news they received from "citizen journalists" and airing their videos.  They had some journalists reporting from Bangkok. They also aired a lot of telephone calls they received from people inside the country.

    Many monks were beaten and hauled off in vans. The first day the military just fired into the crowds killing at least 9. They showed the footage. The next day protests were in Rangoon and it was locals, not monks, being beaten and arrested. A curfew was in place but the news reported the streets were empty because everyone was afraid to go out.

    There wasn't much talk of a solution. Everyone was upset about the monks as they are very beloved there.

    That's all I know.

    Parent

    Probably. (none / 0) (#4)
    by Edger on Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 07:30:21 PM EST
    my memories of o'hare (none / 0) (#3)
    by cpinva on Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 07:00:41 PM EST
    are of walking miles, from one end of the place to the other, to catch connecting flights. then, taxiing half way to the west coast, before finally taking off. lol

    other than that, it's a lovely ap.

    Jeralyn....... (1.00 / 1) (#5)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 07:30:26 PM EST
    The "new" Ohare is much better than the old. But it is still a hassle from the International/Customs over to Domestic...United is the worst...

    I hate going east. My body clock doesn't adjust well in that direction. For quite a while I did the JFK to Heathrow trick on Pan American about once a month in coach... on a 707.... Wasn't too bad because you could flip the seat dividers up and catch some sleep.. in those days the flights were rarely full..

    Anyway, welcome back. I have been to Madrid and enjoyed it, but like the Rota area much better.

    Edger! - The NSA tapped everyone's phone on that flight and knew that there were no terrorists on board. See how the Repubs take care of you!! ;-)

    Parent

    Why? (none / 0) (#6)
    by Al on Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 08:28:19 PM EST
    Why have the Democrats in the Senate voted for the Kyl-Lieberman Iran Amendment, thereby once again throwing their support behind another probably PNAC war?

    Can someone please explain the brilliant Democratic strategy behind this move?

    Complicity... (none / 0) (#7)
    by Edger on Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 09:07:49 PM EST
    Welcome back, Jeralyn. (none / 0) (#9)
    by oculus on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 01:49:04 AM EST
    Once you recover from jet lag, I'm pretty sure you will be ready to travel overseas again.  There is sooooo much to see.

    Welcome home (none / 0) (#10)
    by dzinegrp on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 07:19:07 PM EST
    Re: We also were all glad to welcome Harriet Miers back to the board this year.

    Surely not "the" Hariet Miers?!

    Yes, that Harriet (none / 0) (#11)
    by Jeralyn on Mon Oct 01, 2007 at 09:41:04 PM EST
    I wrote about her being on the Board here.

    I have a lot of respect for her.

    Parent