is it just me?

Today I remembered that I forgot to tell you a funny story from my trip. It happened at the very beginning so I guess it's not that surprising. On my way to Budapest I experienced some delays which resulted in me spending some quality time in the Amsterdam airport. It is certainly one of the world's lovelier airports, and I highly recommend it. There are only two bad things: the transfer desk (which will forever remain a mystery to me and is unfailingly chaotic) and the holding pens where you wait for your flight. I was taking a small plane to Budapest so they put you down in this weird empty areas to wait. As we're sitting there, two women get to talking. If you have not already realized, eavesdropping is one of my favorite hobbies. So, of course I start listening. One is from Houston, and the other is from New York. They are both on their way to meet their boyfriends in Budapest. Houston's boyfriend is currenlty in Oslo on business, and will be meeting her there in a few days. New York's boyfriend is in a band, currently on European tour, and is traveling to Budapest from Germany via van. Their van broke down so she's not sure when he'll get there. Houston is staying at the Four Seasons because "the website looked the nicest". No shit. It's the Four Seasons. New York is staying somewhere that was arranged for her by the club where her boyfriend's band is playing. Good luck with that. Houston is wearing extreme amounts of expensive jewelry (no great surprise there) and once her boyfriend (who I now suspect is probably 30 years older than her and very very rich) gets there they are going to stay at a castle for three days and go pheasant hunting. That is the primary reason for their trip. New York's boyfriend's band plays "gypsy jazz" (Houston asked her, and upon that reply gave a very vague "oh" as if to say, whatever the hell that hippy shit is. We certainly don't have any of that in Texas.) They have absolutely nothing in common except for the fact that they are both headed to Budapest alone. And that's what is great about international travel - that one small fact makes them fast friends, and they chat on and on. Upon arrival in Budapest, Houston asks a man to pass her a garment bag, from which she extracts the most stunningly large, fluffy fur coat I have ever seen, and one is sure that no fewer than 43 animals must have died for it. While us lowly penny pinchers sit and wait for the airport minibus, she saunters out to the taxi stand. Meanwhile, New York will tell anyone who will listen that she has "no idea what's going on". It's really not that complicated, and saying things like that only makes people want to steal your wallet. Ah, airports. One of the most entertaining places on earth. The end.

santa claus is coming to town

the other day I'm walking down the street with my friend, and there's a guy walking towards us in a sort of Santa hat that at the top is this springy-spiral thing with a pom pom on top. (Okay, apparently I need a camera phone). Anyway, as he gets closer, it is clear that he is missing more than a few teeth and could really use a shower. We're laughing about his hat, so my friend says "nice hat" and he says "do you girls want my phone number?" you bet your life we do, santa. merry christmas.