Hi Friends
My intention here is to bring back the first installments of my trip to Europe this May-June 2007 as I intend to continue with brandnew chapter of what happened next. Working on it today.
Sasha, Mgr
May 18 we arrive at the airport and join 30 others including our daughter and her fiance and his folks, wedding party and friends and relatives going. We board Icelandair flight out of Minneapolis, Minnesota and fly over Hudson Bay and Canada to Iceland for a 1 hr lay over which is quickly ate up with customs as you stand in the long line. Of course I am the "lucky" one who gets questioned and not my hubby who is right behind me.
"Are you staying in Iceland?" the chiseled figure of a Icelandic customs official asks me. The people do have chiseled Nordic features about them and look fine and adapted to their climate. With this Customs offical, all I can see is his non-smiling serious hawk like eyes fixed on me as I anwser meekly "no". "Where are you going?" he presses in a interragation like tone. I reply properly intimidated in a low voice "I am going to Frankfurt, Germany." He glares at me still not smiling and examines my passport once more finally stamping it with the official Icelandic seal. I am set free!
It really was just like that to. For the first time I felt a inkling of what it is like to be in the hands of another country not American. Let us say it gives you tons of respect and realization you are on your own. The furtherest I have been is Canada on my honeymoon almost 34 yrs ago. Now you need a passport to go there as well.
The Icelandic airport was very nice. I especially like disembarking the Boeing jet as you go thru a clear glass tunnel and can see Iceland all around you. What I can see of Iceland is sea all around and a kind of raw desolate wild beauty. No trees, only bushes, a few rugged plants native to the area and this black rocky soil looking stuff.
Buildings appear low, large and snugly built in square or rectangle shapes. It is a dramtic climate there so this seems reasonalbe to me. Behind them in the distance is black rough looking hills. Inside the airport which is new and small but very nicely done---I see post cards of Iceland showing me there are some fantastic ice flows, water caves and falls and other simaler fantastic wild displays. The horse look like wild large ponies very beatiful, fierce and tough like their environment.
We decide we must try a Icelandic chocolate bar. Can't read the words on it so we go by pictures and select one that appears to be a chucky chocolate bars with pieces of chocolate in it as well. It turns out to be chocolate bar with black licorice bits in it! Which you discover after eating it and wondering what is that odd taste you find in there chocolate ? LO LLOL LOL
Poor hubby! He cannot stand black licorice. For he was accidently burned in his crib as a infant and had years of cosmetic surgery for his hand and elsewhere. Back then ether was used and he claims is smells and tastes like black licorice. To this day he can't stand black licorice as a result. A psycological thing that became physical to him causing the taste of it to be horrible to him.
Shame on me but every Easter I delight (like the mischievious cat in me) to tease him by eating the black jelly beans (black licorice of course) out of a jelly bean bag and giving him a nice big kiss! I always carefully select the timing of this kiss as he is on guard through out Easter season for this dispicable
behaviour of mine. Of course he is "scandalized" every time and I enjoy teasing him this way. One year I even went overboard and put some in the middle of his mashed potatoes and he could not figure out what I had done wrong with them. He saw me mash them and use butter and milk like always but did not see my "sleight of hand" as I snuck them in. I am naughty. Yes. Meow. 
Back in the air I "ride out" a interesting take off in row 32 which means we are way back by the tail of the jet which means one will "enjoy" every and all tail wind or turbelence of any kind.............sigh..............I remind myself that is normal for the "the few...the chosen........the 'tailies' "of the jet ride. One thing I shall never forget is spotting land from the jet when we did reach Iceland. After endless frozen ice and ice bergs and ice mountain looking stuff. It did help things being frozen so I was not so aware of all the sea we had to cover. Helped me to relax.
Supper on our flight to Frankfurt is Teriyaki Beef, Crab salad, brownie, carrots as I recall. It is very good albeit very small portions but that is okay. Movie on board is "First Knight" starring Sean Connery. A old one which I had forgotten and so enjoyed it again. At 11pm I tire and decide to sleep. Only to wake up a half hour later and see that the sun has risen! Wow! We have chased the sun and it is the shortest night I have ever lived!
After 10 hrs of flight total leaving Minnesota plus layover in Iceland, we arrive into the "future". Germany is 7 hrs ahead of Central time. Tomorrow begins my adventures in Germany and preparation to leave for the wedding in Switzerland.
Ps.
I neglected to say that both Sean Connery and Richard Gere star in First Knight. Sean plays King Arthur of Camelot of course and Richard is Lord Lancelot. By the way, I think Camelot would make a neat cat name if someone does adopt a new cat this month. 
Also forgot to mention that in going thru Customs in Iceland, I was asked to open my carry on bag. I was prepared for this as I knew I had a almost used up deoderant (liguid roll on) in my bag. It was a quart bag as required for overseas travel in a carry on bag.
All liquids and gels must be 2oz or under in be in one (only one) quart bag. Otherwise you will be made to pitch in the garbage. Also cords to video cams, digital cams, etc must go in your check bags or they get thrown to. So a word to the wise. We checked ahead and were ready for this part. Larger amounts over 2 ozs can only go with you if they are in the check bags.
Check bags are maxiumum 50lbs each and your carry on bag is only 15 lbs allowed plus you can bring separately with you a purse or brief case or lap top. But a change of clothes and neccessities in case your luggage is lost is reccomended in your carry on and so this is why I had the roll on with and made sure it was mostly used up and so not over 2 ozs.
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