Election Returns

Tuesday Events: We got up entirely TOO early after our late dinner, dragged our bags downstairs (the marble step tenth from the bottom is loose and has been ever since we arrived) and piled our baggage into the car -- Italian cars are MUCH smaller than those in America and getting all our luggage in was something of a puzzle.

We arrived at the airport in time, got our bags checked through to Salt Lake City (although they reminded us that we would have to recheck our bags in Cincinnati after customs) and, after kissing a few cheeks goodbye, made our way through security and to the gate area. Florence Airport (Firenze in Italian) is about a quarter the size of Salt Lake International. We took a bus to our plane and in short order took off.

I had a window seat and after the rainy flight out of Florence had a view of many clouds. These suddenly broke about thirty minutes later and I found myself looking down on the Alps. What magnificent mountains! I hope to see them properly from the ground next time.

As the flight wound down we were on our approach to Charles De Gaul International. My window once again afforded us a magnificent panorama: we were just east of the center of the city flying over the Montmartre and Basilique du Sacre-Coeur. I knew the city well enough that it all came into focus at once: there was the Eiffel Tower and Mars Park next to the Seine. There, too, was the Arc de Triomphe and Les Champs-Élysées running down to the Place de la Concorde. How I longed to abandon our flight home and just spend a few days in that magnificent city.

We found ourselves back in the same regional concourse we had passed through last week. We got back on the bus, back to the main concourses, passed through yet ANOTHER security checkpoint, bought a couple of sandwiches and once again settled in to wait for our connecting flight.

The flight to Cincinnati felt much LONGER than the flight from Salt Lake to Paris. Next time, we take a direct flight back. Everyone seemed interested in finding out what was happening with the American Election taking place that same day ... at least everyone but us. We had voted before we left so it remained entirely out of our hands and we were too tired to care.

We finally arrived at Cincinnati and, as on each of our returns from other countries, were truck with how tawdry our imigration areas seem. It's an embarrasement to have such a first introduction to the United States. The worst part was that the senior citizens who were in charge of moving the crowd along only spoke English. This is worthless to a Frenchman coming into the country. One elderly frenchman was confused and getting into the wrong line. The American Senior Citizen was speaking louder and slower at the man hoping that would help (it never does). Finally, I spoke to the man in the little french I knew and said, 'Excuse me, sir! That way, if you please' and motioned him into the correct line with my open hand. The Frenchman smiled at me, nodded and got into the correct line.

They can't teach the American staff that?

The four hour flight from Cincinnati to Salt Lake City was the LONGEST of the flights that day. We were exhausted by the time we arrived and, again, embarrased by the domestic airlines who offered either to toss a bag of peanuts at you or SELL you airline food if you preferred. Only in America!

We got our bags and found our car. In our haste, we had parked inside the garage rather than in the long-term parking. Our red car sat directly under a number of large signs, each one proclaiming 'No overnight parking.' We'd been parked there for over ten days.

The ransom of red car then took place ... after having our flights, hotels, and meals all paid for by Lucca it turned out to be the largest single expense of the entire trip.

But I got a Carls Junior hamburger out of the deal ... and we were home at last.

Musings: Oh, and by the way, we also have a new President Elect: Barak Obama. Huzzah. As soon as the announcement was made, we fell into bed. We'll watch the speeches tomorrow.