The Journey-Next Stop Budapest

OK, so I was bragging in the first post how smoothly and efficiently our arrival into Hamburg went. Well, spoke too soon! Just after posting, we finished our coffees at Movenpick and Beth, my travel partner, realizes she has left her polartec in the ladies room. So we walk all the way back to that Gate Area (D), and there is no one manning the passport booth. Remember it is 7:50am and no other Int'l flights have arrived since our flight from

Newark. We see am employee and say we just want to check the ladies room, just across from the passport booth. He tells Beth , "ya, ya, ya I don't care". She passes the barriers, checks the bathroom but polartec not there. So we walk up and down the terminal checking all bathrooms until we realize the ladies room in question is on the other side of passport control (who knew there would be two ladies rooms 40 ft apart?). So we head back to passport control, still no one there including original guy you gave up permission to go. So we start to pass the barrier, and out of no where appears this German passport controller yelling at us in English. Before we can say anything he is accusing us of violating the rules, and asking if Americans just cross over barriers whenever they feel like it! (probably still pissed about that war they lost years ago!). Finally I use my German skills from 1985 and apologize in German and explain the situation. Then he stops and says "why didn't you say that in the first place?" ...As if he gave me a chance to say anything!. Then he goes into the ladies room and comes out 10 seconds later with Beth's polartec. We are visibly shaken from this experience but proceed to our gate for our German Wings flight to Budapest.

So then, while waiting to board, I have to use the Ladies room and there is a handicapped bathroom right by our gate. I press the open button, and the wood door slides open (very slowly because remember, it is for handicap people). I go in and press the close icon button. Unbenowst to me, this button might be illuminated by pressing yet a 2nd button underneath the unlock button. So I am doing my business when all of a sudden the wood door starts to slowly open again.. I am on the toilet, pants down and am now flashing the guy who pressed the bottom open on the other side and 1/2 of the people who are about to board our plane!! I am mortified but need to get off the toilet seat, with my pants down, to press the close door button again, only the door closes very slowly. At this point, I just want to flush myself down the toilet!!

Anyway, finally board the plane, and as I pass the coxpit, I stick my head in and ask the co-pilot if he has taken his Prozac today. Cold German stare... But we landed without incident, on time, in Budapest.

Ironically, there was no passport control and no one asked for our passports. ... And Hungary wants to know why the Syrians are getting into Hungary so easily? They don't check passports at the border.

Another odd event is when the plane lands on the Tarmac, we exit the plane from both front and back. I think this is a European thing?

Signifying off now and will write about first day in Budapest tomorrow!

Apparently I am now after flashing half of the terminal and beth being yelled at for sneaking back into passport control without permission.

Exiting from rear of plane! There is Beth 2nd from bottom.