Welcome to Frankfurt

Since we're here I'm wondering if we are supposed to buy a hot dog before our flight home? Mind you, while waiting to get off the plane they told passengers connecting to Toronto to go right to the departure gate so maybe there isn't time anyway. And we're landing at an "A" gate but departing from a "B" gate so I don't know what is involved in the transfer-hopefully not a bus to another terminal as in Paris on our way from Florence to Prague. Based on a quick review of the map in the Lufthansa magazine it seems to be within walking distance and we shouldn't have to exit and then again go through security.

The flight here was pretty easy in the end (we even landed at the scheduled time somehow) and the air conditioning very welcome. Having said that, I discovered that shirts washed in the hotel room sink don't really wear so well (...think stinky) so I had to do a quick switch to a fresh shirt before the stewardess pushed me out the emergency exit. I feel much better now (and I suspect Kim and other nearby passengers do as well.)

They offered wine (unusual for a domestic flight from a Canadian perspective) but we passed on it and settled for more caffeine and water. Maybe we will be more adventurous on the longer trans-Atlantic flight.

From the air Frankfurt looked quite North American with a fair number of largish buildings, certainly more than in Berlin. We also flew over a big stadium that must have been used for the 2006 World Cup. There also seemed to be an extensive forested area.

Once we get home I will in time add photos from Berlin and even going back to Rome and I may also beef up the text of some of the earlier Italy posts. I didn't want to put up posts on the Internet that related to others and their being away from their homes at that moment-not without their consent at least. I suspect Kim will put together her thoughts in a final post.

The trip has been wonderful and very special and came at the right time in our lives. But I really need to start devoting the major part of my energy to work. I think that endeavor in fact will complete my recovery.