Embarking: Getting from Minneapolis to Amman

 9/16/11

Left home 11:45am via airport taxi; plane left mpls on time at 3:20pm. Easy check in and TSA screen because airport was not busy. Lots of wait time but we read and talked, excited to be on our way. Steve commented that grandson Elliot (age 3) would really enjoy the airport -- watching how things work, like moving walkways, TSA check in -- and seeing al the people who work there and what they do. Steve said it helps us enjoy the experience more by imagining looking through Elliot's eyes and mind.

Next stop and wait was in Detroit Wayne County airport. Very comfortable, attractive, easy to navigate. Elliot would have been all eyes and ears-- moving walkway on the gate level and red electric tram (very quiet) on the upper level.

Wow, and then the long transatlantic flight on AirFrance. The most excellent French-speaking crew was courteous and efficient, feeding and keeping us hydrated, and turning down the lights to help us sleep (the ear plugs and eye shades also helped!). On the approach to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, Steve spotted the Arc de Triomphe! Darn! We'll indeed spend real time in Paris on another adventure! 

Oh beautiful blue Adriatic! Just below now is Cyprus, much bigger than I imagined! Who controls it now? Greece, Turkey -- or do they each have half?  So, after leaving Paris, the route took us over Switzerland and the Alps (Steve saw at least the foothills), across northern Italy, then south over the Adriatic, starting at Venice which yours truly (at the window) missed while eating delicious salmon cheese ravioli, etc. Paying more attention: the bluest water I've ever seen contrasting with more arid and mostly treeless land with coastal towns and cities -- Split, Dubrovnik, etc. -- with lovely shades of brown, tan, orange, ecru.

Now we're beyond visible land out over the eastern Mediterranean sea. About another hour and a half before reaching Amman.

[My reliable source, Kay D., writes: "Cyprus is probably an independent entity.  It is the Republic of Cyprus.  Human activity has been there for at least 10 millenia BCE. I can taste the foods you mention.  YUM!!!"]