Schipol - Chaos in the Cold - Part II

T-DAY +3 – Sunday 7:30 GMT 12/5/10

Wakeup from the best sleep in days, at least 2 days I know for sure. Look outside. “Huuummmm, not snowing, overcast, things look more dreary here in the daylight. Irina!!!! Lets get up and get going. I’m hungry, General Wou’s extravaganza has worn off”.

“Ok, Ok Potrick. Don’t shout so loud.” And Irina pulls the covers back over her head. Knowing resistance is useless; I climb back under the warm down duvet and wait for the 8:00 wakeup call.

Seems like only seconds later; BZZZZZ, BBBZZZZZZZZZ, BBBBBZZZZZZZ!!!! “Potrick what is that horrible sound” Irina sleepily asks.

“It’s our wake up call, move-it, move-it. Out of the rack! We have things to do and places to go. Irina don’t go back to sleep!” Getting Russians up early has always been hard, but today we have another full agenda, no slacking or snoozing. Get back to the airport, get our boarding pass, call Vicky with an update, and get the heck out of this Schipol .

After our walk to the Chinese restaurant last night I knew there was no breakfast place around, so we are stuck with the Zankenburg morning special. “Irina, better dress warmly. I am sure it will cold down there in the breakfast salon.” With scarves, gloves and coats we are finally on our way. Stop at the desk, pay 18 Euros to enjoy the hotel’s epicurean specialties, and then walk into an abandoned breakfast room.

“Lets see what we have here. Cold corn flakes cereal; no, not this morning. Umm, the usual sausage and cheese; no, ate too much of that yesterday; my system will be stopped up for weeks. Aaahhh, my favorite, a hard-boiled egg; I’ll take one of those. Some kind of hard-tack crackers; no, not with my egg where is some bread? Here we go, a little toast would be great.” Pop’er in the toaster, minute’s later burnt toast pops out. “Well plain bread, a little butter and jelly will have to do. Geezzz, I don’t see anything else”, grab some coffee and get started. Irina has about the same luck as I do building her breakfast.

4 minutes after sitting down, I’m finished with the 1^st course. “Irina, I’m still hungry and I will go carefully scour the area, maybe something was hiding.” Nope, nothing here, have to lower my expectations. Maybe some of these hard-tack crackers, probably leftovers from the Dutch 1600’s exploration voyages around the horn of Africa. Have to try’em otherwise I will be starving shortly.

“Yes, Potrick, it’s not like Italy is it.”

That’s kinda an understatement I thought sitting there in a cold, minimal breakfast spread, by our selves gray skies with wisps of snow falling. Then some fellow strandees came in to cheer things up; after a while we struck up a conversation. A very nice Belgium couple on their way to Kenya for a little holiday. “That’s a place I have never wanted to visit” I thought to my self. (FYI A few days later in St Petersburg watching TV news Irina saw they were having riots in Kenya. We wondered if our breakfast mates were caught up in it. Again I thought “that’s a place I never want to visit!”) A little more coffee to amortize out that overpriced breakfast, and we headed back to the room to clean up and make our 9:00ish shuttle to Schiphol

T-DAY +3 – Sunday 10:30ish GMT 12/5/10

“Schipol my favorite, how I missed you.“ Walking back into the terminal “Irina, don’t you feel like you have returned to your home???” But it looks a little more cheerful this morning than when we left last night. “Lets see where do we need to go to get our boarding pass and get the heck out of here!”

A perky little blond KLM service girl smilingly directs us to Desk 17. I thought she either has the gift of quick recovery from a hard night or she wasn’t on duty last night. I wonder if everyone’s mood has improved.

Arriving at the corridor leading to Desk 17 my mood instantly went back to the Schipol mood of last night. Schipol welcomes you to join us in another 1000+ person line to obtain your boarding pass. Your wait time will be….Unknown!!!

“OK Irina it’s back to last night’s playbook, you get in line and I will make sure we are in the right place and you wait here.” I wander down to the end of the corridor and actually see the Desk 17. It was just another airport service center, there all pretty much the same: about 6 windows all staffed with friendly, smiling, helpful KLM servers. “Just like last night” I thought.

I found a uniformed Schipol server around the Desk 17, asked her whether this is the place to rebook and get a new boarding pass.

She quickly came back with the expected disappointing answer, “Yes, but of course you must wait in line!”

“Seems like some things never change, maybe lines have some kind of culturally ingrained DNA for these people or maybe some kind of Socialist/Communist thing” I speculate.

Irina loves standing in lines to pay her bills, thinks its cheerful and an opportunity to see life. The concept of using the computer to pay bills and quit wasting hours of her life in line just doesn’t seem reasonable. All these 1000s of people here last night and again today don’t seem upset either. Yeah it's gota either be a DNA thing or many years of training.

They all have socialized medicine where one can easily wait hours/days/months/years/your life for a medical procedure. Hey, what the heck I am sure 4 or 10 hours waiting in the airport is nothing to these socialist/communists. Americans have a little less tolerance for this inconvenience. I can’t imagine anyone in So Texas waiting in lines like this unless at the end you get a free ticket to the Super Bowl and the Dallas Cowboys are playing.

Turning away to return to Irina and the back of the line I notice a bunch of electronic boarding pass dispensers, “Maybe I can rebook at these rather than stand in the line” hopefully I dream. There’s the KLM service lady in the area I’ll ask her. I didn’t notice the line of 8-10 people waiting to talk to the same service lady. “Compared to 1000s, it’s worth the time to wait for her time.”

A bit later it’s my turn. I relate the situation: flights canceled, need to rebook, and get a boarding pass. “Can I do it on these machines?” I ask her.

“No, these will only print a boarding pass if you are booked on a flight ” she explains. “You need get back in the line for Desk 17 – Next….”

“OK, I wonder if I can find Irina in this mass of humanity?”

After walking and walking, there she is still almost at the end of the line right where I left her 20 minutes ago. Join her and explain the bad news. “I really don’t know how we will make our flight, boarding will start in a couple of hours and you have not even moved 10 feet.”

“What to do” Irina replies.

Yeah, she’s right might as well just go with the flow and relax. I start talking to the guy next to us in line, kinda a geeking looking person working on his computer while it is balanced on push rail of the baggage cart. Said he is trying to change some tickets to Cancun or something. “Ah, Cancun! The weather there should be a lot nicer than here, we were there a couple of years ago in December. Very nice, you’ll love it. What are you going to do there, hang on the beach or see the sights?”

“Actually I’m going there for a business convention” he replied.

My brain goes into hyper search mode. “What was going on in Cancun on the news lately? Dang it, I know I heard something…….Ahhhh Yessss. The global warming fraud convention. All the hypesters, at least those that still believe in the fraud were meeting there. He quickly confirms my suspicions and I just say “I am sure you will have a great time there, just be careful and don’t loose your head to the drug gangsters.” How long can one bite one’s tongue? It’s going to be a long wait – “Potrick change the subject and keep your mouth shut”.

“So how about these delays and lines for everything?” I ask the global warming hypester.

“Actually I called KLM in America and got my flight rebooked last night, no waiting there, got right through. I am just here to change some other flight arrangements since I have nothing else to do, besides I find lines an interesting way to pass time.”

“Bingo – Confirmation, socialists, True Global Warming Believers, they all like to wait in lines, what else do they have to do in life, watch the sea level rise??”

“That’s interesting, I hadn’t thought about calling the US. Tried last night to get KLM, impossible, on hold forever.” I said and then thought maybe I could try the help desk on my new American Express card. They are supposed to offer that type of services. “Irina, I am going to call the US and see if be can get rebooked, then we could just go to the boarding pass machines and get out of this line. Just stay in line, I’ll be back.”

Found the phone and tried to figure out how to use it. Ten minutes later finally got AMEX and the service rep said she would see what can be done, just need to call back in about 15 minutes. Returning to Irina, who had moved probably 5 feet forward I told her they might be able to help.

Twenty minutes later after our little group in the line has pretty well bonded, Irina and I ask them to save our place, watch our bags and we will be back after we phone. Finally re-connect with the service rep and she tells me there are no flights into St Petersburg for the next 2 days! Irina is kinda excited that we will get a little vacation in Amsterdam at KLM’s expense. Then representative tells me we can fly to Paris today, spend the night and tomorrow fly to St Petersburg. “That’s better than 2 more nights here” I say. “Let me check with my wife. Irina…..”. I relate the options.

“Absolutely not Potrick!!! You know the French, they would never let me out of the airport, we would be sleeping on the terminal floor at Charles DeGaul!!!” At least here I have the 24 hour visa and can stay in a hotel.”

“Ummmm, mame, the French option is not going to work for us. I guess we will just have to work through our problem here. Thanks for your help, goodby.”

“Potrick, we have another problem!!! I just realized it is 11:30 and my 24- hour visa expires in half an hour. I must go to the immigration office and get another visa otherwise I violate the rules. If I don’t I will be come an illegal alien and never get another visa into Europe. Quickly lets go!!!”

Swinging by our place in line, tell our baggage holders we have another problem and will be back as soon as its fixed. Leaving them “I wonder if these guys are starting to think we are terrorists?”

You have heard that irritatingly, incessant TCA warning “Don’t leave your baggage unattended. Unattended baggage will be taken to the bomb squad and blown to bits. Thank you. The current threat level is ORANGEISH RED, DON”T……..” Just realized Schipol doesn’t have all that background BS. How nice, but how can they control the terrorists, don’t they realize the danger they are in?

So we search for an immigration office and this time it was easy. A new visa is obtained in a matter of minutes. Things are improving, now if we could just get this line moving faster.

Returning to our personal baggage handlers we notice that everyone has bottled water. Apparently KLM is watering and feeding the strandees (aka “waiters” since all they do is wait in lines) to keep them from getting restless and start some kind of revolution. “Potrick, I am thirsty can you find me some water.”

“Yes, dear I’m thirsty too. Will check it out”. Wandering around I see that people have not only water but other snacks. Looks like all the good stuff doesn’t get much further than the first 75 meters of the line. So I grab the Schpol survival treats and return to our position bearing gifts.

Another hour and it’s getting close to lunchtime. Although I haven’t been involved in much strenuous activity that pitiful breakfast ran out about an hour so ago. “Irina, we are not going to make the flight today. I hope we will go tomorrow. But the good news is that we will be getting some lunch. Look they are handing out sandwiches!!! Lets go get some, I’m starving.”

What a cornucopia of free stuff, I’m starting to like this socialism. But of course there is always a price to pay – and ours is another day stuck in Amsterdam. You know, even free stuff gets old after while if you can’t do what you want to do.

The hours keep passing – about 1:00, only 4 hours waiting in line and we are getting close to the end. Then some TV station shows up and picks me to interview. Unfortunately Irina was off somewhere or she could have given the interview. By that time I didn’t have much good to say about the situation, other than we appreciated the immigration office late last night giving people 24 hour visas so they could leave the terminal. I am sure nobody wanted to hear some old angry guy from So Texas complaining about their Schipol.

At last we get our number and in 15 more minutes we are talking to another KLM blond, booking babe about our situation. She sweetly says “oh you are already booked for tomorrow’s flight and here is your boarding pass.”

I listened to those words and couldn’t believe what she just said. “we are already booked!!!!” WTF have we been standing in line for the last 4 hours for!!!! We could gone to the boarding pass machines, put in our names and received a boarding pass 4 hours ago – contrary to what the DS KLM babe at the boarding pass machine area told me 4 hours ago.”

I asked the blond boarding-pass babe “ could we have gone to the boarding pass machines” pointing to the area about 20 meters away “ and gotten our boarding pass?”

“Why Yes, I guess you could have, now that I think about it.” She replied.

Whoaaa!!! Now I was just a little upset looking for a wall to ram my head into. This has got to be the biggest display of incompetence that I have ever seen or been in. Instead of 20 people handing out food and water they could have had one person with a mega phone go down the line and tell people they could try the boarding pass machines to receive their flight confirmation and boarding pass. It’s a good thing the TV people interviewed me before I found out this tidbit of information or my interview would have been nothing but lots of BLEEP-OUTS. Maybe it’s just me, all the socialists don’t seem upset, probably “just another typical day – what’s another line? At least were not working!!”

T-DAY +3 – Sunday 14:30ish GMT 12/5/10

But wait there is more! Next we were told that we should proceed to the Stranded Flyers Service Desk at other side of the airport and receive our hotel assignment, and Care Package (some kind of survival stuff for strandees/waiters). “Irina, that’s were we were last night with Paul and Tayna. If the lines are as long as last night’s, it’s back to the Swankenburg and another General Wou extravaganza.”

Arriving at the baggage area we see the Stranded Flyers Service Desk and there is no line. I pinch myself to be sure I wasn’t dreaming. Well 4-5 people were waiting, but that’s no stinken line for Schipol. We quickly get our billeting assignment, chow tickets, and transportation orders before the mirage vanishes.

“Irina, I think we need to get to the hotel first and dump our bags then see what we might have time and the energy to do.” So it’s off to the Ibis hotel. A quick bus ride; check in, check out room and realize how tired we are.

“Irina, I think it’s too cold and too late for town. Lets just go back to the Schipol mall, look around, maybe get a drink or something to eat.” You exit the airport through a nice shopping mall so it was something easy to do and hopefully interesting. Without knowing the area and having our heavier winter jackets going to town just didn’t sound like a good idea.

The mall was nice, nothing real special and, as always, prices in EU are just a tad more than we are used to. Finally headed back, discovered that the Ibis’ main business is servicing strandees/waiters or low price salesmen meetings. The cafeteria which accepted our meal ticket reminded Irina of Soviet times and me of my freshman dormitory. No threat to General Wou here. We spotted a number of our Russian travel companions going for thirds and the young chick that attached herself to our clan was back at it, hustling the young guys.

Enough is enough. Lets go back to the room and for excitement brush our teeth with toothpaste to close out the day. Gota be ready to go tomorrow.

T-DAY +4 – Monday 8:00ish GMT 12/6/10

“Irina, I slept terrible on this bed. The mattress has all these little holes in it, like swiss cheese – really weird and hard as a brick. Lets get up and get going.”

Throwing the curtains open I look outside to a view of nothing but gray!!!. “OH NO IRINA ,FOG, really thick fog.” I listen for the sounds of any planes taking off or landing. None.

“I don’t like the looks of this Irina, planes can take off but if it is really bad they may not be able to land here. And you know what that means, we could be stuck here again and I would have to sleep on that hard Swiss cheese mattress again!”

“Potrick, I can’t worry about that now, I’m hungry. Lets go to the cafeteria and see what they have for breakfast.”

Might as well, can’t be worse than last night and can’t do anything about the weather. Breakfast turned out way better than the Zwankenburg 18 Euro stale toast treat. Maybe things were starting to look up. Went back to the room to clean up and check weather on the TV – nope, need to buy a TV card to watch. Tried the Internet – nope, no access need to buy an access card. Was scared to try the toilet may have to pay for paper. Seemed like the mattress wasn’t the only cheesy thing about the room. Packed and left.

T-DAY +4 – Monday 10:30ish GMT 12/6/10

Arrived back at our home away from home – Schipol Airport. “Irina don’t you just feel at home here now, its so comfortable, we know where everything is, and the way the fog looks we may make this our home for a few more days.” The fog was still a concern and I could see that some flights were getting delayed.

“Potrick, we have nothing to do, nothing to read, lets go to the library.” We ambled down the aisle to this little airport library. Sat down and browsed through a few interesting books on Amsterdam and the Netherlands.Pleasant way to spend some spare time.





Potrick reading

Less industrious strandees

Watched a weather report on a nearby TV and the Paris Airports were closed today due to snow. “Irina, did you see that? If we had gone to Paris yesterday we would have been stuck there today. Good thing you have that visa problem. Lets head toward our gate and see what’s going on”

T-DAY +4 – Monday 12:30ish GMT 12/6/10

“Well, it’s still foggy and lots of flights have been delayed. But it looks like ours is still on time and we even have a plane at our gate. Irina, I think we’er gona get out of here!!!” It was looking ok, but after the last 3 days I won’t believe it until we lift off.

All the familiar faces from the last 3 days were milling around in the gate area. Approaching boarding time I can tell the Russian are again getting restless. The PA system crackles “Ladies and gentlemen we are ready to start boarding for St Petersburg…..”. The Russians are getting excited and on the move, herding their way closer to the gate. “Ladies and gentlemen at this time we will be boarding 1^st class, Elite Status……”.

The end of the announcement wasn’t heard as a Russian guy yells “I don’t care about 1^st class, I been here 3 days I am 1^st class and boarding now!!” At that point orderly boarding collapsed.

As always I make sure Irina and I are close to the door. “Irina, lets go. Just push into line or we won’t get any overhead.” So we shoved and moved with the masses “butt to belly” all the way to our assigned seats. Staked out our overhead space and threw our bags in, then relaxed and prayed we would get out of here.

Shortly thereafter engines were started, we taxied and left Schipol. See you in 3 months and hope we don’t have any trouble then.

T-DAY +4 – Monday 22:00ish GMT 12/6/10

As the old song goes “Back in the USSR”. Well not exactly but the airport compared to Schipol does have a certain USSR look & feel even still.

Next stop, immigration and the usual inquisitive examination of my passport; in particular, matching the picture with the person standing in front of them. For some reason Russian Immigration Officers reviewing the passports are always young girls and never has my approval been accomplished in less than 5 minutes. I smile, frown, look serious and if lucky they waive me through without calling another officer in for a second opinion. Tonight I was lucky; she passed me through in 4 minutes.

Baggage actually started rolling out quickly and soon our first bag appeared. “Well at least we have our clothes Irina. If you want take your carry-on and this bag on out. I will be there soon as I get our other bag with all the Tolic toys and gifts in it.” Before I could finish the sentence Irina was through customs and vanished.

20 minutes later it was evident that I was just seeing the same bags going around the conveyor belt and none of them were ours. Finally word came “that is all, no more.” What was that I said earlier about “luck” as I was walking to the lost baggage booth?

Fortunately the girl at the baggage booth spoke English asking for my documents. I handed them over and she handed me forms in quad duplicate saying “you viell please feel thesz out”.

So I started meticulously as possible answering all the questions about the bag, it’s contents, size, color, etc, etc. “They obviously don’t have copiers here,” I thought. “but I am sure every Russian has one to go with their computer at home. Oh well.”

Finally finished and handed the papers to the lost baggage booth babe. “Sir, you need to fill theez in here” and returned the papers.

One more time “Miss, here you are. I hope they are complete.” She looks at the documents and then goes to some kind of folder. I’m thinking this is progress.

“Mester Krisco, we have your bag. It arrived last night.” She told me. Well our luck is changing, this is good news. We proceed to the baggage holding room and I see it over in the corner. Irina was scared to death that if it sat there overnight all of Tolics toys would be stolen. Well it had some kind of security plastic bands holding the zippers closed so that is about as much as one can hope for in Russia; we’ll check it all at home. I signed the paper work and headed out into the Russian cold.

There was Vicky, Tolic with a big smile in his new crown and cape Irina made for him, and a happy Irina. We were back finally.

Footnote - During the past 2 weeks since arriving in Russia it seems like almost every day we are hearing reports that many the major hub airports are closed for weather. I hope it's over by March.

Walmart Says “Poka, Poka” (bye, bye) to Moscow

The News As We Think It
2/16/2010

What the system says:

http://rt.com/business/news/walmart-russia-hq/


What we think:
Walmart Says “Poka, Poka” (bye, bye) to Moscow

Arkansas hillbillies find cultural clash spoils investment opportunity. Insiders privately relate that the demise of the venture was likely centered around two causes. 1 – failure to bribe work with the real Moscow powers; and 2- failure to adequately understand the unique Russian market.

Failure no. 1 came as a surprise to all, as the Arkansas hillbillies were believed to have had everything firmly in place with Yuriy Luzkov, Moscow’s Mayor. With Luzkov’s recent and unexpected demotion, things turned sour for the hillbillies.

The turn of events was a surprise to everyone as the Arkansas hillbillies were thought to have possessed the highest level of sophisticated corruption skills, acquired under the tutelage of the master, Bill Clinton during his governorship of Arkansas. Apparently the hillbillies will go back to class before they try going up against the “world masters”, Russians, again.

Failure no. 2 was a cultural and market research oversight. It is common knowledge that retail product selection in Russia is predicated on two simple criteria will the product: 1 – improve the buyer’s peer prestige; and 2- is this product the most expensive available. Support, warranty, energy ratings, crash tests, ease-of-use, consumer ratings, mean-time before failure, etc are unimportant to the average Russian consumer’s product selection process.

Close observations have revealed that Russians will never purchase anything unless they can smugly tell their comrades “this is the most expensive, best, top-of-the-line (whatever) that can be found in all of Moscow”. Secondly the purchased item must shout and radiate exclusiveness so as to encourage jealousy and/or raise the new owner of the (whatever) to a higher more prestigious position amongst his/her peers. Unfortunately the Walmart label failed miserably in satisfying these basic consumer needs.

An unnamed consumer research organization, just prior to Wall-Mart’s capitulation, was rumored to have provided the Walmart executives with a guaranteed solution. Only partial details of the proposed plan have been leaked out. But apparently part of the quick fix suggested the following:

1. during the week of May 1 – May 10 (when stores are closed for the holidays and everyone is either drunk or at the parades or both) all merchandise would be removed from the store shelves.

2. all “Made in China” references would be removed from said merchandise;

3. “Hand-made in Italy” would be attached to all said merchandise and all new merchandise subsequently stocked on Walmart shelves.

It is believed that Walmart was in some stage implementation when the problems described as “Failure no 1” crashed their plans. The doors were closed, their reputation was tarnished and the hillbillies headed back to Bentonville with their heads hanging low.

And that's the news today as we think it!!!

Trip Two To Russia 2010 Schiphol – Chaos in the Cold

Sometimes it seems like I am living in interesting times, or maybe just have bad luck/karma. Lately I figure it is some kind of strange combination of both. But as long as God blesses me with good health, a sound mind, and a wonderful wife, Irina, things aren't that bad. Just chalk it up to unexpected adventures.

After the Hell in Helsinki trip in spring of this year I was a little gun-shy of returning to Russia. My ex-KGB contact who had always come through before couldn’t pull off a new visa in Helsinki and didn’t even call Irina to tell her he was sorry or explain. Now we had to find a new way to get me in country.

Irina and Vicky put their heads together and out came the “Home Stay” visa. Under this little-used option someone you know in Russia who is a Russian citizen, like maybe your wife, can invite a reputable person, like maybe her husband, to stay in the citizen’s home for a duration not to exceed the lesser of 1-three months, 2-the citizen’s patience, or 3-the visitor’s bank account. Since Irina is the model of patience and life in Russia is not too expensive if you and the Russian citizen exercise extreme discipline and three months is more than enough time to enjoy the quaintness of the country, we went for it.

So the girls got started on the invitation (all aliens enter Russia by “invitation” only) paperwork, which is always a major task in Russia. After carefully completing pages and pages of questions covering every aspect of the invitee’s life and character to insure one is worthy of a visit to Russia; and a like amount of questions delving into inviter’s ability to host the invitee and present the State in a proper and acceptable manner the document was submitted to the OVIR (a holdover from old Soviet times – the government agency responsible for knowing at all times exactly where every legal visitor or citizen is).

Summer came and went, fall was fast approaching and a trip to Russia had faded from my mind. One quiet day in October the phone rings. I pick it up and hear “Potrick, its Vicky I got your invitation today!!! You will be coming to Russia in December and staying all winter, isn’t that wonderful.”

“UHHH, great Vicky, now I must work quickly to get a visa. FEDX the invitation to me”. Maybe FEDX will lose it, if not I still have to get the visa, which after Helsinki, is no slam-dunk deal.

Well, I guess I didn’t make it into “undesirable aliens” database somewhere deep inside Russian’s computer system, because my visa arrived with only the expected minor hassles. OK, are we ready for a little chill time in Russia during “high tourist season” – Dec through February? Hey, thousands of Swedes with King Charlie 7, French with Napoleon, and Germans with Adolph also chose high tourist season to visit . Besides I will have my finest South Texas cold weather gear and will arrive without marching orders via the renowned Dutch hospitality of KLM. Lets get going!!!

As the week of departure arrives both the inviter and invitee closely monitor the weather and only notice low temperatures in the teens and small snow showers. “No problem!!”

Tday-1 - Early Thursday night – 12/2/10
Operating under strict orders that all of the suitcases must be “zipper ready” at 18:00 (local time) as clock struck and I yelled “Attention on deck, stand by for suitcase inspection”.

“Yes Potrick, quit shouting, they are ready”

After careful inspection I am please to announce, “Outstanding Irina, I can’t believe it, both of our suitcases are not even close to 50 pounds. What are we forgetting?”

“We have everything we need Potrick, remember all my winter clothes and most of yours are already there. Maybe I will go to town and see if there are any other toys that Tolic (the grandson) might like.”

“NET, NEIN, NO!!! IRINA, we already have one big suitcase stuffed with toys and the carry-on’s are full also!!! Don’t they make toys in Russia??

Irina agrees, enough is enough and we restfully spend the remainder of the evening dreaming of troika sleigh rides through the snow-covered forest bundled under warm bear blankets.

T Day – Friday 13:00GMT** 12/3/10
(** GMT is Greenwich Mean Time is the way all pilots standardize their time to avoid the confusion of Time Zones. GMT is the time at Greenwich, outside of London, and local times are adjusted:
Corpus local time (i.e. 7:00am) + 6 hrs = (i.e. 13:00) GMT
Amsterdam local time (i.e 14:00) – 1hr = (i.e.13:00) GMT
St Petersburg local time (i.e 16:00) – 3hrs = (i.e. 13:00) GMT
Are you confused yet? It help’s to remember which direction the sun usually come up from whether you subtract or add. )

Early revelry, quick breakfast, last minute tasks, shower and then secure the hot water heater. “Man, I am starting to sweat it’s really warm here this morning!” So I unbutton my warm long sleeve shirt and cool down. About the same time Robert arrives ready to haul us to the airport. “Things are starting to smooth out,” I thought.

“Ummm, no one at the airport, probably due to scanner scare or groper fear.” Quickly got the bags checked all the way through from Corpus Christi to LED (St Petersburg, Ru). And headed for the gate taking the “Groper Option”. Heard scanners are a danger for people like me prone to skin cancers and thought this option might be more entertaining. Anticlimactic, must be a low threat day at CRP.

We arrived early because last trip I got screwed when I paid Continental $50 for my one bag to check it all the way to Russia. The sweet lady at Corpus check-in swore that according to their “Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)” I pay the fee to Continental, they tag the bag to LED (St Pet. Ru), and pass Brit Air’s share of the fee on to them. “Easy, no problems” she claimed.

Arriving at IAH(Houston) I preceded to the Presidents club for refreshment and then on to the BA gate. While quietly sitting in the gate area I was surprised to hear my name paged to report to the Gate Commander’s desk. “What’s the problem I asked?”

The BA Gate Commander told me “we have problem, there is no record of a payment for your luggage, we can bill your credit card here if you like”. Surprise!! I tried to explain that I had already paid in Corpus and showed them my receipt. The Gate Commander didn’t care about some stinking receipt from Continental, he demanded immediate payment and I demanded a supervisor; but it was all to no avail. After my futile discussion with the supervisor the Gate Commander snickered “You can either pay BA $60 for your bag or we leave it here – your choice and BTW we don’t use Continental’s SOP”.

“Those Brits are always so proper, understanding and to the point,” I paid the second time for my bag and vowed never to do that again.

But today things were just going wonderfully. Turns out KLM doesn’t charge for the 1st bag so we didn’t pay anyone for our bags. We just spent a relaxed time in the Houston airport. Did a little looking around at the shops, got a light lunch, checked e-mail and Amsterdam weather and casually ambled down to board. Every thing looked great for an early December flight.

The flight was about as comfortable as you can expect riding in the cattle section; OPPS excuse me I meant the Economy class. But our luck continued, we had an empty seat in our 3-seat section. Things were working out great!

T-DAY+1 – Saturday 07:30 GMT 12/4/10 (17.5 hrs awake time)
Touched down right on time, morning in Amsterdam. Light snow and no new accumulation. From Amsterdam we again chose a later flight because it was more convenient for Vicky to pick us up. No problem, there were plenty of shops, attractions and even a small art museum with pieces from the Rijksmuseum to pass some time. Tiring of the sites and expensive shops we found the reciprocal lounge that offered us comfortable place to wait for our 11:10 GMT boarding time. It was an average lounge with a panoramic view of the airport, roads and fields across the way and the light wispy snow falling outside.

About 10:00 GMT we noticed that the snow was picking up a little, but nothing unusual for this time of the year. “Potrick, isn’t it just beautiful, I miss it so much being always in hot, boring Corpus Christi”.

“Yes, dear”, as always, was my standard answer.



T-DAY +1 – Saturday 10:15 GMT 12/4/10 (20.5 hrs awake time)
Preparing to head for departure, I ambled over to the club’s main desk to confirm our gate. The ladies were busy on the phones, I waited, I noticed the beautiful snow was now looking more like a nasty white out. It was really coming down, what a difference 10 minutes can make. Finally the lady hung up the phone and I asked about our gate. She looked a little disturbed and said, “I don’t know, they just closed the airport!”

“Not good” I thought. “Is our plane at the gate?” was my next question.

“Let me see”, and she started scrolling across her screen. “No it’s not arrived yet --- heavens appears like it won’t be here until 14:30 GMT”.

“Whoooa, that’s trouble”. If our plane had already landed and been at the gate we might be able to leave quickly when the airport reopens. But if it is not here it may never get here today. Luck looks to be a changing.

Walked back to Irina and gave her the bad news. Looking out the window and seeing the snow quickly piling up on the roads I had my first fearful feeling we might just be stuck here for the night.

Irina remembered we needed to immediately let Vicky know that we would be late before she leaves for the airport. Unfortunately we don’t have World Service Cell phones so I suggested we just e-mail her and sit tight to see how things go in the next hour or so. Maybe we will have more info in a while. “I’ll go ask where we can find phone to call Russia.”

Now there was lots of activity around the lady’s desk. As we walked up I heard her say that the airport would reopen in 30 minutes. “Things were getting kinda squirrelly, but maybe we will get out of here close to schedule. After all this is a world class hub airport in an area where they do have snow in the winter, so this shouldn’t be too big of a deal” I thought. They didn’t have any cancellation or delay info at the lounge so the consensus was “grab our bags, go buy a phone card and see what’s going on at the gate, then call Vicky”.

T-DAY +1 – Saturday 11:00 GMT 12/4/10 (21 hrs awake time)
Left the lounge, got a phone card, found our gate and arrived just in time to see that our flight had been delayed 2 hours. Called Vicky and gave her the bad news, now it looked like our Russian arrival would be 20:00 GMT (8:00pm Ruskie local). “Looks like it’s gona be a long day, might as well go back to the club and get some snacks and drinks,” I suggested as we made the 20-minute hike back to the club.

We nibbled on Dutch pastries, ham and cheese, gulped down strong coffee to fight that tired and run down feeling you sometimes get after being either awake or uncomfortable for 24 hours. Time flies when you are having fun and soon it was time again to head for the gate to make the 14:00 GMT departure.

T-DAY +1 – Saturday 13:00 GMT 12/4/10 (24 hrs awake time)
Dejavue? Arrive back at the gate just as they are delaying the departure another hour. “Hummm. Lets see that’s 3 twenty minute walks, or one hour of hiking and hauling baggage out of the last 3 hours.” Irina always likes to walk but this getting a bit excessive. “Irina, lets just walk to the nearest chairs and see if we can get a little sleep during the next hour”.

We found a spot and my head immediately went to the full backwards tilt position. A bit later I half woke up and found my self with my mouth wide open. You know how ugly someone looks in that position, I was embarrassed. Grabbed my wool scarf and wrapped it around my mouth and returned to the full tilt position for a few more minutes of half-sleep.

Next thing I remember was Irina shaking me and saying, “wake up, we must go, they are queuing for the security check”.



Shook my head and remembered where I was, unwrapped that hot scarf from my mouth, grabbed the bags and took my place in the security line. Snow looked about the same as when they closed the airport, but I was optimistic. Maybe they just over-reacted and got things cleaned up. Besides the arriving flight was pulling into our gate; maybe we will get out of here.

Walking up to the security guy Irina suddenly remembers that she needed to call Vicky and tell her that the flight was leaving. She asks the security guy if the plane was really going. “This guy doesn’t have any idea what is going on, just hurry, call Vicky, tell her it looks like we will be leaving and get back so we are not the last ones boarding the plane” I tell her losing my place in the line with all the bags. Irina goes and makes the call.

Finally we were all on the secure side of the security check and the gatekeepers started checking passports and boarding passes. The boarding area was full of restless Russians anxious to get going. As a number of them had their flight canceled the day before and they were in no mood to spend another night in Amsterdam.

I could just smell the growing herd mentality and loss of control in the boarding area. One of the gateway keepers opened the door and walked down the jet way out of sight. Instantly 10 or more Russians run through the opened door and followed him down the jet way. Just as quickly they come running out of the jet way, chased by the gateway keeper loudly scolding them. “Irina, we need to get closer to the jet way door or we will never get any overhead space for our bags.”

More good news! Arriving passengers started deplaning. The service crew and pilots who gave a thumbs-up to our crew followed them. I started feeling good about getting to St Petersburg tonight. “Better late than not at all” I thought.

We waited and waited. Finally the crew boarded the aircraft. “Irina, looks like we’re making progress”. 15 minutes the service crew returned. “Uh-Oh!” Now I again smell trouble.

Over the PA system comes the message “Attention, attention we are awaiting a message from KLM regarding this flight before we can board the plane and proceed.”

“What the hell is that all about?” Never have I heard such a message while waiting to board. “Maybe there is some kind of terrorist threat” was my first fear.

T-DAY +1 – Saturday 16:00 GMT 12/4/10 (27 hrs awake time)
The gateway keeper cleared his throat over the microphone; then said “KLM has canceled all flights until further notice!”

“What does that mean Potrick?” Irina asked

“I don’t know, but we’re not flying tonight, shsssssss Irina. He is saying something else.” The gateway keeper announced that we would be giving passengers a ticket with information on it regarding lodging and rebooking. Now I smelled desperation and fear!!!

This guy standing next to us grabbed his KLM info card, grabbed his wife and started running down the concourse. “Irina, lets go!! Quickly, quickly follow that guy (the guy who was now 20-30 yards down the concourse running) he must know what to do.” And so we now retraced our 20-minute walk to gate in about 7 minutes. Things were heating up!!!

We didn’t know where he was heading but he appeared to know, and we followed. Hopping on the escalator had a chance to catch our breath. Approaching the bottom the sign “Immigration Exit” comes into sight. “OH NO, Potrick” Irina exclaimed. “They will not let me out, my Europe visa is expired”.

Yelling at Irina “We will see, come on; move it, move it!!!” we catch up with the guy we were following. Turns out he isn’t Russian but Belgium and tells us we need to get out of here ASAP and go to the place where KLM gets everyone a hotel or we will be sleeping on the terminal floor.

Irina explains her visa problem and his reply “be tough and demand a 24 visa or you sleep on the floor”.

Fell into the line for “Non-Europeans” along with hundreds of other outcasts from the 3rd world and wait. Finally I make it to the immigration guy’s window, he quickly checks my US passport and waves me right through. Then I tell him about Irina’s visa problem, he frowns, and wait as she gives him her visa. He quickly reviews her passport and smugly says “Her documents are not in order; she can’t pass through to the EU”.

I start making a scene and demand that I see the supervisor. He picks up his phone and a few minutes later a 7 foot tall guy in a green immigrations uniform with side arms and handcuffs shows up. Physical contact didn’t look like a good option in the “be tough” attitude, so it was back to logic and pleading.

Baush, the 7 foot immigrator explains “Eet is impossible to let Irina through without a boarding pass for a plane leaving Amsterdam in the next 24 hours – against regulations”.

Irina puts on her saddest face, “But I live in the USA and have a Green Card, can’t you pleeease let me through”.

“No exceptions Madame!” Baush sourly replies.

Irina doesn’t take the answer “No” easily. “But sir, I am 55 years old, I live in the USA, I don’t want to stay in your Holland! I flew for 24 hours without sleeping and will get sick if I sleep on the floor.’

“Maybe you can find a chair to sleep on Madame. If you get your boarding pass maybe I can help you then” was the final answer from the Immigrator.

“OK we will try to get a boarding pass and return” I dejectedly said.

T-DAY +1 – Saturday 17:00 GMT 12/4/10 (28 hrs awake time)
Turning to leave I hear “excuse me” in a slight British accent from a tall guy.

“Oh no, wonder what this guy wants now” then I notice a woman by his side. “Yes” I replied. Apparently this couple overheard our conversation and have the same problem. Paul, the tall Brit, tells me is married to Tanya and she also doesn’t have a visa to enter the EU either.

“Follow us Paul I will tell you what we need on the escalator. They are not going to let us out of the terminal unless we have a boarding passes for our wives. This is what we are going to do. Remember that long line that we ran past getting here? That is the Transportation Desk where you re-book. When we get to the top the girls will head for line and you and I will run to the hotel inside the Terminal and check if they have any rooms. You Ok with that Paul?”

“Yes, but I doubt they will have any rooms” Paul replys.

“Yeah, I know it’s a long shot but at least the girls will be in line and we can search for other options.” Exiting the escalator “Ok, girls, you understand everything? We will meet you back at the line, I’m sure you won’t get to the desk before we return.” We split and head for our targets.

Passing an Information Desk where people are stacked 3 deep trying to get some help, “Lets skip it Paul this will take too long, lets keep going I saw a sign to the Mercure hotel earlier today we can just follow the directions”.

Finally locate the hotel entrance and walk in. Kind of a weird looking hotel lobby and I was wondering if this was one of those Japanese cubical airport type hotels I had seen in some magazines with a cot, sink, and toilet; more like a jail cell than a hotel room. But we didn’t have to worry about staying in a cell. The sign on the desk of course said “NO ROOMS”. Didn’t even bother waiting for the multi-tasking overmadeup young receptionist girl to get off the phone and finish polishing her nails. We head back to our girls.

In the 30-40 minutes we had been gone the girls have made some progress. They were maybe 20 yards of people behind them and only 70 yard of people in front of them. Waving to them, “We’ll join you”.

At end of the line a KLM rep is talking to a bunch of people. We moseyed up to see what the buzz was and hear something like “boarding passes….. no….can’t…..”

“Wonder what’s going on Paul? Lets make sure we are in the right line.”

We barge our way in, nice having Paul along, to get close enough to ask her if this is the line to get a new boarding pass. She starts “it is normally, yes, but tonight KLM is not issuing any new boarding passes.”

“WHAT!!!! We MUST have a new boarding pass or immigration won’t let our wives out of the terminal!”

“Nothing I can do, go talk to immigration.” The cute blond KLM rep turns and calmly replies. “Next”

“OK girls it’s back to Baush, the immigrator. No boarding passes tonight the KLM girl tells us. It’s back to begging at the Immigration Exit”

Irina seldom takes “NO” for the final answer when she is looking for “YES”. “I am going directly to the desk and ask about my boarding pass”, she heads for the desk. Barging in front of the guy at the information desk Irina tells the lady “I must have a boarding pass or they won’t let me out of the terminal tonight and will have to sleep on the floor.”

“Madame, where are you going?” The desk girl asks.

“St Petersburg, Russia”

“AHHHHH, Russian” the desk girl snidely & loudly exclaims. “ WHAT!!! You expect to be let into my country without visa!!! WHY??? If I go to Moscow without visa they will not let me in, why should we let you into my Holland??? Go, get way I have people to serve.” Irina humiliated and mad slinks away heading to the Immigration Office.

T-DAY +1 – Saturday 18:00 GMT 12/4/10 (29 hrs awake time)
Back at the immigration zone where we had started an hour or so before Baush looked busy. “Baush, we got a problem, no….”

“I know, I know for you we will make a one time exception, give you a visa and let you through. It will just take some time. I am doing visa for 3 Africans now, I will do yours next right after we finish them.” Baush told me.

Looking around I noticed the usual group of suspects: Africans, Chinese, Mongolians, Indians, Russians, Kurgistanians, Tackistanies and all the other 3rd worlders. We were all in the same fix now just milling around the immigration office window hoping for a stinking 24hr visa to get out of this stinking Terminal.

Waiting there our little group of 4 starts getting bigger. Girls find a lovely old lady, Nadia, probably 70ish, dazed, wandering around with no idea what is going on or what to do. They take her to Baush. “She is with us and also needs visa”. Next a couple of young girls on the make and a Russian guy whom I think the young girls were hitting on join our group of outcasts.

Paul starts telling about his earlier dealings with KLM; being on hold for 4 hours trying to get them on the phone last night. I decide to try Baush’s phone and call the KLM service # on the card they had given us. No luck immediately got the usual message “Due to unexpected heavy call volume your wait time will be 10 minutes…..” After 20 minutes hang up. I’ll try one more time. Another 10 minutes wait time, just hung up and gave up. “Paul, looks like the same problem tonight, but I don’t have 4 hours to wait on hold.”

An immigration officer starts telling us how hotels just love nights like tonight – they get top dollar for all their rooms. The Indian girl says she heard there were no rooms left in the city. Rumors are rampant!!!

Finally with visas in hand our little troupe of untouchables whiz right through the gate and into the EU. Next stop the KLM Service desk to get our hotel, hot meal and warm, comfortable bed.

T-DAY +1 – Saturday 19:00 GMT 12/4/10 (30 hrs awake time)
Rounding the corner and heading towards the Service Desk I can see there is an angry, tired mob around the 4 KLM uniformed guys manning the stranded travelers service desk. As we move forward the extent of the disaster reveals itself, some kind of line snakes back around the corner as far as the eye can see. “Well guys this looks like the place where we need to be. Right in with this crowd of thousands. Girls wait right here, don’t leave, and Paul and I will check it out.”

“Paul, lets not have a replay of the ‘boarding pass line’ we’ll make sure this is really where we need to be and that they are giving out hotel rooms.” We disappear into the mass of stranded humanity. We confirm with the first strandee this is indeed the line for tonight’s free room and board. Yeah this is it. Then we turn the corner to see the Mother of all lines; as far as the eye can see strandees standing, sitting, laying around all in some kind of line while waiting to be courteously and promptly served by those 4 KLM reps at the service windows.

Paul is really discouraged as we return. “Potrick”, he says “I have been here before, faced the same situation. Went on our own to find rooms. We were lucky and found a halfway decent room. But!!! The SOB airline refused to reimburse us the full amount, which wasn’t much and it took over 8 months to get our pitiful refund.”

Walking up to our little clan of strandees Paul relates the bad news. Tanya, Paul’s wife, listing confirms that after their last experience with KLM they don’t want to try to find hotel on our own. “I will go see for myself what can be done, you men stay here” and Tanya vanishes in a mass of strandees.

“Paul, seems Tanya is like Irina both suffer from a Russian logic - men are apparently too unreliable.” The others in our clan, discouraged, start drifting away. The young Russian guy calls a friend to pick him up and the young girls go looking for new targets-of-opportunity.

Suddenly Tanya’s smiling face is seen emerging from the mass of human strandees. Maybe she’s bringing good news and hope. “Paul, Paul I found a Russian man who is close to the front of the line, he is a wonderful man, he will let us in with him!!! We won’t have to go the end. We will just join him quietly and secretly one-by-one, we will say we are family or something if any one asks.”

Paul’s face reddens, takes on a very serious look and firmly he says, “My Dear, WE are not butting into the line!!! That is unfair, foul play! What about all the others behind us, they are sure to become angry and we will all get thrown out. No! Tanya WE won’t do that!”

I thought Paul was displaying that admirable character British Character trait that of late seems to have disappeared – fair play. Irina and I both agree “butting into that line could cause a riot. These people have been there for hours, they are tired, hungry and unpredictable”. Tanya reluctantly agrees. But she decided she would sneak Nadia, our old lady of the group, in so she hopefully will find a room in the inn.

While Paul and I were waiting for Tanya and Irina to return from their mercy mission, it began to appear that it was all for not in any event. Rumors were spreading that KLM has no more hotel rooms to give out; all of the hotels they work with are full! Tanya and Irina return and confirm the rumor.

“What to do now??? Why don’t you guys stay put for a few minutes and I will see if I can leave the terminal and find any other purveyors of hotel rooms around.”

So I head for the exit and notice a couple of guards. “Whoa I better check with these guys to make sure I can get back in,” I thought. Sure enough the guard tells me these are “one-way” doors, once you pass through you can’t re-enter the terminal here. Bad news “All this security sometimes really stinks” I thought. “Is there any hotel info or representatives outside where we could try and make reservations?” I asked. He said there was, so I returned to clan to see what we will do.

Huddling with Paul and Tanya it is clear that after their prior stranding they refuse to leave the terminal and would sleep on the floor if they couldn’t find a better place. Paul tries to convince us to do the same.

I, however after about 30 something hours of traveling, was not about to sleep on the floor of the terminal. Moreover I knew Irina would file divorce on the spot if I suggested that option. Irina is just not the type to curl up on the cold tile floor, after using the public toilet to wash up in and prepare for the evening, using our carry on luggage as a pillow all-the-while surrounded by a hoards of Africans, Chinese, Indians, Russians and others. No, we would venture out of the terminal, into the unknown and seek our fortune and warm bed. Exchanging e-mail addresses we part ways hoping to see each other tomorrow at the departure gate.

On exiting I turn my attention to finding the “wall of hotel advertisements” with direct phone lines to them. Yes! There they are, but lots of people were waiting to use them. No problem right next to them is the more civilized Hotel Reservation Kiosk. “What? Only 15 or so people in line, after today this is no line!!”

Beware, line length doesn’t always portray the whole story. After 20 minutes the same guy who had been talking to the service rep when we arrived is still dallying around with his hotel selection; either too picky or no rooms – probably too picky. “This is not working out well,” I think. Looking around the “wall of hotel advertisements” was thinning out. “Irina stay in line I will try and call a hotel”

I could see all the normal hotels, Hilton, Marriott, Sheraton, etc and the guys calling all seemed to hang up rather quickly. Bad sign, probably no rooms. I moved on down the board where there were a couple of local hotels. Grabbed a free phone, picked the least sleazy of the group, the Swankenburg Hotel, and called. Obviously a Dutch place, the pics of the restaurant and rooms looked normal and it had a free shuttle – “Yes, I need a no-smoking room for 2 for one night, do you have anything?” I asked the lady at the other end.

From the other end of the line came a surprising “YES”.

I wasn’t going to quibble nor worry about the prestige level of the accommodations “How much?”

“69 Euros”

“My name is Potrick Chrisco and I will take it!” YES! I was scared we would be stuck for 200+ Euros. Maybe things are improving, but I will wait until I see the hotel to confirm a change in our karma.

As soon as I hung up people surrounded me, simultaneously asking “who did you call???”. I gave them the info and told Irina to get out of that stinking line we don’t need their stinking help. Which by the way - the same guy was still talking to the service rep.

Grabbed our carry-ons, and stepped out side for our next surprise. Smash, right to the face a cold brisk wind and pellet snow were pounding us. Just wonderful. “Don’t worry Irina, they probably have some kind of covered, sheltered area for us at the shuttle stop.” I could see there were some across the street. But the Swankenburg’s stop was at the end and the only protection from the elements was a light pole. “Where is that frigging bus??”

Standing behind the pole to block the wind, I thought “STUPID YOU! You should have called the hotel back, asked how many rooms they had open, discuss what kind of payment I could get for filling those rooms, and probably had ended up having them pay me to sleep there. Oh well, just another missed opportunity; maybe next time I am stranded in Schiphol. Tonight I just hope the place is OK.”

T-DAY +1 – Saturday 20:00 GMT 12/4/10 (31 hrs awake time)
Finally the Swankenburg shuttle, a beat up old van arrives. “Hope it’s heated”. It was, kinda, most heat came from all the bodies squeezed in to the van. I, the hotel finder for all these people, barley got a seat in van.

A quick 20-minute drive through the winter wonderland countryside and we arrive in the small village and our hotel. Irina could barely stay seated she was sooo excited seeing snow, charming small Dutch houses covered with snow, kids out playing in the snow, idiots out riding their bikes in the snow.

The Swankenburg was a jewel; the hotel room was perfectly cozy, just needed a little more heat. Freshened up and headed for the Chinese restaurant we had passed about a block away.

Irina was in heaven, snow and Chinese food everything she loves. Sloshing through the snow we only saw a few kids out and about. “I hope it’s still open Irina, or we are in trouble. Quit peeking in all the houses, lets get there before they close….. Irina! Forget the real-estate ads on the window, we will go to bed cold and hungry if you don’t hurry.

Finally peering in the window I could see life. Tried the door, still open and the little Chinese lady ushers us in. A pretty big restaurant and only one other group, things must close early on a snowy Swankenburg Saturday Night.

Since arriving in the morning we had only snacked a little at the airline lounge so looking at the menu Irina suggests the 5 course General Wou extravaganza. What the heck, sounds good to me. 5 courses and a few wines later things are mellowing out, but we still had the walk home through the winter wonderland.


I ask for the check and Irina starts talking to the waiter/owner maybe also cook about EU economics. “OH NO, we’ll be here another hour”. He jumps right into Taxes, 15 minutes later Irina moves to Health Care, and after another unknown period of time I finish it up with Currency Exchange – I review the bill and convert Euros to $s. We pay, we leave, we walk to the hotel, we brush our teeth with no toothpaste, we crawl under down covers.

T-DAY +1 – Saturday 22:00 GMT 12/4/10 (33 hrs awake time)
Day one+ in the bag, we sleep like babes.

To be continued