No one goes to SFO on Saturdays because it's too crowded

Yogi Berra supposedly said that....or something like that. All these years I've been saying that SFO has been a bastion of organization and calm in air travel and all this time I've gotten this impression because I never had the misfortune of flying on a Saturday afternoon. Turns out not that many people CHOOSE to take flights at 11pm. But they all want to fly to Amsterdam at 1:55pm on a Saturday afternoon. Really. Every single person.
The Super Shuttle ride took an hour and a half and I was not the first person picked up. Getting through check in took 45 minutes and that is after following the nice Dutch(?) man's advice to self-check in because that line is 'way faster.' Someone taught this dude that Americans react well to 'way' anything and we all fell for it. Anyway, security was crowded but ok. The one highlight was the cute TSA agent who had me wishing I'd left a few coins in my pockets. It did take me 10 minutes to buy water. People were shopping at the shitty airport store like they thought it was Trader Joes. Even the bathroom was a mess- four stalls and someone cleaning up so every time someone thought they were going to get in, she stepped in front of them to go in a sweep and leave toilet paper. She lived but I don't know how. They had us at one of those downstairs gates that feels little like a hamster tank. I got to hear them page someone whose name I swore was Orlando Vagina. Apparently Orlando needed to check in with airline personnel toot sweet or his luggage was going to be disboarded. Who knew? SFO sucks too.

Otherwise can't complain. The flight was smooth. I tried out my new travel pillow that makes my head look like an uncircumcised penis. you can see it right here. I've tried all sorts of pillows and I've decided that no other item is fraught with such mediocrity as the travel pillow. Really, they all just come in various levels of sucking. (I really wish I remembered how to use this blog better so I didn't have to have all the pics separate from the text. But right now it's before 7am and I don't feel like figuring it all out). Anyway, the picture that looks like a clusterfuck is the security line at SFO. And the pictures that look pretty were taken inside the Amsterdam airport. Oh and I also wanted to show you big chunks of chocolate...just because.

I got to Prague and my airport pick-up did not pick me up so I took a taxi for the same price. I got my little apartment. The staff here are really nice and helpful. The woman behind the desk whipped out a map and started showing me where to find the stores and restaurants nearby. After I got settled here I went to a little store to get some fruit and water for my room. I just discovered the water is fruit flavored. This is what happens when you don't read the language. I had dinner outside at a little place I thought was supposed to be health food. I ordered wine. They brought me the big size (again, language). I came back here. I had brought my manuscript (the one that has been plaguing me for years) with me, because I am in the middle of yet another revision and I figured I could get it typed up on the plane. In my paranoia I was afraid if I lost the hard copy, weeks of work would be lost. But I didn't lose it and the revisions were entered and completed last night at my kitchen table while I was fighting to keep my eyes open. I think I got eight hours of sleep. I took the anti-jetlag herbal supplements I won from the white elephant holiday gift exchange at work and I took melatonin, went to bed when it was still light out and woke up at what I think was a respectable 6am. Here is my bedroom. 

Today I am going to see the bridge, or the castle, or both. I'm going to check out this hotel breakfast in a bit. I hope it doesn't rain but I have an umbrella and that plastic noisy jacket I bought for Thailand but never used.