Off to Berlin, on to Met life stadium

I have had the great fortune to travel around the world a bit, especially in the past 5 years or so. I have been going to Geneva and Rome to collaborate with The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN on food ingredient safety issues sine 1998. These work trips are really work, but you can’t complain, I mean really - the locations! There is always a bit of time to look around wherever you are and experience a different culture, different people, different food, different music. Rome is my favorite city (away from home). I never say no to these opportunities.

Tomorrow, I am heading to Berlin for the first time, to participate in a meeting of pesticide residue experts and toxicologists (WHO and FAO) that examines limits on commodities to insure the safe use of pesticides. Having never done this exact work, I am a little intimidated, but confident that I can successfully complete our tasks. You don’t move ahead without being challenged. This is a business trip, so no flourishes; I’m staying in a two-star hotel and using public transportation for the 30-minute ride to the office. Hopefully, I will get to have some schnitzel and a beer!

I am flying Icelandair, through Reykjavík. It’s a good budget airline (its affiliate, WOW, is even cheaper, but you get nothing included in the fare.) that lets more of us gateway to Europe. I’ve spent a week In Iceland and the government is working hard to bring tourists in - despite some resident’s concerns that we are a pain in their asses (we can be, of course). You can usually do multi-day stopovers at no extra cost. It’s an amazing natural wonder, as it is almost exclusively volcanic rock. Hot springs, hot baths, hot lakes, hot rivers, and even volcanically heated municipal swimming pools (The Blue Lagoon is a glorified version, but worth the visit) abound. Every day I soaked in a different hot water! I’m only there for an hour this time.

Pictures and impressions of the trip, with some recommendations, to follow.

I’ve said that I like cliches, and especially movie quotes. “A man has got to know his limitations” (from a film in the the seventies). I admit to some weaknesses. I’m a New York Jets fan, died in the wool. I saw Joe Namath live at Shea back in the day. It was a frozen December day and we lost, of course. I’ve been at horrible Jet losses - I witnessed the Dan Marino fake spike loss - and some great (if more infrequent) wins - a comeback from 14 down late in the game to tie, then win 51-45 in overtime. Here’s a historical tidbit - I was watching the now-famous Heidi game. As the Sam Darnold era begins, and it began spectacularly, I hope for the best, but expect the worst. It’s the curse of an old guy Jets fan. Never give up on what creates that special place for you. Seriously, even pointless football games.

I am just stretching my legs with these first few posts. Suggestions will be considered - hatred will be ignored. I’ve remembered to turn on the comments this time. Don’t skip the experience.