Traveling in Europe and babies!

It is often said that Europe is an efficient and easy place to travel due to the timely trains and extent of the rail networks. Which doesn't help those of us who travel by plane throughout Europe. I like the trains but they take too long and I prefer to spend as much time as possible at home with my family. And while the airports are similar, the one thing that drives me crazy at the larger airports is that most of the planes park at an outside position (apron position, as the call them) to increase flight volume, away from the terminal and accessible only by bus. So when the plane starts boarding, everyone lines up (and don't get me started on the inability of most of Europe to form and adhere to simple courtesies of lining up) and then boards a bus. They jam as many people in the bus as possible before allowing people to get on the next bus, no one wants to move deeper inside the bus as that will make them last off and so they crowd the doors not allowing others to get on or past them easily. Same thing happens on the arrival side...exit the plane, board a bus, ride sometimes for up to 10 minutes to baggage claim/passport control. While this doesn't sound like a major inconvenience (and its not), its just one more thing in the typical day of a business traveler that adds a few minutes to each end of the trip.

However, there was a bright spot while sitting on the bus this morning. Most non-Germans comment on the Germans' stereotypical stoicism, formality and lack of friendliness. Those of us who have spent time here realize that that is not typically the case once you get to know people. Germans are a bit more reserved, less open to small talk and formal in their day-to-day lives. But once you get to know them and become friends rather than just neighbors or co-workers, they are just as charming as anybody else. So...the bus was almost full this morning and a woman got on carrying a baby who was about 9-10 months old. Someone offered their seat and she sat down. And EVERY person in the front of the bus (mostly adults 40+) could not stop staring and smiling at the baby. Maybe they all had families at home they missed, maybe it was just a rare occurrence to see a baby on a 6 am flight usually full of only business travelers or maybe it had something to do with the holiday season. But seeing the bus transform from one of little emotion and straight faces to one filled with emotion and smiles made my day.