Northern Exposure

While I was stuck in Heathrow overnight (ok, in a hotel near Heathrow) I imagined I would be bragging about my suffering for weeks to come. Now it turns out that a lot of people were doing a lot worse. A lot lot. I know because I see them on TV every day.

Only days after I left, JFK closed, due to snow. And, even more scary, the subway broke down (partly). An A train got stuck at a station near JFK, and the MTA did not manage to get the passengers out for eight hours straight. They let them use the bathrooms at the manned train station, though. That begs the question: How did the MTA employees get there, and couldn't that have been a way to get the passengers out? After all, all they had to do is get them to the next subway stop.

Berlin is not that much better; here it's the S-Bahn that is breaking down. Some lines have been discontinued completely, other lines are running delayed or at half capacity. Everything is very full, and very cold, and ice is hanging everywhere. The fire departments warns of roofs that could collapse because they can't handle the weight of the snow. The stores have run out of chocolate Santa Clauses and gingerbread, so, on second thought, I am suffering indeed.