could really push it this time since Tegel has about five gates.
Randi said she comes an hour before takeoff so I figured I could do a
cool 45 and roll in as the plane is boarding.
The only other time I've been here was when I arrived in Berlin and I
was in such a daze about not getting let in I made no note of the
security situation. Primarily, does it exist? I found the check-in
counter for my flight but I didn't see any signs for the actual gate.
Since I wasn't checking a bag I milled around the line to find someone
to ask. I found a lady and asked her in German. She looked at me like
I was a idiot but a least answered in German. I was standing right in
front of the gate. Apparently, the gate, check-in, and security are
all one. The folks in the security line are looking at me like "who's
this idiot, I bet she brought full sized liquids". I couldn't appear
more American: Homemade Snuggies jacket, bootcut jeans, and sneakers
not really helping my cause.
I approached the "gate" and asked die Tursteherin (door lady) if I was
in the right spot. "Yes, but you need to go over there (the other side
of the desk) and get a sticker on your boarding pass and come back."
So I went over there and asked a group flight staff folks about how to
get into the gate. A nice man responded "over there" and pointed back
at the lady I just spoken with - who was watching us, btw. I asked him
if he could give me a sticker which I realized made me sound like an 8
year old. All the people in line who had just seen me confused about
where the door was were now watching the latest advancement. The guy
laughed and gave me TWO stickers! I went back to the tursteherin and
showed her my stickers. She was upset. This "security" process was not
up to her standards. She told me to go back and have him ask me
questions. So I went back and asked to be questioned. Mind you, we are
about 15 feet away from the lady. He asks the standard: What were you
doing in Berlin? But then digresses to: Do you like it here? What
neighborhood do you live in...etc. It was quite a pleasant chat! After
a minute or two I went back to the lady who was now even more annoyed.
She let me through but I think that dude got in trouble becase after I
was gone she yelled at him Deutsch. After the pat down I'm now in the
waiting area for my flight, right on time.
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