Schipol

You give up a lot when you travel.  You give up money, comfort, privacy, control, food, drinks, and even the time of day.  Finding my way through the airport in the Netherlands has not been too difficult so far.  At first the Dutch language reminded me of the German or Polish I heard as a kid.  Now that I am waiting for the next connection, the language has shifted to more Italian. I prepared for this trip by watching a collection of Sicilian movies. I still can't understand the language but it feels familiar.   I had a long wait in the security line for non-European passports.  On a giant two story window was a huge clock with a diameter of about 15 feet.  The hour hand was dark brown.  A figure of a man behind frosted glass painted the minute hand very carefully.  When the minute was up he wiped off the paint with a rag and proceeded to paint the next minute hand.  He paints and cleans up paint every minute around the clock. He has to bend down because he keeps his supplies on the floor by his feet, down by the 6. If you have to stand in line for a long time, this unusual clock certainly helped pass the time.