Ciao Amsterdam

Well, what a surprise I had when I got to the airport in Amsterdam. For the few years I've been traveling I have either earned or purchased the admission to the lounges. Worth it for me. I won't even say how much it now costs since I don't fly 50,000 miles a year. Today I arrive at the lounge and find out that regardless of what I paid, I am no longer allowed into the international lounges because I do NOT have the gold rating, which is 50,000 miles! I am livid and I will be in touch with united as soon as I get home, but unfortunately they won't care. The merger is such a bad deal for the middle of the road traveler like me. They joined two airlines who both had many premium members, twice as many people with flight benefits, more than they can handle so they cut the benefits for the lower level, which would be me. So glad I enjoyed travel when I did, now it is much less pleasant in so many ways. I have two connections and it looks like my first flit will be delayed because it should leave in less than an hour, and the plane hasn't even arrived yet. Might be a miserable day of travel... Dinner last night was lovely. The manager of the restaurant kept thanking me for such a lovely picture, so nice of her. After my dinner of stampot with bacon, sausage and a meatball, I decided to take a walk. I've never seen the red light district so after being assured I would be safe I headed out. A very interesting experience, and not nearly as shocking as I had anticipated. So now I have seen it, and it is just the way it was described! They say the plane is on time so time to sign off and get ready for the first part of my all day journey...first stop...Frankfurt...