To catch our flight from Frankfurt to Seattle we had to leave Barcelona at 6:50AM, necessitating getting to the Barcelona airport by 5AM and thus leaving the hotel by 4:30AM. The good news is that traffic at that time would be minimal but European airports are always busy that time of the day. The transfer went smoothly and because we were in business class the trip through security and immigration went quickly and we were soon in the Lufthansa lounge to await our departure. The transfer in Frankfurt also went smoothly and we were soon ensconced in our cubicles headed non-stop to Seattle.We both managed to recapture some of the sleep we lost last night and passed the time reading or playing games as the movies being shown on the flight were a bit disappointing for some reason.

Once we landed in Seattle and proceeded to customs we could not believe how the global entry process has become even more streamlined. You walk up to a kiosk which takes your picture and within a second or two you either get a green light or told you need to see someone. The kiosks used to print out a form that you had to give to an agent who further queried you. This time there was an agent standing near the kiosk who simply asked “ did you buy anything you need to declare”. When we said “no” he said “ welcome home” and we walked out of the international terminal with our lugggage. The whole process took less than 5 minutes! Amazing advancement to what was an archaic system. Kudos to the US Immigration Department.

We claimed our parked car and only had to wait about 20 minutes for our ferry to leave Seattle and return us to Bainbridge Island, a 20 minute drive to our home. It was good to be home, safe and sound, once again! Time to plan the next trip!

Epilogue

1. I really liked AmaWaterways. The ship and staff were excellent. The way they handle excursions is marvelous, and the local tour guides they use were all outstanding. The food and service in the restaurant was excellent. My only (minor) complaint was I had hoped there would be more French inspired dishes offered at mealtime.

2. The Rhone River landscape is not as dramatic as the German rivers, which seemed to have castles on hillsides wherever you looked. On the other hand, the French towns we visited had awesome Roman ruins to see.

3. The four of us really liked the three day pre and post trip options that AmaWaterways offers as part of their river trips. I would not like to fly that distance simply for a seven day cruise.

4. I was somewhat shocked at how busy both France and Spain were, even though this was not high season, I would hate to be there in the height of summer. For you travelers I would certainly suggest you go early or late in the season to avoid the crowds.

 “Travel opens your heart, broadens your mind, and fills your life with stories to tell.” – Paula Bendfelt