131003 Lost & Recovery

The purpose of the following story is to thank many people in a chain of events leading to a happy ending.

On Thursday 3rd October 2013, I transit through the Zurich International Airport. Due to the long layover, I pulled out my tablet for some reading and entertainment. As usual, I plugged my tablet into an outlet to recharge the battery for the long flight ahead.

When boarding time was announced, I pulled the plug, rolled up the cord and put them in my backpack. I proceeded to board the aircraft. Once the plane leveled out after take-off, I reached for my tablet. To my horror, I realized I left it back in Zurich.

I immediately notified the flight attendant. She offered to inform the captain at her earliest convenience, in hope he could contact the gate agents. Of course, she had to give priority to her duty servicing all the other passengers in her section. But all effort to contact the gate agents in Zurich was not successful. Upon landing in Washington D.C., the flight attendant gave me contact information of the lost-and-found office of United Airlines in hope the people there could be of help and wished me luck.

Once home, I called the main switch board of United Airlines and requested help. After a good search, the agent gave me contact information of the Swissport International at the Zurich International Airport. Not only did I call, I also send them a picture of photo used on my lock screen and a phrase inscribed by laser in the back of my tablet. The staff of Swissport International positively identified my tablet and offered to send it free of charge to the nearest airport served by Swiss Air.

After a few days, my tablet arrived at the Los Angeles International airport. The staff of Lufthansa (since Swiss Air is a subsidiary of Lufthansa) at LAX emailed me information on how to retrieve it. I was able to reclaim my tablet, intact and fully charged, from LAX a few days later. The people of Swissport International did a masterful job of packaging my tablet.

This happy conclusion could not be possible without the honesty of a stranger or strangers who happened to see my tablet near the gate of United Airlines at the Zurich International Airport. I sincerely Thank You and wish you Happiness and the Very Best Fortune in life.

To the staff of Swissport International at Zurich International Airport, I send my appreciation to all of you for handling and returning my tablet.

To the flight attendant and the captain of the United 937 of 3rd October 2013, Thank You for all your effort. You went above and beyond your duty to help. To the staff at main switchboard of United Airlines, Thank You for putting me in touch with the right people at Swissport International.

To the staff of Lufthansa at LAX, Thank You for your help and professionalism in making sure that I got my tablet back.

To our friends, TD & Kim Dang, Thank You for hosting us for a night in your beautiful home when we went to LAX & Southern California to pick up my tablet.

To anyone I overlook in this chain of events, please accept my apologies and sincere thanks.

And finally, to my spouse. Thank you for all your love, understanding and encouragement. Your positive attitude was a great help. I Love You.

130914 Central Europe

I received a remarkable chance to travel to central Europe for work from mid September to early October.  The assignment was, as usual, the result of hard work from colleagues around the company, especially those in our European offices.  It called for me to spend two weeks in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, a small town at the eastern tip of the Czech Republic, followed by a few days in Grenoble, France.

To reach Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, which has no airport available because of its small size, my travel plan called for me to land in Vienna, Austria, then to drive some 3 hours, mostly through Slovakia.  But another colleague would need to join me for the first two weeks of this assignment.  However, due to prior commitment, he would arrive in Vienna 24 hours after me.  I gladly delayed my drive to Rožnov pod Radhoštěm by a day.  So, I spent a night in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, before returning to Vienna airport to pick this colleague up.  While in the capital of Austria, I was able to enjoy the famous Wiener Schnitzel and the slice of Sachertorte.

Bratislavský hrad (castle).

Wiener (Viennese) Schnitzel.

Sachertorte is a chocolate cake with apricot jam in the middle - Delicious with coffee.

The drive from Vienna to Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic, was punctuated by rain.  A long the way, my colleague and I noticed many medieval castles.  We wished we had time to visit and learn their interesting histories.

Rožnov pod Radhoštěm is a pleasant little town, surrounded by mountains.  Its claim to fame is the Valachian Open-air Museum.  The nearby area also has many hiking trails and other nature attractions.  But my colleague and I were there for business.  Our weekdays were spent with the customer.  Besides, the weather was rainy and cold most of the time.  It gave us a good reason to drive around town, after work, and sample the delicious regional cuisine.

Rožnov pod Radhoštěm.

Rainbow over Rožnov pod Radhoštěm.

Rožnov pod Radhoštěm.

Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic, on a Saturday evening.

Sunday came with a break in weather.  The sun peaked out from behind thick clouds.  Taking advantage of this situation, my colleague and I visited the Valachian Open-air Museum.  It showcased the old way people of the region lived long ago in three separate exhibits: the wooden townlet, the watermill valley, and the Wallachian village.  There were craftsmen, such as carpenters and blacksmiths, making and selling their wares on premise.  A herd of sheep and flocks of chickens roamed freely about, as they would before the modern era.

The main church at the Open Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic.

Inside the Church at the Open Air Museum of Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic.

Woodcarver plying his craft at the Open Air Museum in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, Czech Republic.

At the end of our second week in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, we returned to Bratislava, where my colleague had other work commitments.  The capital of Slovakia has many fascinating attractions.  But I chose to spend a day in Vienna, Austria, instead.  In the middle of this metropolis is the grand Stephansdom, the Cathedral of St Stephan.  Its vast interior is magnificently decorated with statues of key figures and colorful paintings of religious scenes of the Christian faith.

Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral) in Vienna, Austria.

Inside the Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral) in Vienna, Austria.

Rain and clouds welcomed me in Grenoble.  This wet weather made me think that autumn and winter were chasing away summer in Europe.  The few days I had in the French capital of the Alps were spent at the office of the customer.  After work, I was able to photograph a few scenes around town before the sunlight disappeared.  But I was delighted to discover Grenoble is twinned with Phoenix, AZ - my hometown.

Grenoble, France, and the "bulles" (bubbles) of its Téléphérique, connecting the town to the Bastille castle.

Place Victor Hugo in Grenoble, France.

After completing my work in Grenoble, I drove to Lyon and spent a night at a hotel next to the airport, since my flight home was scheduled early the next morning.  The terminal of the world renowned TGV at the St Exupery airport in Lyon is a very interesting building.  Its shape conveys speed and modernity.

The TGV train station at the St Exupery International Airport of Lyon, France.

On my way home, I had a long layover in Zurich, Switzerland.  While there, I had mental lapse moment.  But that story is for another blog.  The rest of my voyage back to Phoenix, Arizona, was uneventful.

My gratitude goes to my colleagues of the European office, whose hard work resulted in this wonderful journey.

More pictures of my trip to central Europe are at https://picasaweb.google.com/108013863525571472697/130914CentralEurope.

Thank you for visiting.
Paul