Comments on: Israeli Adventuring (first day–from Houston to Heathrow)

By: TexAnne

TexAnne — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:20:05 +0000

Seresy–French soldiers have been hanging around in Paris train stations for a long time now–it’s called “Opération Vigipirate,” and it dates from the last wave of mad Algerian bombers. Wikipedia tells me it’s been activated in 1995, 2000, and 2004, but I don’t think they ever send the guys home.

OTOH, one of those heavily armed gentlemen helped me haul my suitcase through a turnstile. I thought that was very kind of him.

By: seresy

seresy — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:57:46 +0000

I very sneakily took some pictures of the soldiers hanging around the Gare du Nord train station in Paris a couple of months ago- they were all keeping the peace by wielding VERY heavy machinery. Assault rifles in a French train station are the weirdest security measures I’ve seen yet.

By: madclarinet

madclarinet — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:20:27 +0000

You only really see armed British police at the airport. Those ones are heavily armed and really highly trained. I first flew in the early 90’s from Stanstead and they were armed just as well (although no taser at that time).

Normal British police aren’t armed with guns (although more are being armed with tasers) other than specialist units.

Flight progress is pretty fun to watch – I use it if there isn’t anything I want to watch on the entertainment system.

By: Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:49:42 +0000

Awww I cannot possibly essssplain how warmfuzzy it makes me feel to know that you thought of me and my habit errrr obsessions errrr HOBBY! over Ireland. Welcome home darlins!

By: nimuejohn

nimuejohn — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:40:39 +0000

I think it’d make a really cool McGuffin for a James Bond flick.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 22:02:11 +0000

Gotta love the TSA – courageously protecting the country from dangerous knickknacks.

By: nimuejohn

nimuejohn — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:35:13 +0000

This Monday my Phoenix-to-Minneapolis flight sat at the gate while TSA searched carry-on luggage for a snow globe. Who brings a snow globe to Minneapolis from Phoenix?

By: malaheed

malaheed — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:33:19 +0000

Heathrow is regarded as a prime target, so the police there are very heavily armed and make sure that they are seen. It’s only recently that we did have an attack on a Scottish airport with someone trying to drive a car into the entrance area.

It’s still very rare for british police officers (outside of the specialist firearm units) to be armed.

By: Ella

Ella — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:00:54 +0000

Fascinating, in a horrific kind of way–and here I was fondly dreaming of a cosmopolitan lifestyle.

Reading this post, I constantly expected the no-smoking issue to surface, since you elaborated upon (read: cursed) it so thoroughly during the con, but I guess PTSD must have blocked out the memories. My belated consolations, since the return trip couldn’t have been much better.

All the more reason to stay in Israel, amirite? ;)

By: Miramon

Miramon — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:38:19 +0000

Those must have been some special forces of some kind. As Guy suggested, maybe there is special protection for Israeli flights.

I was in London for a week in June, and saw not a single gun the whole time I was there, either in town or at the airport.

Well, there were some at the War museum, but they were behind glass….