Airport Suggestion

My trip to Brazil is nearly over. I sit in the International terminal having arrived in plenty of time for my flight.  Took a cab from the hotel for a stunning fifty Reals/(about 25 dollars)  less than the price that the crook from the airport charged me when I first arrived and traveled the same route to the hotel.  However, I should comment that the first car was not a clunker.  I saw something in today's cab that I have never seen before. When the driver opened the trunk for my bags, I noticed that the gas tank was actually in the trunk.  Not concealed in any way. When you put your gas in, it went right into a receptacle.  The tank must have been well insulated because there was no odor, but there it sat.

Also at one point for reasons I still don't know, the driver pointed to the glove compartment.  I went to open it thinking that that is what he wanted me to do.  He let out a yelp when I undid the glove door. And now I know why.

The cover kerplunked off letting a host of rags, maps, receipts and who knows what fall to the floor. With one hand on the wheel, the driver leaned over and attempted to put Humpty Dumpty together.  I gently pushed his hand away because what with the gas tank in the trunk I didn't want his preoccupation with the glove compartment to result in our demise. I was able somehow to get the thing back on sort of, but a couple of items were stuck in the cracks. He good naturedly waved as if to say, That's fine.

I got to the airport early because (a) I had to check out of my room and it was cloudy today. Not much to do by the pool or beach and (b) not knowing the language I wanted to make sure I did not have a problem negotiating the signs and lines.  It was a bit disconcerting when I arrived as the place just looks like a huge hanger and signage--even in Portuguese is minimal.   However, for reasons that must make sense but I can't figure out, there are very few international flights--at least that American flies--that do not begin at night and go over night. Here in Brazil, it is only one hour later than in the Eastern time zone, so I cannot fathom what is up with just the overnight flights.  But because there are only overnight flights and because I got here early (though not earliest there were a half dozen multi-luggaged people ahead of me. And within minutes of my getting on queue, at least a dozen standing behind me)  I sailed through customs.

I do have a suggestion for this International airport.  Sell space for a restaurant or two.  There must be a proscription on the sale of alcohol and dinners here, because despite a lot of people arriving during the dinner hour for a later flight on which they will serve a meal for your average moth, there is nothing here to eat.  There are a couple of duty free shops selling duty free overpriced items of which I bought a few, and a couple of spots where you can buy a cookie or a coke, but no place to park yourself and watch a game while you consume and imbibe.  In Kennedy there must have been a half dozen of these joints as I waited forever for my flight to take off last week.  Nothing here.  I've been to airports in small towns that have more in the way of restaurants.  The Brazilians are losing out on some business.

I will survive without the restaurants.  Ate a bunch at the conference and did not work out once-even though they had an excellent facility for doing so and two hotel pools--one for lane swimming. Did not swim a lap. Ate healthily. Eating like a moth might be a good thing for the next twenty four hours.