Smoking in Europe is all about the ashtrays

I’ve learned that the difference in Europe, or Budapest at least, in smoking areas and non-smoking areas of public places is the placement of ashtrays. Earlier today, I was sitting in the Budapest airport waiting to board. I grabbed a quick sandwich for lunch. I sat at a non-smoking table, since my table didn’t have an ashtray. The table next to me was a smoking table, since they had an ashtray.

This can be very conveniently self-reconfigured easily. I noticed that one person sat at a non-smoking table (no ashtray), but needed to smoke. So he reached over to the smoking table next to him and took the ashtray, hence “reconfiguring” the arrangement.

Now, I’ve walked through the Frankfurt airport and noticed the “smoking” area is a table in the main hallway with several ashtrays. It was very crowded as people stood and puffed. There was a measure of anynomity, though, since there was quite a cloud of smoke obscuring the smokers.

By the way, this is my first time through the Frankfurt airport in maybe 25 years. It is a l-o-n-g way from my arrival gate A64 to my departure gate A22! It asctually feels like another terminal, but it’s still called “A”.

I’m going from Budapest to Amsterdam for a meeting tomorrow (Monday) helping develop internet evangelism and discipleship for Western Europe.

Well, they are boarding. At least, even in Europe, the flights are non-smoking!