One of my favorite international airport

What are the factors that you like about airports?  Well, one aspect that I like is how easy is it to reach the terminal.  I like to start at the beginning.  Once at the terminal, I like to breeze through the check-in process and security, which has become much more difficult after 9-11.  Although I am grossly negligent in doing so for domestic travel within the United States, I always arrive early for international departures or when I am traveling abroad, so I expect to have to wait and wait and wait!  Airports can be terribly boring or not so boring.  I like the not so boring … either have a nice lounge or interesting shops.  Provide me some amusement.  I grudgingly almost belong to the generation that is amusing itself to death.  Among my travels thus far, I think that I have found such an airport.

A couple of years ago, we visited Amsterdam.  I must say that I was most impressed with their airport.  I liked Amsterdam too and no, I didn’t visit the red light district or coffee shops.  The Amsterdam airport is very clean and easy to navigate, but even better, there are many shops to occupy your time.  I must admit that on arrival I did not notice so much how nice the airport was.  I was ready to start exploring the city; however, on departing Amsterdam, I realize, “what a nice airport?”  We were departing early in the morning and there was not much of a crowd.  Our taxi took us directly to our terminal where we easily checked in and proceeded through security, hassle free.  Everything was easy to find and follow.  To our surprise, it seemed as if all the shops where open, so we bought those last minute gifts, which were probably 10 times more at the airport than the city.  Our gate area was not impressive, but the rest of the airport was.

As airports go, this one is nice … so, is the city!