What Happened In The Miami International Airport, Miami, FL., when en route to Ecuador

In Nov., 2009,an acqintance told me about his trip the month before to Ecuador,partially on business and as a tourist. It sounded interesting, but at the time I thought who wants to go to Ecuador? Well, in Jan 2010 one evening when I was bored I thought why not Google Ecuador. Well, I did, and that was my mistake. Before I knew it I had discovered an Ecuordian airline that had a special rate on that expired the next night. The airline was LAN, the rate...roundtrip...Miami to Quito, Ecuador, was only $399.00--couldn't be cheaper. Next thing I knew I had made a reservation and paid for the ticket all online. Then I discovered American Airlnes' commuter service called American Eagle was innagurating a flight two weeks before my departure which was April 19th that would take me nonstop from Birmingham to Miami, so I made a roundtrip reservation and paid for the ticket all online. Boy, was I getting brave having never been out of the States...well, except to Tijuana, of course, when I was in the USN in San Diego...oops, I forgot about the tour several years before that to Copper Canyon in Mexico. Anway here I was 83 years old, travelling alone, going to a foreign country...My friends thought I was nuts...maybe I wasn't far from it. The flight from Birmingham to Miami took less than two hours, arriving early in the morning. My flight to Quito was scheduled to leave at 4:30. I realized that I had a long layover but I didn't mind that. So, I found out which gate the LAN jet would depart from and meandered in that direction, which happened to be at the other end of this large airpot and on a lower floor. So, here I go with a tote bag and pulling my roller bag. (This event which is about to take place was after I had been in the airport for a couple of hours or so) I see a sign pointing out a Men's Restroom. Not knowing how far it would be to the next one, I thought maybe I better stop by. I noticed two uniformed policemen near me, each holding on to a guard dog....as I passed by, the dogs lunged at me. I froze in my steps knowing I had nothing on me unless somebody had slipped something in my tote bag. One of the policemen turned around, smiling and greeting me said, "Sir, do you have food in that bag?" I said, "Yes, sir, I have Oreos and Fig Newtons" Then he said, "Go, ahead, that's all right" Boy, was I relieved. The dogs are trained to detect food as smugglers have been known to put drugs inside food. All along there are benches where you can sit and rest. As I was sitting on one, I turned around where you could see a floor below and there was a man sprawled out on the floor. People passed and no one helped him. I got up and viewed him from a slight different angle and then noticed he actually was kneeling....yes, facing the East and saying his prapers...that's why no one stopped to help him......oh, mesodumb....I understand the Muslims pray five times a day, or more if they choose. So I have lunch...a green salad with ham and cheese.......and start out again. Before long I sat on a bench and nearby the tourist were having their bags wrapped with a cellophane wrapping machine.....which I had never seen before. When there was no longer anyone in line, I stepped over and asked the attendant what this was all about.He said these passengers were going to Cuba, and they do this to keep thieves from breaking into their bags. Well, I finally get to the LAN waiting area. The plane was to depart at 4:30. Best I recall it was about 3pm then. The waiting room is filling up...apparently the flight was a sellout. So to pass time, you speak to a few people, and they speak to you, etc. One man from Georgia was going to Ecuador to instigate buying (or renting??) land on which he would raise ferns for the florist business; he already had such a farm in Guatemala....well, before long it was time to load. Then the attendant announced there would be a short delay because, "They have to fix a broken part". Of all things to tell us. ( I would have made up anything except that; but then it wouldn't be telling the truth, would it? ) Well, this went on about every 30 minutes...still fixing the broken part...and then she says..about 20 minutes until 6pm..that if it isn't fixed by 6pm the flight will be cancelled. Then right at 6pm she says, "OK, the part has been fixed, let's start loading" Was I going to get on that plane?????? I think I was about the last one to get up and head towards the loading zone only doing so when I saw no one else was afraid the plane would have another broken part. It took 4 hours to get to Quito. I had a great seatmate who had an insurance business in Miami but was a native of Guayaquil..the largest city in Ecuador...where he also had an insurance business. I must say here that the flight attendants were great, the plane was clean, the food was OK...no complaints whatsoever. I would fly LAN again anytime and they keep sending me these temptations. So, this is what happended in the Miami International Airport when I was en route to Ecuador.