You lift me up...Stuck in a lift ?

says the inspirational song. A very nice one actually. Last saturday, I was out shopping with me wife at one of our local supermarket stores here in the Netherlands. Digros. We drove allthe way up the winding car garage, as it seems everyone had the same idea: do some shopping on your free saturday. So, parking the car on the 8th floor !, we now made our way to go downstairs. I saw a couple where the lady decided to go down the stairs, even though her partner would have liked to use the lift instead, he followed her. On the contrary, I thought, well, we should use the lift, but my dear wife, (now don't blame her after a tiring week, preferred the lift) We got in with a couple and their 2 children, an some 4 or 5 other People. Lift started downwards then disaster. It stopped just after the 4th floor . Actually between the 4th and 3 rd. help ! One of the kids began to cry and was reassured by the mum. I tried to slow my breathing before an attach of 'claustrophobia' set in ( I have been a sufferer previously) and then reached for the alarm as well as someone else.

This was uncharted territory for me. I have heard of it and maybe watched too many films with people stuck in lifts. Not a great experience. We all started chatting, all complete strangers :-)After some 5 - 10 mins, we had a voice letting us know that they were walking on it. However, all attempts to reset the lift system failed. So, they prised the doors open, and we had to climb out and I was able to lend a hand in helping people up. That feels good. Afterwards we stumbled across one of thge people in the store and smiled at one another. I guess we become acquaintances for life .

Ever got stuck in a lift before? let's hear about it

What you lookin' at ???

The things you have to get used to in life at times. I do quite a bit of travel. Sometimes to countries outside western Europe. No problem with that you'd say. However, I happened to
have travelled to Skopje in the (Former Yugoslav Republic) of Macedonia. What are you doing
there ? work :-)

This seems to be one of those places where they seem not to have encountered people of a different colour. In the Balkans, they have enough troubles fighting themselves . As I took a
long walk up the Stone Bridge which crosses the river Wawa ?? to the 'Albanian' side. I got
All kinds of curious looks. young girls looked and gigled. Old women just stared. A few young boys looked so bemused. Then a few older guys passed by and dared to comment ! "African people " he said as they passed by. I said back charmingly .. "Aren't they just wonderful ?"

Calling all African people ... Macedonia waits for you LOL a million times