SCENE
Radisson Hotel-Reykjavik-Iceland
(Buffet dining room
breakfast)
Don sits at the table with a no smoking symbol emblazoned in the
area. H eis having trouble breathing. He pours himself a cup of
tea abd a glass of orange juice, service is very slow!
He sits to relax and read tourist information on iceland
Enter threee European men who sit next to don in the "non smoking"
section. They make eye contact as they sip their morning coffee and devour theiy're food.
They then beging to speak loudly with little regard to the patrons
around them. The man sitting in the middle reaches into his pocket
and pulls out a cigar, the others follow suit and also pull out
cigarettes. As the younger gentleman lights his cigarette, one of
his colleagues returns to the table with a couple of ashtrays, paying
no mind to it being a non smoking araesa. The breakfast area quickly
fills up wih second hand smoke. Don watches in amazement as 5 other
paople who are also sitting in the non smoking area also light up.
As the layer of smoke quickly growslarger around the dining area.
Don's attention is distracted by a oman who is putting on hand lotion
while standing over the food bar. She rubs her hand together spreading
the lotion on her hands, arms, wrist, etc.
She then graabs a loaf of bread and with her bare hands breaks off
a chunk of bread and places it on her plate. Leaving behind the
rest of the now lotion covered loaf of bread. She then proceeds
to the breakfast bar and picks up pieces of food with her hand and
nibbles while standing over the breakfast bar!
This type of behavior is foreign to many american tourists, who
must strictly obey non smoking regulations and also have strict
health regulations in restaurants. But they are not in the Radisson
in the USA, They are in a hotel in Reykjavik, Iceland and
this type of beahavior is ignored by the mostly teenage staff that busses the tables.
Don catapults out of his chair and places the oil covered bread
into the trash. Now feeling kind of sick and gasping for breath.
Don asks the 3 european men to move to the smoking section of the
restarurant. His request is ignored by the 3 men.
A medical professional is also waging a complaint about the smoking.
Her gestures are also ignored by the 3 men and the staff alike.
Don then flashes back to the Bowery Coffee houses in NYC, Where
he sometimes volunteers feeding the homeless and the down and out!
There are similarities between the dining habits of the mission
and some of the guests of the hotel. The major differance is that
rooms are not $150 a night at teh bowery mission.
As Don pondered his stay in this real life "Hotel Californa" . It
was time to make his move, He grabbed 2 of the ashtrays which were
now filled with ashes and cigarette butts and returned them to the
bar. The 3 men who smelled of the stench of tobacco, the 3 men then
retreated to the service desk of the hotel and then left.
The front desk staff was amazed that someone had actually apid attention
to the non smoking signs and had actually expected the rules to
be enforced. When the desk manager was told that the conditions
were unsanitary and unhealthy and that a hotel could be sues for
such negligence in the usa. Her response was "that is why we laugh
at the USA" "You sue over everything".
The above incident is only the tip of the iceberg! You will hear details on all the misadventures
of the SAS Radisson hotel in Reykjavik, Iceland. These types of stories demonstrate the attitude that is held by many when the issue is smoking,
health and child welfare! Scientists have demonstrated that second hand smoke kills! What is the differance between
cigarettes and other poisons? The end result is the same!