I'm in Dublin. Finally, after three years away and a long eventfull trip. After packing everything, we still had to run to the shops if I could find the DVD from Renascer Praise 13 so I could take it in the trip.
Anyway, the Iberia took off on time, and we had uneventull eleven hour flight (or was it more? I lost count after some time). I slept a little, ate the meat and potatoes meal they served and watched a crappy sappy film in the flight movie. At least I was right the first seat in the economic section, so it means just a wall in front of me. Perfect, I could strech my legs!
Something curious happened in Spain. I was supposed to board the flight to Dublin in gate H, but when I was supposed to go through immigration control they told me to go to U something. Then while I stayed there they told me it was R49.. by this time I was already pissed and when finally someone sat down at the Iberia panel I asked for info.
Curious info regarding this: apparently there was a great increase of Brazilians travelling to Dublin through Madrid, and when they arrived in Madrid they did not go through immigration and were deported back to Madrid. So the immigration control is not stamping the passports of Brazilians anymore, so they will not have the stamp from an European country, and are directly deported to Brazil. Lovely isn't it?
When I heard that I said "what??? are you implying they are going to deport me? I'm fu^%$%$%^$ up, my trip is paid, are you crazy?" Finally the Iberia operator calmed down and said as I was going for a short stay probably there would be no problem.
But I sweated cold for a couple of hours, and just really calmed down when I got my suitcase and hugged Moira in Dublin airport.
I got a five day visa for Dublin. how did I get it? The irish man in the passport control asked me for the purpose of the trip:
pass guy: (thick irish accent)"business or pleasure?"
me: Pleasure of course!
pass guy: Are you resident in Madrid?
me: No, I had a five hour connection there.
pass guy: What do you do for a living in Brazil?
me: I work in a visa office.
pass guy: Cool! would you make a visa for me?
me: Sure, just give me a call and we prepare the paperwork!
After that he stamped my passport.
