German woman spends decade in Palma's airport

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008.../spain.germany

German woman spends decade in Palma's airport

Bettina sleeping at Palma de Mallorca's airport. Photograph: Jaime
Reina/AFP/Getty

More than 20 million travellers pass through Palma de Mallorca's
airport each year and at first glance Bettina could be just another
tourist waiting for a flight home. But she never checks in.

The 48-year-old German has been living at the airport - known as Son
Sant Joan - for 10 years, pushing her three suitcases, a blanket, a
pile of books and her white cat, Mumu, around with her. Referred to in
the airport simply as "the woman with the cat", Bettina has become as
much a part of the airport as the planes and runways.

Her story recalls the Tom Hanks film The Terminal, which was
reportedly inspired by the story of man who lived at Charles de Gaulle
airport near Paris for 18 years after his documents were stolen.

Bettina, who refuses to disclose her full name, is from a small town
in southern Germany. She arrived in Mallorca more than 10 years ago
for a new start after a relationship ended and she lost her office
job. She landed odd jobs working as a waitress then helping in a
kitchen, but the dream of living in the sun turned sour. "Suddenly
there was no work because they only give jobs to Spaniards," she told
the local Diario de Mallorca newspaper. "I wanted to work in Mallorca
but I got stranded here."

With no job, home or money, she began living in the airport, where she
gets by on the kindness of friends or strangers. "One friend brings me
something to eat twice a week. Sometimes people give me a bit of money
as well, but I don't ask anyone for anything."

Amid the bustle of the airport, Bettina is often seen quietly reading,
dressed smartly in jeans and a sweatshirt. She cleans herself and her
clothes in the toilets, while departure lounge seats serve as beds.
But she has no desire to return to Germany. "No way. Life is better
for me here."

She is popular among airport staff. "She is intelligent, discreet and
does not bother anyone. She says she has made this her home because
she has everything she needs here," said cleaner María Jesús Rueda
García, 54. "Things didn't work out so she has come to live here. She
can get by and is not a beggar because she has income - I have seen
her take money out of the cashpoint. This could happen to us all."

Marie-Carmen Gallárdo, 40, a cafe worker, said: "She has been here 10
years - the same as me. Perhaps at Christmas she goes home to see her
family."

The airport authorities turn a blind eye to Bettina. "She has never
bothered anyone and as this is a public building she can use the
facilities - washing in the toilets or cleaning her clothes," said
Marta Fernández, spokeswoman for Aena, the state company that manages
Spain's airports.

Bettina is not the only one to live in a Spanish airport. Generally,
such residents are tolerated so long as they do not bother passengers.
In Britain, four people were given asbos for living at Gatwick.

"Brussels Hilton" a écrit dans le message de
...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008.../spain.germany

German woman spends decade in Palma's airport

Bettina sleeping at Palma de Mallorca's airport. Photograph: Jaime
Reina/AFP/Getty

More than 20 million travellers pass through Palma de Mallorca's
airport each year and at first glance Bettina could be just another
tourist waiting for a flight home. But she never checks in.

The 48-year-old German has been living at the airport - known as Son
Sant Joan - for 10 years, pushing her three suitcases, a blanket, a
pile of books and her white cat, Mumu, around with her. Referred to in
the airport simply as "the woman with the cat", Bettina has become as
much a part of the airport as the planes and runways.

Her story recalls the Tom Hanks film The Terminal, which was
reportedly inspired by the story of man who lived at Charles de Gaulle
airport near Paris for 18 years after his documents were stolen.

Bettina, who refuses to disclose her full name, is from a small town
in southern Germany. She arrived in Mallorca more than 10 years ago
for a new start after a relationship ended and she lost her office
job. She landed odd jobs working as a waitress then helping in a
kitchen, but the dream of living in the sun turned sour. "Suddenly
there was no work because they only give jobs to Spaniards," she told
the local Diario de Mallorca newspaper. "I wanted to work in Mallorca
but I got stranded here."

With no job, home or money, she began living in the airport, where she
gets by on the kindness of friends or strangers. "One friend brings me
something to eat twice a week. Sometimes people give me a bit of money
as well, but I don't ask anyone for anything."

Amid the bustle of the airport, Bettina is often seen quietly reading,
dressed smartly in jeans and a sweatshirt. She cleans herself and her
clothes in the toilets, while departure lounge seats serve as beds.
But she has no desire to return to Germany. "No way. Life is better
for me here."

She is popular among airport staff. "She is intelligent, discreet and
does not bother anyone. She says she has made this her home because
she has everything she needs here," said cleaner María Jesús Rueda
García, 54. "Things didn't work out so she has come to live here. She
can get by and is not a beggar because she has income - I have seen
her take money out of the cashpoint. This could happen to us all."

Marie-Carmen Gallárdo, 40, a cafe worker, said: "She has been here 10
years - the same as me. Perhaps at Christmas she goes home to see her
family."

The airport authorities turn a blind eye to Bettina. "She has never
bothered anyone and as this is a public building she can use the
facilities - washing in the toilets or cleaning her clothes," said
Marta Fernández, spokeswoman for Aena, the state company that manages
Spain's airports.

Bettina is not the only one to live in a Spanish airport. Generally,
such residents are tolerated so long as they do not bother passengers.
In Britain, four people were given asbos for living at Gatwick.

Yessssss...........

--
Best
Greg

" I find Greg Morrow lowbrow, witless, and obnoxious. For him to claim that
we are some
kind of comedy team turns my stomach."
- "cybercat" to me on rec.food.cooking


"Runge12" wrote in message
...

"Brussels Hilton" a écrit dans le message de
...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008.../spain.germany

German woman spends decade in Palma's airport

Bettina sleeping at Palma de Mallorca's airport. Photograph: Jaime
Reina/AFP/Getty

More than 20 million travellers pass through Palma de Mallorca's
airport each year and at first glance Bettina could be just another
tourist waiting for a flight home. But she never checks in.

The 48-year-old German has been living at the airport - known as Son
Sant Joan - for 10 years, pushing her three suitcases, a blanket, a
pile of books and her white cat, Mumu, around with her. Referred to in
the airport simply as "the woman with the cat", Bettina has become as
much a part of the airport as the planes and runways.

Her story recalls the Tom Hanks film The Terminal, which was
reportedly inspired by the story of man who lived at Charles de Gaulle
airport near Paris for 18 years after his documents were stolen.

Bettina, who refuses to disclose her full name, is from a small town
in southern Germany. She arrived in Mallorca more than 10 years ago
for a new start after a relationship ended and she lost her office
job. She landed odd jobs working as a waitress then helping in a
kitchen, but the dream of living in the sun turned sour. "Suddenly
there was no work because they only give jobs to Spaniards," she told
the local Diario de Mallorca newspaper. "I wanted to work in Mallorca
but I got stranded here."

With no job, home or money, she began living in the airport, where she
gets by on the kindness of friends or strangers. "One friend brings me
something to eat twice a week. Sometimes people give me a bit of money
as well, but I don't ask anyone for anything."

Amid the bustle of the airport, Bettina is often seen quietly reading,
dressed smartly in jeans and a sweatshirt. She cleans herself and her
clothes in the toilets, while departure lounge seats serve as beds.
But she has no desire to return to Germany. "No way. Life is better
for me here."

She is popular among airport staff. "She is intelligent, discreet and
does not bother anyone. She says she has made this her home because
she has everything she needs here," said cleaner María Jesús Rueda
García, 54. "Things didn't work out so she has come to live here. She
can get by and is not a beggar because she has income - I have seen
her take money out of the cashpoint. This could happen to us all."

Marie-Carmen Gallárdo, 40, a cafe worker, said: "She has been here 10
years - the same as me. Perhaps at Christmas she goes home to see her
family."

The airport authorities turn a blind eye to Bettina. "She has never
bothered anyone and as this is a public building she can use the
facilities - washing in the toilets or cleaning her clothes," said
Marta Fernández, spokeswoman for Aena, the state company that manages
Spain's airports.

Bettina is not the only one to live in a Spanish airport. Generally,
such residents are tolerated so long as they do not bother passengers.
In Britain, four people were given asbos for living at Gatwick.

On Aug 9, 6:33*pm, Brussels Hilton wrote:

Bettina is not the only one to live in a Spanish airport. Generally,
such residents are tolerated so long as they do not bother passengers.
In Britain, four people were given asbos for living at Gatwick.

Typical British response - elsewhere people are left alone, in the
police state, they get an asbo.

B;

Mister B wrote:

On Aug 9, 6:33 pm, Brussels Hilton wrote:

Bettina is not the only one to live in a Spanish airport. Generally,
such residents are tolerated so long as they do not bother passengers.
In Britain, four people were given asbos for living at Gatwick.

Typical British response

Not exactly- Gatwick is the instigator of such an asbo- and they're
Spanish owned.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate -www.davidhorne.net
(email address on website) "If people think God is interesting, the
onus is on them to show that there is anything there to talk about.
Otherwise they should just shut up about it." -Richard Dawkins

On Aug 10, 3:17*pm, (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
(*)) wrote:
Mister B wrote:
On Aug 9, 6:33 pm, Brussels Hilton wrote:

Bettina is not the only one to live in a Spanish airport. Generally,
such residents are tolerated so long as they do not bother passengers..
In Britain, four people were given asbos for living at Gatwick.

Typical British response

Not exactly- Gatwick is the instigator of such an asbo- and they're
Spanish owned.

People do what they can get away with in the local conditions, not
according to how folk back home would react.

B;

Mister B wrote:

On Aug 10, 3:17 pm, (David Horne, _the_ chancellor
(*)) wrote:
Mister B wrote:
On Aug 9, 6:33 pm, Brussels Hilton wrote:

Bettina is not the only one to live in a Spanish airport. Generally,
such residents are tolerated so long as they do not bother passengers.
In Britain, four people were given asbos for living at Gatwick.

Typical British response

Not exactly- Gatwick is the instigator of such an asbo- and they're
Spanish owned.

People do what they can get away with in the local conditions, not
according to how folk back home would react.

Sure, but I don't think this kind of thing only happens in Britain, or
for that matter that it can't happen in Spain- I've seen (what I assumed
were) homeless people getting very roughly handled in the latter- albeit
at train stations, not airports, but I wouldn't be surprised if it
didn't happen in airports too- despite the occasional woman staying
there for a decade.

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate -www.davidhorne.net
(email address on website) "If people think God is interesting, the
onus is on them to show that there is anything there to talk about.
Otherwise they should just shut up about it." -Richard Dawkins

Gregory Morrow wrote:
Yessssss...........


I thought you were Canadian

mrtravel blabbles:

Gregory Morrow wrote:
Yessssss...........


I thought you were Canadian


I *know* you're a DUMB - ASS..........


--
Best
Greg

" I find Greg Morrow lowbrow, witless, and obnoxious. For him to claim that
we are some
kind of comedy team turns my stomach."
- "cybercat" to me on rec.food.cooking