Strangest thing I’ve ever seen at an airport?

Strangest thing I’ve ever seen at an airport?

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I saw this at Colombo Airport (in Sri Lanka) earlier today. Yes, that’s a roped off seating area in the center of the terminal with puffy chairs and a sign that reads “reserved for clergy.”

Surely I’m missing something?

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  1. Pat Guest

    The strangest thing I ever saw at the aiport was 2 different high school cheerleading squads on a trip to some national cheerleading contest. I was actually on the plane with them -- I've got to say, that plane had more "pep" than any other I've been on since..

  2. rolling my eyes Guest

    there goes another ignorant american that expects royal treatment in another man's land....hisss

    what you are missing is respect....smh

  3. toomanybooks Guest

    At least clergy status doesn't expire on Dec 31.

    More like lifetime Gold or Plat.

  4. Edward Ross Guest

    You will find this in almost every Thai airport too.

  5. Brad Guest

    Ben,

    All you need to do to sit there is get ordained online and then you to will be clergy and get great perks like better parking at the hospital and be able to sit in the middle of the airport in fancy white chairs while traveling abroad!

    http://www.themonastery.org/

  6. Other Ben Guest

    Just saw Ben on Fox News article! Way to go! http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2011/10/14/mile-runners/

  7. Reader Guest

    Yeah, you're missing respect.

  8. deux centimes Guest

    You'll often notice in Sri Lanka that the first few seats on buses are reserved for Buddhist monks. I don't understand the religious reasons for it, but this policy seems generally very strictly adhered to by the general population.

  9. Levi flight Guest

    My favorite is the glass cage/room for smokers at DPS.

  10. Easy Victor Guest

    Father John, I'm in love with your daughter.
    Yeah the one, with the champagne eyes...

    Oops, that was Farmer John...

  11. John Guest

    I sat there before. I told them my name is Father John.

  12. DiscoPapa Member

    Looks like you're missing some clergy.

  13. Zach Guest

    Lucky,

    My fiancee's family is Sri Lankan. According to Sri Lankan Buddhist practice, monks are accorded great respect. They are not to be touched, but rather touched by (as when they "bless" you). They almost always sit on white (think purity), and always at a higher level than their audience. Thus, when there's an almsgiving (at a religious ceremony or when the priests are administering traditional rites, such as after a funeral), everyone sits on...

    Lucky,

    My fiancee's family is Sri Lankan. According to Sri Lankan Buddhist practice, monks are accorded great respect. They are not to be touched, but rather touched by (as when they "bless" you). They almost always sit on white (think purity), and always at a higher level than their audience. Thus, when there's an almsgiving (at a religious ceremony or when the priests are administering traditional rites, such as after a funeral), everyone sits on the floor around them, and whatever chairs are available are draped in tablecloths and bedsheets for the clergy.

    I was in CMB in June/July and saw the same. The idea is to give them their own space so that unwitting travelers don't bump into them, and to honor the practice of giving them higher seats than available for everyone else.

    Traveling around SL, you see "reserved for clergy" signs quite often.

    Hope it helps.

  14. Gary Gold

    I saw this at CEI, lounge chairs near the gate for monks only.

    Strangest thing I ever saw at an airport was live roosters at baggage claim, shipped to Manila for fighting...

  15. JRL Member

    I saw the same thing at CNX earlier this year. Worst spread I've ever seen in a lounge. Despite all the cards in my portfolio, I didn't qualify for entry.

    JRL

    And don't call me Shirley.

  16. Davids Guest

    A bit OT, But isn't it odd how the airport in Colombo is more modern than 95% of airports in the US?

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The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Pat Guest

The strangest thing I ever saw at the aiport was 2 different high school cheerleading squads on a trip to some national cheerleading contest. I was actually on the plane with them -- I've got to say, that plane had more "pep" than any other I've been on since..

0
rolling my eyes Guest

there goes another ignorant american that expects royal treatment in another man's land....hisss what you are missing is respect....smh

0
toomanybooks Guest

At least clergy status doesn't expire on Dec 31. More like lifetime Gold or Plat.

0
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