Checked in, Online.

Intimidating is the best word for this, I think. There's no good reason for it, other than unfamiliarity. I could get used to travel, but I'm not, yet. So, when I come in and do the registration dance for the first time ever, and deal with a concierge, whose job it is to make the hotel seem respectable, yeah, I'm a little intimidated.

The room's not much more than the basics, and the view's nothing much, and it smells like someone didn't pay much attention to the 'non-smoking' aspect some time ago. One cannot open the window. I'm guessing that's more for heating reasons than preventing, say, jumpers.

I got to boggle briefly at an elevator with thirty-some buttons on it. Thankfully I was alone in the elevator at the time. I was only looking for number 7. Damn, but I feel like a hayseed.

High-speed 'net access at a reasonable rate (that I'm not going to end up paying anyway) will keep me sane. I'm going to have to try to get to the Chinese place later this week... probably going to have to call Neal so I can get the name of it again, unless someone else remembers the name. Tonight, no. Tonight I'm going to go down to the lounge and have an overpriced meal.

edit: Overpriced meal had. Tasty food, mediocre Sauvignon Blanc, and O.M.G. the entitlement bastards at the only other occupied table. Lady who's obviously had Too Much orders half a dozen shots of alcohol and is surprised when she's cut off. Surprised and angry. They promptly started making reservations for another hotel. I almost cheered, until I realized it was just a ploy to try to get the staff to care about what they were saying. boo. hoo.

One more comment on hotels.

I'm in a midrange business-type hotel. It's not cheap. The sole decoration in the room here is a reasonably large watercolor, relatively abstract. A rough pencil sketch of a flower, a vaguely-recognizable thing-with-stem-and-stamen in green-to-brown watercolor, and a WHOTHEFUCKCARESANGSTYSPLATTER of black all over whatever was supposed to be next.

The fact that this piece of art is in this hotel doesn't disturb me. It's modern art, open to interpretation, blah, blah, blah, and not that bad looking - it goes with the room. What _does_ disturb me is the thought that this piece of art was purchased, probably for a reasonably obscene price, and it honestly does look like a 16 year old's attempt at art. *sigh*. On the flipside, I think that a Manet print would irritate the snot out of me, so I'm not going to complain much.