Come Fly With Me

All excited to board the train to a new destination, Bergamo. Marianne and I were so happy to have our friend Cori along for the ride. We arrived in Milan and quickly got changed to get to the train station. No time for the weary to get any sleep.

We are off to find the hidden gem one hour outside of Milan.

BERGAMO

Bergamo is known as the medieval heart with contemporary soul with towers, historic villages, churches, funicular railways and stairways climbing through greenery and unexpected views of the surrounding plains and mountain. We were so thrilled to engulf ourselves with the beauty and history of Bergamo.

Citta Alta Bergamo

Bergamo is a two-tiered city: up on the hill is the Citta Alta (Upper Town) with a medieval center, while down below is the Citta Bassa (Lower Town) which is the modern town. We mostly explored Citta Alta. We took the funicular up.

As soon as we got off the funicular, we found the streets charming, the shops inviting and lots to see.

After a little bit of shopping, we decided to stop for a refresher! It was about 90 degrees out. We were so lucky that restaurants and shops were open. Today was August 15, which is The Ferragosto celebration. It marks the height of summer in Italy. Italians celebrate Ferragosta by downing tools, taking the day off, and heading for the coast or the cool mountain air. As soon as we arrived at our hotel, we knew something was different. It felt like a ghost town, no on was on the streets, everything was closed.

After a cold drink, we set out to see Alta Citta.

Citta Alta is a tangle of narrow streets lined by ancient buildings. It is surrounded by the 16th-century Venetian Walls.

From the photos above, you might think we were by ourselves, you would be mistaken. Citta Alta was very crowded. We enjoy walking the streets off the beaten path.

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is a beautiful church in the middle of the historical Citta Alta. The church certainly had a stunning interior.

After visiting this beautiful church and walking the streets, we decided to take another funicular up to see the fabulous view from the top of Bergamo.

It certainly was a great way to end the day at Bergamo by enjoying the magnificent panoramic view from above.

Bergamo was a constant surprise with every turn. It definitely was one of the hidden gems of Italy.

We had a full happy day in Bergamo. A city with two hearts and one soul: it combines Italian charm with modern elegance. The train ride back to Milan was just what we needed!

GRAZIE BERGAMO PER LA BELLISIMA GIORNATA

Thank you Bergamo for a beautiful day!

It’s been a crazy week in the travel industry because of weather. Marianne and I flew in Saturday morning to work a Buenos Aires flight on Saturday night. We were so excited to be flying with our friend Jennifer. We went to the airport and boarded the flight for our 11pm departure. Immediately, we were notified we were delayed and now we would be flying out the next morning at 9am. We all headed back to the crashpad in the pouring rain to gear up for our morning departure.

The next morning, we headed back to the airport to work our flight to Buenos Aires. We again boarded our flight and started our preflight duties. Moments later, we got the dreaded word that our flight was cancelled.

What should we do now?! Jennifer did not have another trip so she flew home. Marianne and I had a trip on Tuesday, so we needed to stay. We decided let’s make the most of it and have some fun. So we decided to head in to New York City.

Our first challenge was tackling the bus and train schedule and making sure we were on the right side of the street for the correct bus!

Success! We made it to New York City! When we were based in San Francisco, New York was like our home away from home. We had missed the vibrant energy that New York City offers.

Famous Original Ray’s Pizza

We could not resist stopping by Ray’s Pizza to indulge in a New York style slice of pizza. It was delicious, especially the foldable crispy crust!

Marianne and I had the whole day ahead of us, so we decided to treat ourselves and go to a matinee of a broadway play.

Book Of Mormon

Great cast, great music and full of so many laughs. It’s just what us girls needed!

There is definitely something special about seeing a broadway play. You are immersed in the theater’s enchanting settings and the excitement of the crowd.

After the play, we walked out to the street to be accosted by a torrential downpour. It did not dampen our spirits, we carried on to meet our dear friend Camaryn at a near by pub.

We certainly enjoyed a fun day in the city. Now it was time to maneuver the train and bus schedule back to our special place the Overhead Inn.

SECOND DAY IN NEW YORK CITY

We still had another free day before we needed to go to work, so again we decided to trek back into New York City!

We were ready for a new day of adventure. Our first stop was to the Tenement Museum in the Lower Eastside.

The Tenement Museum

The Tenement Museum is a nonprofit cultural institution that welcomes you into the historical recreated homes of immigrants, migrants and refugees. We had an excellent tour guide that showed us the homes of 2 families who lived in the tenement in the 1910s. It was so fascinating to see how they lived in small spaces and showed resilience in the face of adversity.

After the Tenement Museum, Marianne took me to a special place that brought back fun memories of her times in Sweden.

Marianne introduced me to a few of her favorite sweet and savory treats at a Swedish Candy Co.

Since, we were on the lower east side. We decided to explore some of our favorite places.

Charging Bull

The 7,100 pound bronze sculpture standing 11 feet tall and measuring 16 feet long, depicts a bull, the symbol of financial optimism and prosperity in the Wall Street and the Financial District in New York!

Being down at the lower east side brought make many fabulous memories, that I had shared with my son Justin. Justin used to live in the Wall Street area. I stopped in at his building where he used to live. Afterwards, we continued on down to Stone Street where Justin and I would always enjoy a cold beverage and a bite to eat.

Cheers to Justin for creating so many special memories with me in New York!!

Staten Island Ferry

Marianne and I love riding the Staten Island Ferry! The Staten Island Ferry is a free passenger ferry that goes back and forth from Lower Manhattan to Staten Island. The panoramic views of the Verrazano Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and New York City skyline makes this mode of transportation truly one of a kind.

Statue Of Liberty

No matter how many times I have seen the Statue of Liberty, it still takes my breath away. “The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World” was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.

The ferry ride never disappoints. It’s about a 30 minute ride each way. Well worth a ferry ride for free to see the Statue of Liberty and New York’s beautiful skyline.

After our wonderful ferry ride, it was time for dinner. We picked up some Mediterranean food and ate it on a bench over looking the East River. It was so relaxing watching all the boats go by and helicopters land.

We had a grand time in New York City. We were swept up in the City’s vibrant energy.

Marianne and I never expected to be given a gift of getting to spend time in the city that we love. From delays to cancellations, we certainly made the best of it!
”Don’t wait for the perfect time, you will wait forever. Always take advantage of the time that your given and make it perfect”

Back to one of my favorite places, Barcelona. We had no plans. We were just going to go out and enjoy the day!

Marianne and I decided to do some shopping, then enjoy some fun in the sun at the beach.

We can always find some great shops in Barcelona to browse in.

As one of the most fashion-forward cities in Europe, Barcelona’s shopping culture is vibrant, diverse and has plenty to offer.

With our shopping complete, it was time to stop for a cold beverage and a bite to eat.

With some energy under our belt, it was time to head to the beach!

I love hanging out at the beach in Barcelona. Barcelona is a city by the sea with 3 miles of wide beaches with fine, golden sand and shallow waters. The beaches have become hotspots for locals and tourists.

In addition to the great beaches, I love the sheds on the sand that are packed with beach goers enjoying cold beverages and food. It’s a great place to people watch. That being the case, Marianne and I had a blast checking out the scene on the beach. So MUCH to look at.😁

We had a grand afternoon enjoying fun in the sun. Being at the beach certainly stirs my heart and brings joy to my soul.

Marianne and I left the beach to find a place for dinner. Our goal was to find a place where the locals dined. We found an outdoor restaurant in a quaint neighborhood.

Marianne likes fish and boy did she get to indulge!

Marianne and I definitely had a fun full day. It was time to take the train back to our hotel.

Tired but content, we were ready to get a good night’s sleep.
“ Give every day the chance to become a beautiful day!”

In my wildest dreams, I never expected to relish in the beauty of Switzerland. It all happened because of a nice flight attendant, Stephen, whom we were working to Milan with. He asked Marianne and I if we had plans on our Milan layover and we said no. He invited us to come with him to Lake Lugano in Switzerland where he was meeting his friends for lunch. Without hesitation, we jumped on this fabulous excursion, not knowing the beauty that lied ahead.

Without any sleep, we hustled to the metro station to get to the main train station to embark on this journey. We were so excited.

We were now ready for our 1 hour and 15 minute ride to Lake Lugano.

LAKE LUGANO

Lake Lugano is a glacial lake which is situated on the border between southern Switzerland and northern Italy.

The train ride was a great way to soak up the stunning views of the tip of Lake Como to the picturesque Swiss city of Lugano.

We arrived at Lake Lugano to take in its beauty, character and charm. Once arriving in Lugano, we took a funicular down to Lugano’s center and to the walkable water’s edge of Lake Lugano.

It was a beautiful day to walk the lakeside path and take in all its beauty. After enjoying the walk around the lake, we ventured into the center of Lugano to take in its charm.

Lugano is a popular destination for its lovely scenery and its laid back lifestyles. The center was filled with upscale shopping and restaurants.

One must indulge in Switzerland’s creamy Swiss chocolate.

A true gift on this trip was getting to meet Stephen’s kind and sweet friends, Renata and Monica. They welcomed us with open arms. We wish we could have spent more time with them.

Our visit to Lake Lugano will always be a day we will cherish! It’s charm and beauty will always be remembered.
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

First of all, I want to tell you that we have moved to another Crashpad in New York with all the same 16 lovely ladies. Our new pad is called the Overhead Inn. We are now one street over from the original crashpad. Our new place is still 2 bedroom and 1 bath. The girls have put a lot of energy into making our pad cozy.

Marianne, Jennifer and I knew it was going to be a great trip when we saw the beautiful pink sky while we were waiting for the van to take us to the airport.

Land of the free, because of the brave!

Off to Buenos Aires to celebrate the 4th!

What a warm welcome we had in Buenos Aires when we arrived at our hotel for the 4th of July. Red, white and blue balloons awaited us along with our American flag standing proud!

After the patriotic welcome, we headed to bed to get a few hours of rest before we took on Buenos Aires.

San Telmo Market

San Telmo Market is a large indoor market that has stalls offering everything from antiques to fresh fruit. These days it’s a hotspot for food bars, coffee and fun shops to explore in.

We decided to eat Argentinian Empanadas for lunch. Origin of the empanada are not entirely clear, but it seems most likely that they first appeared in Argentina in the kitchens of immigrants from northern Spain. An empanada is a pastry or turnover that’s filled with savory ingredients and served hot.

We had a lot of fun exploring the different shops. We had one more stop before heading back to our hotel for dinner.

Milion

Barely visible from the street, the Milion bar-restaurant is a hidden pearl in the Recoleta neighborhood.  It’s known to be one of the coolest bars in the whole city. This former petit hotel cost the owner a million dollars (hence the name) to transform a crumbling ruin. With passion and perseverance, they managed to restore its old appearance.

It was quiet at the Milion. It is winter in Argentina now.  It has both indoor and outdoor seating which makes it a perfect spot to enjoy a drink and nibbles on a long summer evening. 

It was time to head back to our hotel. Our wonderful hotel was hosting a 4th of July dinner for us.

Obelisco of Buenos Aires

You can’t miss the Obelisk. The Obelisk of Buenos Aires is a national historic monument and icon of Buenos Aires. Located in the Plaza de la Republics at the intersection of two of the city’s most important streets. One of the streets is Avenida 9 de Julio, the widest street in the world with 16 lanes. The monument was erected in 1936 and marks the spot where the Argentine national flag was raised for the 1st time.

4th of July Dinner Celebration at our Intercontinental Hotel

I can’t say enough how wonderful the staff at the Intercontinental Hotel was to put on an exceptional fun 4th of July celebration dinner for all the airline crews that would be missing their 4th of July festivities with their friends and family back home.

The picture above is a photo of our fun crew from JFK.
Our hotel chef put a special menu together with all the 4th of July classics, BBQ ribs, chicken nuggets, cheese burgers, corn on the Cobb, potatoes and much more. Our fabulous dessert was an apple pie with ice cream or to my delight they even had a Sundae Bar. Scrumptious!! The hotel staff was so accommodating and of course kept the wine flowing.

Good food, good company and good times made our 4th of July special!

We still had another day in Buenos Aires to explore. Our flight takes off the 2nd day in the evening. Without fail, us girls were up early to make the most out of Buenos Aires.

La Boca of Buenos Aires

We decided to wonder in the La Boca area. La Boca, known as the birthplace of the tango, this one-time shipyard has a famous walkway, the Caminito, where tango dancers perform and artists exhibit their work.

La Boca is totally unique. I love the vibrant colors and all the fun shops. La Boca is one of the prime destinations to experience the traditions and customs that originated from the city’s immigrant past and which have shaped its distinct identity.

Santos Manjares

It was time for lunch. We went to a recommended Argentina Steak restaurant. The steak was mouthwatering! The Argentinians believe that they have the best steaks because of their cows that graze on the amazing grass of Las Pampas, a vast grassland in central Argentina.

Feeling full, we needed to get back to our hotel to take a nap before we worked the all nighter flight to New York. It certainly was a nonstop fun layover. We learned a little bit more of Buenos Aires and we can’t wait to come back!

Buenos Aires is a city where it is more fun to be seen with good friends. A toast to our friendship today and always, Star-spangled friends forever.

Rome is an incredible city to visit, but when the temperatures rise, it can become quite stifling which can be a challenge. Rome had been experiencing a heat wave, but with our luck the heat was not too bad on our layover. Marianne and I came up with a good solution, always walk on the shady side of the street and this helped immensely.

First things first, we needed to get a slice of pizza before we got under way to roam the streets of Rome.

We found a great pizzeria! In Rome, you pay for the weight of the pizza, not the slice. It’s fun because you can have as many small slices you want and this enables you to taste all the scrumptious flavours.

Who couldn’t resist trying French fry pizza, along with prosciutto and cheese. To our amazement, we realized that adding French fries cut thin on a pizza is very yummy!

We will definitely go back to this pizzeria. So many more types of pizza to try.

We continued our walk through the city. Of course, we saw a line of people up ahead and had to find out what they were all doing. We immediately got in line; we shortly realized the crowd was waiting in line to be let in to see a gorgeous cathedral.

The Church of Saint Louis of the French

The Church of St. Louis of the French was built since 1518 to welcome the increasing French community in Rome. The interior, divided into three naves with five chapels on each side and a rich central choir decorated with marbles, is a true jubilation of  baroque art.

We were fascinated with all the exquisite artwork. Marianne and I were glad to have found this hidden gem in Rome.

Next, we decided to head over the river to visit Trastevere. Trastevere is one of the most charming neighborhoods in Rome.

Trastevere never disappoints. We enjoyed our short visit to this neighborhood. We could not stay long because we were meeting 2 other crew members for happy hour. We were going to try this new rooftop bar that Camaryn had told us about.

We took a different route back and came across some interesting monuments and beautiful views.

So much to see, but we were running out of time. It was Happy Hour Time.

Colonna Palace Hotel

The Colonna Palace is located in front of the Parliament, in one of the most characteristic and ancient districts of Rome. It has a beautiful roof garden that has a solarium and a jacuzzi, in which we could cool our hot feet in, while we enjoyed sipping a cold beverage.

It was so delightful soaking our feet. Two other crew members, Jose and Will met up with us at the Colonna Palace.

We had a grand time at the rooftop garden enjoying the view. It was time to go to a nearby Italian Restaurant to have a fabulous Italian dinner.

The food was absolutely delicious. I had a plate of carbonara and Marianne had a pizza.

A day in Italy is not complete without finishing your day with gelato. We went to Gelateria La Romana, one of Rome’s best places for Italian ice cream. It was a bit overwhelming with so many scrumptious flavors to pick from. We changed our minds many times, but in the end we were all so happy with our final decision.

It was a grand day roamin the streets of Rome. We never know what kind of adventure lies ahead for us on our layovers. It’s fun to walk the little side streets, find the hidden restaurants and shops. A walk through these streets is a journey through time, an immersion into the life and soul of one of history’s greatest civilizations.

Life is like an ice cream. Enjoy it before it melts!

Marianne’s son Erik told Marianne about these mouthwatering cookie dough croissants in Paris that he had heard about on TikTok. We were determined, rain or shine to eat one of these croissants.

The bakery was a little over an hour walk. So we decided to take the train halfway and then walk to enjoy the sights along the way.

The Louvre Museum

We got off at the Louvre Museum train stop. The Louvre is one of the largest, oldest and grandest museums in the world. It hosts a treasure trove of artworks spanning diverse culture and periods of history, such as, the Mona Lisa. We did not go in, but it was exciting to look at the buildings and get a glimpse of many sculptures.

We continued on our walk to the bakery and came upon the Palais-Royale. The Palais-Royal is a former French royal palace. It is an architectural highlight known for its scenic gardens and regal heritage.

It’s hidden from buildings so easily missed. The garden is peaceful and very well maintained.

We continued on our walk past luxury shops and apartments.

Walking in the rain has lots of benefits. The Parisians stay home and lots of visitors take cover in many of the museums. We had many of the streets to ourselves.

We came upon this beautiful fountain.

Marianne was a good sport. I loved the look of this cafe and I made her run across the street so I could take a photo.

As you can see, she was jumping with joy! We are almost there to savor this delicious croissant.

Maison Louvard

We made it!!! So excited to taste these mouthwatering croissants.

I can’t describe how delicious this cookie dough croissant was to me. Marianne thought it was a bit too sweet.

It was worth the walk in the rain and all the wet clothes to get to enjoy this scrumptious treat. Now we had to walk off all those calories we just consumed. We continued wondering the streets in the rain.

We came upon this charming pub to get out of the rain and to quench our thirst.

It was getting late, so we decided to take the train back to the area of our hotel to find a place for dinner.

Nothing like a steak and chicken dinner after a day of walking around in the rain. The food was delicious.

Marianne summed it all up! Another great layover in the books.

Life is like walking in the rain. You can hide and take cover, but if you want to go on you have to get wet!

No better way for us to celebrate Marianne’s birthday in Rome, than by taking in the gorgeous views from rooftops. It felt like we were on a scavenger hunt to find these prime locations, but we persevered and found some amazing views.

Swiss Institute

Every time we visit Rome, we walk by this gated historic villa right across from our hotel. To our surprise, the gate was opened for visitors. This villa now known as the Swiss Institute stands on a hill surrounded by splendid gardens. It’s the cities second highest point. We throughly enjoyed our time looking at the maintained gardens, trees and of course the first of our many perfect views of this wonderful city.

It was time to move on to find a special rooftop at the top of the Spanish Steps. It was easier said than done. Our Google map was no help. We knew we were at the right location, but could not figure out what building we were suppose to go in. We went into one hotel and they had never heard of the Cielo Rooftop. Funny though, it was in the hotel next door.

Cielo Terrace

Perched high above the Eternal City, Cielo is known as one of the most glamorous rooftop bars, offering the most extraordinary sunset experiences and views in Rome. We did not realize that we needed a reservation or we needed to be staying at that hotel for a table. The hostess was very nice to us. She said she could sit us at an undesirable table directly in the sun not suited for their hotel guests. We were elated! The direct sun wasn’t going to hinder our good time.

We enjoyed basking in the sun and taking in the beautiful view. Well worth having sun on our faces.

Trevi Fountain

We made a stop at the Trevi Fountain to throw a coin in and make a wish. The right way to throw a coin is to toss with your right hand over your left shoulder, with your back to the Fountain.

Next stop was lunch!

Pane e Salome

Marianne had visited this hidden gem of a restaurant before. It is a tucked away modern bistro known for platters of meats and cheeses, paired with Italian wine and beers.

Lovely little place. The board of meats and cheeses were delicious.

Giro d’Italia 2024

As we continued our walk through Rome, we came across the bike riders of the Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy) riding through Rome. It was very exciting to see how fast they flew by us. Three weeks of intense racing around Italy then coming to a close with a circuit around Rome.

Marianne and I continued on to our next rooftop.

The Raphael Hotel

The Hotel Raphael is a beautiful boutique hotel that has a rooftop terrace that offers amazing panoramic views of Rome. The hotel is in a wonderful setting beside the Piazza Navona but a world away from tourist mayhem.

We walked into this charming hotel and asked the concierge if we could go to the rooftop terrace. Again, we were nicely asked if we had a reservation and we sadly said no. She called the terrace and explained the situation and the terrace staff said we could come up. The concierge walked us to the elevator.

We were so excited to see what lies ahead. We were greeted by the hostess when we got off the elevator. The hostess said she had a table for us, but we could only stay 1 hour. The table was already reserved for other guests. One hour was perfect for us jet-setters.

I felt like we hit the lottery being able to partake in seeing Rome from this stunning terrace. The staff was very friendly and we had some watchful residents that didn’t miss any move Marianne and I made.

This darling caretaker of the terrace swooped up and grabbed Marianne’s unattended hors-d’oeuvre off her plate.

We quickly clued in on why the silver cover was on all the food, excluding the chips. Our special guests do not like chips.

Our fabulous hour was up! It was such a memorable and fun experience.

Hotel Savoy

One last rooftop to relish the incredible view. We took in the view from the rooftop terrace at the hotel we were staying at.

What a day we had seeing Rome from above. It was a fabulous way to enjoy the views and soak in Rome’s history and beauty. It sure was a great way to celebrate Marianne’s birthday.

Happy Birthday Marianne!

Marianne and I had grandiose plans for our layover in Milan. Unfortunately, we had a delay in our arrival, so we did not have enough time to venture out of Milan. So we did what we do best….we enjoyed some shopping and eating.

It was a spectacular sunny day in Milan. It felt great to walk around and enjoy the hustle and bustle of all the pedestrians.

If you love fashion, shopping in Milan is a quintessential destination. To our delight, one may always find a discount store amongst all the luxurious high end shops.

Marianne and I loved seeing the fashion these teenagers were exhibiting outside a local coffee shop. Thus, we decided to sit at an open window pub next door and take in all the youths’ clothing styles.

It was a perfect spot. We got to sit at the open window seat and watch all the Italians walk by.

It was time to move on and do some more window shopping. If you have ever traveled with me, you are aware that I always need to find a restroom. We came upon a beautiful restaurant that I felt we should meander in and see what we could find.

Such a beautiful spot. We wanted to look like we belonged, so we did not ask the Maitre D where the restroom was located. We could only imagine that the restroom that we did not find was very luxurious.

We ended our day of shopping at a restaurant near our hotel. This restaurant is known as the Chinese Italian by us flight attendants. The restaurant serves Italian food, but it’s owned by Chinese. Subsequently, the Pizza is very yummy!

As the Italians say, “ Pizza is not a trend, it’s a way of life.”

BUONANOTTE!

GOODNIGHT

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games countdown clock is located on the banks of the Seine river, in front of the Eiffel Tower, and at Port de la Bourdonnais. The clock counts down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the start of the games, which will take place on July 26, 2024. 

As Marianne and I walked around Paris, we witnessed all the construction being done in this glorious city. So much to do before the arrival of more than 10,000 athletes and tens of thousands of spectators to partake in the 33rd Summer Olympic Games, a 16-day extravaganza.

This is a photo of the Parc du Champ-de-Mars in Paris. It is a great place to share a bottle of wine and watch the Eiffel Tower’s lights twinkle at night. A temporary outdoor stadium is being built in the Champ de Mars, in front on the Eiffel Tower, which will host beach volleyball, blind football, judo, wrestling Paralympic wheelchair rugby, and para judo. It’s amazing how fast a grand structure can be built. It will be accommodating nearly 13,000 spectators.

In this photo, Marianne and I are on the other side of the Seine river by the Eiffel Tower, looking up at the Champ de Mars new arena being built. An interesting note is the Olympic Games will take place at 35 venues, including stadiums and sports facilities. Paris is ready to go! The motto of the 2024 Paris Olympics is “Games Wide Open.” The slogan represents the idea of bringing sport to the heart of the city.

Even with all the construction going on, it didn’t take away the beauty of the city.

We found a quaint place to quench our thirst and watch all the young children walk home from school.

We had a nice time down by the Seine River. It was a gorgeous day with the sun shining.

We always love walking down new streets and seeing how the Parisians live.

A great end to another fabulous layover in Paris.

Marianne and I have decided not to fly to Paris during the Olympics. American Airlines will be removing us from our hotel in the city and we are being placed at a hotel at the airport. We are going to leave room for the Olympic lovers to enjoy this beautiful city. We look forward to return to Paris after the Olympics.