Come Fly With Me

It’t a start of a new year flying out of New York. Our first trip was a fabulous trip to Paris. We had one slight problem, Marianne forgot her walking shoes and socks. Marianne was a trooper, I convinced her that we could find her something that she could walk the streets of Paris in. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find much, but we found a fabulous pair of slippers. We then came up against another hurdle; it started to rain and the slippers got wet very quickly. I still thought Marianne rocked her new Parisian style.

We decided to just enjoy walking the streets of Paris, with no destination in mind.

Paris is a city built for walking.

We stopped at a great cafe for lunch.

Never a dull moment. We turned the corner and we came upon a peaceful protest. It was the police and city workers protesting for their rights. Members of the Military were there to support the protest. Marianne got all the scoop by talking to a nice officer.

It was time to head back to our hotel and have dinner. The rain and Marianne’s wet feet did not dampen our spirits.

Bonne nuit, fans de beaux reves.

GOOD NIGHT, SWEET DREAMS

We arrived back in New York. The next day we will be flying to Barcelona. We are always captivated by this admiral city, it is a city full of life.

BARCELONA

After taking our quick nap , we boarded the train to La Rambla which is the most famous street in Barcelona.

We ventured over to one of our favorite places, Mercado de La Boqueria.

LA BOQUERIA

La Boqueria is the most famous picturesque market in Barcelona. You get mesmerized by the beautiful colors and displays. It’s a must visit for anyone who enjoys food.

After our delightful sensory overload, we continued wandering the streets.

We were amazed at the photo on the right, seeing how a fire truck could fit down the street. They had to back the fire truck out. We are happy to say no fire was detected.

ANTIC TEATRE

What a great find. Marianne and Gillian had previously walked by the Antic Teatre and heard lively noises, but did not go in. Without hesitation, Marianne and I had to check this place out. We were pleasantly surprised.

It’s a local production company that stages intimate performing arts venue with a lively sizable garden. It’s a hidden gem. I can see why The Antic Teatre is known to be a secret local bar in Barcelona. Even though no one was performing when we were there, we truly loved hanging out and enjoying the fun atmosphere. This is going to be our new hangout!

After leaving the Antic Teatre, it was time to have dinner. We found this restaurant right around the corner from the Antic Teatre. We ordered a few delicious tapas plates to share. It was a perfect way to end a great layover.

“Live life with no excuses, travel with no regrets”

Wow, it’s hard for me to sum up the adventures and new experiences we had in 2023.  Marianne and I started this journey with apprehension. To much of our surprise, we dove head first into this new lifestyle with positive energy, which lead us to embrace the value of each new adventure.

Our last trip in 2023, was to Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona has a range of things to do , which never disappoints us on each new visit.

LA SAGRADA FAMILIA

La Sagrada Familia is the largest unfiinished Catholic Church in the world. It is Gaudi’s most famous works in Barcelona. It’s a giant Basilica that has been under construction, since 1882 and it’s not expected to be completed for some time.

After we left La Sagrada Familia, we walked through the neighborhood. It was full of restaurants and cafes. We treated ourselves to a cold beverage.

With recommendations from other crew members, we set out to go to Gilda’s Restaurant. We met up with Gillian, another fabulous flight attendant from San Francisco.

The owner of Gilda’s was very welcoming and wanted us to feel at home. He encouraged us to appreciate his ambulating art on the walls. He even had us wear 3D glasses to enjoy the depth of each piece of art.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM SAN FRANCISCO

We were so thrilled to ring in the New Year with a San Fransisco layover. Luckily, we were able to go home and spend the night with our families!

WE HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE

We started one year ago, February 2023, at our new base in New York. Our very first trip was to São Paulo. We ended our year in New York by working a trip back to São Paulo. Boy have we learned a lot! We have grown into our new role as International Flight Attendants.

On Sundays, Avenida Paulista is closed to traffic. People come to walk, dance and shop. We enjoyed this fabulous street festival with the live music and all that it had to offer.

We stopped at a cute coffee shop for a delicious cup of coffee to get more energy to carry on.

We had a fun time enjoying the festival. We found a good place for lunch.

It was time to head back to the hotel before dark. It was a nice 1 1/2 mile walk back to the hotel through the different neighborhoods.

After a full day walking in São Paulo, we decided to have dinner at our hotel accompanied with the famous Brazilian drink, caipirinha.

Can’t always be out eating and drinking! Marianne had me go to the gym the next morning in São Paulo.

Wow, what a year we have had! We overcame so many challenges, but the reward of all our new travel experiences was worth every hurdle! Looking forward to another year of unforgettable memories.💗

So blessed to have another trip to London before Christmas with Marianne and Tracey. The joy of Christmas comes when you share the beauty of the season with people you love.

All bundled and warm, we set off to shop at Harrods, the most luxurious department store.

From the moment you walk into Harrods, you feel the excitement of the Christmas shopping experience.

Shopping at Harrods is always a great experience. The staff at Harrods were so friendly and helpful. They all seemed warm and genuinely interested in our needs. We left Harrods with a smile.

Time to toast our good day of Christmas shopping.

We had our dinner at this fun pub. Now it was time to walk off our dinner and enjoy the Christmas lights.

Winter Wonderland

We walked by the Winter Wonderland which is a large annual Christmas event held in Hyde Park. It’s the world’s ultimate destination for festive fun. From rides to performances, festive treats from London’s food scene and cozy fire pit bars, there is something for everyone. Unfortunately, we did not have time to take part in the spectacular Winter Wonderland.

We continued our walk through the streets of London to bring in the holiday joy!

We continued our brisk walk back to our hotel. The temperature was dropping. All the pubs were over crowded with patrons. To our amazement, we came upon a welcoming pub that actually had some room for a night cap.

London sure knows how to make you feel festive for the holiday season.

Thank you London for giving us the magic of Christmas and more joy in our hearts. We will see you in 2024!

A Christmas bonus was spending time with our friend Jennifer back at our London hotel!❤️

Our goal on this trip was to do some shopping, find the Christmas markets and enjoy the festive lights. Marianne and I were thrilled that our crew member Jace wanted to join us.

This artisanal shop offered traditional Spanish nougats and delicious chocolates.

Our next stop was to the Christmas Market in The Plaza Mayor. This is the most classic of all the Christmas markets in Madrid.

We then continued to walk the beautiful streets of Madrid and stop in many of their shops.

It was now time to take in an afternoon beverage and some tapas. One must keep up their stamina to be jolly and to enjoy the Christmas cheer.

With our energy restored, we were ready to do some more shopping and take in Madrid’s Christmas lights.

The Christmas lights through out the city turn on at 6pm. Madrid did not fail in creating a magical Christmas atmosphere.

The main avenues and buildings across the city twinkle with creations by renowned Spanish architects and designers.

We had a special day shopping, eating and enjoying the decked out streets with its twinkling lights. We definitely found the Christmas spirit in Madrid.

FELIZ NAVIDAD! FROM MADRID

It was time for us to get into the Christmas spirit with the much talked about Christmas lights displayed throughout London. After our quick nap, we jumped on the tube to enjoy the amazing designs of lights.

Churchill Arms of Nottingham Hill

Nothing will make you feel more Christmassy than the most Christmas decorated pub in London. Of course, Marianne and I had to venture out to find this pub.

Now that we were merry, we were ready to tackle London’s spirit of Christmas. Marianne had found a walking map on instagram which would lead us to all the famous streets which had the festive lights lit up on. It was a 1 1/2 hour walking tour. It took us about 3 hours stopping along the way to enjoy the shops.

Regent Street Christmas Lights, the largest holiday lights display in the UK, light up the skies of Regent Street and St James’s. The Spirit of Christmas decorations run all the way from Oxford Circus to Waterloo Place, making it a perfect destination for an evening stroll.

Every corner we turned, more magnificent Christmas lights were displayed.

One interesting note about the glamour of the lights is that the lights are formally switched on each year by celebrities at crowded ceremonies. These “switch ons” are usually organized to create a buzz, bring people together and kick-start Christmas shopping. This year the lights were turned on November 2.

On our walking tour, we came upon the Leicester Square Christmas market.

Too our delight, we found Chinatown looking so festive.

We loved our stroll through London’s spirit of Christmas. So much to see, but not enough time to take it all in. We stopped at a pub on our way back to the hotel for dinner.

Looking at these Christmas displays filled our souls with joy. May your holiday season sparkle and shine and all your dreams and wishes come true!

Marianne and I enjoyed a brisk walk in our New York neighborhood to enjoy a beautiful fall day before flying to Barcelona.

We were ready to enjoy are Barcelona layover.

On our way by train to the Monserrat Monastery.

MONSERRAT

The Monastery of Montserrat is one of the most famous monasteries in the world. Monserrat is a spectacular beautiful Benedictine monk mountain retreat about 1 hour North West from Barcelona by train. Not only is Montserrat Monastery of significant religious importance but the natural beauty surrounding the monastery is simply breathtaking. It is now a National Park and great for hiking. It was mind blowing to realize how high up the mountain the monastery was.

Marianne and I thought we were so prepared for this adventure. We purchased a train ticket to Monserrat in Barcelona which included transportation up the mountain. We disembarked at the last Monserrat station with a crowd of people only to find out that we purchased the train ticket that included a funicular (gondola) ride up the mountain to the monastery. To our dismay, we found out the stop we needed to get off was the stop before the one we were at. Unfortunately the train going back in that direction was in 1 hour. Our goal was to hear the boys choir at 12 noon. If we waited for that train, we would miss the boys choir. It would be a 10 minute taxi ride, but there was no taxis in sight. I heard 2 American boys from Oregon complaining that they were in the same situation as us. The boys were calling for a taxi. We asked if we could join them. They pleasantly agreed.

The taxi arrived in 10 minutes. Time was ticking. Our taxi ride was slower than expected because of a bike race. We had to let 100s of bikers go by before getting on our way back to the funicular. With all our delays, we were still going to make it in time to hear the boys choir.

The funicular ride offered us a spectacular panoramic view of the Monserrat mountain and the monastery.

There was a tranquil , untouched beauty that we discovered at the Monserrat.

Boys Choir In Monserrat

The Boys Choir is home to one of the oldest boys choir in Europe. Documents show that the existence of a religious and music school goes as far back as the 14th century. Listening to the Boys Choir was going to be the highlight of our trip. We made our way to where the boys would be singing. We quickly found out the choir would only be singing at the noon mass which we needed a reservation for. Unfortunately, the mass was full. A nice usher took pity on us and opened a roped off area into a courtyard so we could listen to the mass on a screen.

It was hard to hear the boys choir on the screen, but we were blessed to be able to go into the church and receive communion.

After mass, Marianne and I lit a candle asking Virgin Mary for our prayers

We then continued to take in the beauty of the grounds.

Monserrat offered us a captivating day of spirituality and natural beauty. We left awestruck with the stunning landscape high above where the angels do sing.

NAPLES, FLORIDA

I grew up in an incredible neighborhood in one of the suburbs outside Boston called Weymouth. I am so grateful for all these girls from the neighborhood. We have been friends for over 60 years. Our parents let us run fearless through the streets, play kick the can, ride bikes, sled down the hill on snowy days with everyone always on the lookout for cars and we did this without any care in the world. We felt safe!

Through the years, we have never lost touch. We always treasure our times together and always make time to create new memories, My kind sister Trish and her husband Mac opened their beautiful home to us in Naples, Florida.

After we arrived at Trish’s home and settled in, we went to the beach to take in the gorgeous sunset.

The sunsets in Naples are spectacular. The sky becomes a beautiful painting with hues of orange, pink and gold.

We started off the next day with a delicious breakfast made by Gail. She is a fabulous chef. We had eggs made to order, bacon and yummy potatoes that melted in our mouths. With full stomachs, we took a much needed walk on the beach. We still had a full day ahead of us.

Tin City

Tin City is a fun little shopping district. In the 1920s, it was home to clam shelling and oyster processing. In 1970, seven of these historical buildings were transformed into the marketplace called Tin City named because of their tin roofs. It now has unique shops and restaurants on the waterfront.

Marco Pedal Boat

Jeanne is our tour director. She always finds us fun things to do. The Marco Pedal boat is a pedal powered pontoon. We got to enjoy the spectacular views while cruising down the waterways of Marco Island. We did get to see a dolphin and enjoy looking at the multiple-million dollar mansions. The fun part of the excursion was the pedaling was optional, so we enjoyed walking around the boat and truly enjoyed the ride.

We had lots of laughs on the Pedal Boat. The Captain of the boat was very lucky he had a motor because us girls were no help when it came to pedaling.

Our fun was not finished. We were invited to stop by my brother Jack and Maureen’s beautiful home.

No matter what we do or where we are; we always have a great time just being together.

Marco Eco Tour

Our next day adventure was to embark on an unforgettable adventure on pedal kayaks in the mangrove tunnels on Marco Island.

Jeanne never disappoints finding us great things to do. Our tour guide, Rammel from this kayak adventure was awesome and truly is concerned in protecting and preserving the natural environment. He taught us so much and was funny in doing so. The kayaks were easy to navigate by pedaling. Jeanne certainly was thinking when she ordered Trish and me a double kayak, double trouble in one kayak. It was nonstop laughter, especially when Trish and I were in the mangrove tunnel and got tangled up in the plants. A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline or brackish water. The importance of mangroves are that they provide protection from storms ,nurseries for wildlife and fun recreation for people like us.

We were pleasantly surprised when Rammel got us through the mangrove tunnel and guided us to a shallow and secluded area to enable us to get out of our kayaks to explore and learn about the underwater wonders firsthand.

We all left this adventure feeling like we understood the importance of enjoying nature but keeping the ecosystems untouched because no human technology can replace this incredible environment.

It was time now to go back to the beach and have some fun in the sun.

After the beach, we drove down to 5th Avenue in Naples which is noted for fashion boutiques, restaurants and great people watching.

PopStroke

The next day we drove to Fort Meyer’s for a unique golf experience. Jeanne said we would be ok even though Trish and I don’t play golf. PopStroke is an outdoor golf featuring two 18-hole Tiger Woods designed putting course. Tiger Woods named it after his Dad that he called Pop.

I did come in last but enjoyed every minute of the game with the girls!

We ended our golf experience at the outdoor bar and played some cornhole along with a much needed cocktail!

It was our last night in Naples so we decided to go out for a nice dinner.

How can I sum up this unforgettable memory making trip with the girls!
We may not have it all together, but together, we have it all!❤️

Marianne and I were thrilled to being flying to Milan with two of our San Francisco Flight Attendants, Petra and Jaye. Not only are we family, we have been friends for so many years. It’s fun to explore new places together.

With so much to see and do, we were unable to take a nap before setting out to take a one hour train to beautiful Varenna, Italy.

Couldn’t start our adventure without a champagne toast!

We all thought we would take a nap on the train, but we were too excited. Lots of sights to see on the train ride.

Varenna, Italy

Varenna is a picturesque and a traditional lakeside village located on the eastern shore of Lake Como, Italy. The charming old town, is home to elegant villas with botanical gardens and jaw-dropping panoramic views.

So much beauty to take in while walking from the train station to the lake.

The lakeside promenade of Varenna , built between the rock and the water on the right of the wharf, is called the Lovers’ promenade. It is a pedestrian path that leads from the wharf of Varenna to the center of the village.

As we walked, we began to notice the charming little streets going up into the interior of the village. Lots of steps to conquer!

Giardino Botanico di Villa Cipressi

Graceful grounds are located under the stunning edifice of the Villa Cipressi. This botanical garden is draped along the waters of Lake Como. It was a great place to wonder and we loved the picturesque view of the lake. It was breathtaking!

Meditation area in the garden was so tranquil. I could have sat there for a long time and marveled at the view.

We truly enjoyed our visit to the Giardino Botanico di Villa Cipressi. It’s a must do in Varenna.

After indulging in the magic of Varenna, we decided to take a boat ride to Bellagio, known as the Pearl of Lake Como.

The ferry from Bellagio to Varenna took about 20 minutes. Bellagio is popular for its luxurious villas, stunning views, and charming boutique lined streets.

We enjoyed our quick visit to Bellagio. We had to head back to Varenna to catch our train back to Milan.

On our way back to Varenna’s train station, we came across this red heart overlooking the water. It reminded me that a kind and caring friend is what our hearts always needs.

What a grand day we had in Varenna! It truly was magical with all its beauty! We left Varenna with our hearts full.

The next day Marianne and I had another trip back to Barcelona. We decided this trip we would walk the streets of Barcelona and check out the shops.

To our surprise, when we came out of the train station we found ourselves smack in the middle of a Palestine protest. We were smart enough to know that we needed to avoid such gatherings, so we quickly walked away to find some Barcelona treasures.

It was a beautiful day for shopping and taking in the sites of Barcelona.

We stopped for lunch at an outdoor cafe.

Now that we had a wonderful lunch, we needed to get back to find some shopping treasures.

We found our favorite boutique shop, La Chinata. This store has all kinds of olive oils with diverse hand made soaps, lotions, and much more all made with olive oil.

It was a grand day shopping. We found lots of exquisite items.

It was time to head back to our hotel, our hands were full and our bags heavy. A very successful day of shopping.

When we got back to the hotel, we decided to go to a tapas restaurant in the neighborhood near our hotel and dine with all the locals.

It was a relaxing night, being part of the neighborhood.

HURLING

So you must be asking yourself why the word hurling. I’m about to tell you the meaning of hurling to me. Marianne and I had a good night sleep. We were feeling great, ready to work our trip back to New York. I was working business class. Marianne was working coach. The Purser ( our #1 Flight Attendant) came to me and said she wasn’t feeling well. Fortunately, we were able to finish our lunch service for the passengers. Two hours into the flight, we got word that the captain was really sick. He was throwing up and he needed to be put on oxygen. For an international flight, we were still in good hands, we always fly with 3 pilots. I was feeling great. Still maintaining service to all the passengers. It was time for my 2 hour break. However, after laying down in the crew bunk for 5 minutes, I started to not feel well. I got up and could not stop vomiting. It was horrific. I never felt so sick. Meanwhile, another flight attendant in coach was now sick and also the 1st Officer was throwing up. We are now down 2 pilots. Fortunately, we had an American Airlines pilot as a passenger coming home from her brother’s wedding in Barcelona that came to the cockpit to help. She was so nice. She said to me, we were in good hands. Furthermore, American decided to land the plane in Boston instead of New York. The passengers were not happy; they had no idea that the crew was so sick. The plane was met by the paramedics and the 5 of us that were sick were taken off. The captain and the 1st flight attendant went to Mass General Hospital to be checked out. I refused to go to the hospital because I just wanted to go to a hotel and lay down. I was wheeled out in a wheelchair and put in an Uber with Marianne to go to a Boston Hotel.

The next morning I was feeling better and managed to fly home to San Francisco. Thank God I had Marianne by my side. We still don’t know what we had. It definitely wasn’t food poisoning. We never ate the same food. I believe it was an aggressive virus that took us down quickly. Marianne was wearing a mask the entire flight. I believe the mask saved her from this horrific virus. One never knows what the next minute will bring. One minute I’m whirling through the streets of Barcelona, then the next I’m hurling !! Being healthy is the crown that only the sick can see. I will never take being healthy for granted. May you all be blessed with good health!

The Pleasanton girls arrived in Barcelona. We certainly needed a Spanish interpreter on this layover’s escapade.

First things first, a great breakfast, a mimosa and 1 hour of sleep. We were then ready to tackle the day. Our desired destination was Sitges, Spain.

We knew where we wanted to go, but just couldn’t find anyone to help us figure out how to buy our train tickets. We figured it out all on our own. Very excited to get on our way! We shortly found out after a few stops that we were traveling in the wrong direction. We did not let that stop us. By putting all our smarts together, we were finally going in the right direction. We sat back and relaxed for our 45 minute train ride to Sitges. Now this is where the fun started; we saw all these girls getting off the train with bikinis and towels. We asked the girls, “Is this the beach!” They said yes.

Where Are We????

Where is all the action we read about? The beach was wide and beautiful, but hard to find people. We walked down the boardwalk and found a restaurant.

Not much of our English was understood, but we were able to order beers and a pizza.

We then proceeded to find the action! We walked a while and found this lone place on the beach.

The view was absolutely beautiful and the beers were ice cold. We asked the waiter if he spoke English. He said a little. I asked him where are all the people here at Sitges. He kindly told us we were not at Sitges. WHAT!!!!!

So where is Sitges? We needed to trek back a mile back to the train station and take the train a few stops further south.

When something doesn’t feel right, you need to ask questions! If it wasn’t for our curiosity, we would have believed we spent the day in Sitges. It’s time to learn Spanish.

SITGES

Sitges is a coastal town in Spain’s Catalonia region, southwest of Barcelona. It’s known for its Mediterranean beaches and seafront promenade. The compact old town and surrounding streets are filled with shops, restaurants, and bars. Sitges is renowned for its spirited nightlife and cocktail bar scene. Right up our alley!

We were so happy to be in Sitges. As usual when you travel with me, I needed to find a restroom. We found one on the beach next to a restaurant. As my luck had it that day, I got locked in the bathroom. This is not how I wanted to end my day. Fortunately, a waitress in the restaurant came over and rescued me.

We wanted to have dinner on the beach. We could not stay at this restaurant. I would be known as the girl who got locked in the bathroom. We walked down the promenade and found a quaint restaurant on the beach.

The sun was setting. We needed to head back to the train.

The Church of Saint Bartomeu & Santa Tesla, Sitges

The church of Sant Bartomeu dominates the seafront of Sitges, a powerful statement of Catholic power in white washed stone. It’s on an elevated terrace overlooking the Balearic Sea, popular for the sunset vistas.

To sum it all up, we loved Sitges and can’t wait to go back. As they say, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” And you simply never know where the journey will take you.