Come Fly With Me

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.

It was a perfect day to wander the cobblestone streets. The weather was perfect. We were excited to have our friend Wendy (former SFO flight attendant) explore Rome with us.

Trastevere

Our first destination was to the Trastevere, a neighborhood located across the Tiber River. Trastevere is famous for its bohemian atmosphere, restaurants and wine bars, boutiques and craft shops. It has beautiful cobblestone streets lined with Roman architecture.

Trastevere was a fun neighborhood to explore. We enjoyed a yummy Roman charcuterie plate at a restaurant in the heart of Trastevere.

After our nourishment, we had some energy to do some shopping.

We relished our time wandering the cobblestone streets of Trastevere. We headed back over the river to get lost in the vibrant, timeless streets in the heart of Rome.

No matter how many time we walk these streets, Rome’s beauty still takes our breaths away.

We enjoyed a pre-dinner cocktail, at one of our favorite local Birrerias.

We ate dinner at a restaurant that a flight attendant had recommended. I would like to mention a few interesting facts about dining in Italy. Italy’s waiters will not hover or ask you how you are doing. Meals in Italian restaurants are considered a way to pamper yourself. There is no rushing. Buon Appetito!

Our trip to Rome is never complete until we end our visit with a delicious gelato.

SALUTE!

We arrived in Barcelona in the wee hours of the morning. Time to nap before we start our day.

First priority, checking out the nearby grocery store for Spanish delicacies. Wow, did we find the perfect ham with hooves and all.

Off we go by train to have some fun in the sun.

We boarded the coastal cruise boat to enjoy views of Barcelona from the water.

Marianne and I were in good hands, the Mirasestels kept constant watch on the waters keeping us safe.

Vila Olimpica

An interesting site from the water was the Olympic Village. Open to the sea and with its own beaches, the Vila Olimpica neighborhood was created as the Olympic village to provide accommodation for athletes taking part in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Today it is a magnificent residential area.

Despite the winds, the warm weather made our boating excursion delightful.

Now it was time to enjoy the beach. In much of our surprise, we stumbled across a nudest beach. The mature sunbathers were truly experiencing nature and the beach with the liberty of being unclothed.

La Deliciosa

We decided to stop at La Deliciosa for a bite to eat and drinks. La Deliciosa is a relaxed beach bar offering food and cocktails.

The location was absolutely perfect to end our fun in the sun in Barcelona. “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

We definitely had the Dream Crew working to Paris. Tracey, Marianne, Jennifer and I got on this trip, so we could celebrate our dear friend Laurie’s birthday. Laurie is a friend from Pleasanton and was celebrating her birthday in Paris with her 2 daughters.

We arrived in Paris in the morning. We slept a couple of hours before we ventured out to meet Laurie and her daughters at the Arc de Triomphe. We were so excited for the girls arrival.

Laurie, McKensie and Madelyn arrived at the Arc de Triomphe ready to have a fun filled day! We all jumped on the train. Our first stop was to Montmartre, a charming hilltop district known as a former artists village and home to the Sacré-Coeur.

Montmartre

Montmartre never disappoints. It’s one of my favorite places in Paris. Perched high above Paris, with a quaint village feel, Montmartre has been both home and muse to countless influential creatives over the years , including Van Gogh and Picasso.

We had to stop at La Bonne Franquette to have a champagne toast for the birthday girl.

Loved our time at Montmartre. It was time to move on. Next stop was at Moulin Rouge.

Moulin Rouge is a cabaret in Paris. Moulin Rouge was France’s first popular ballroom where partygoers could eat, drink, dance and watch shows.

Now it was time to walk a 3 mile walk to the Eiffel Tower for dinner and to watch the magnificent unforgettable twinkling of the Eiffel Tower at 9pm.

We made it!

We found a great restaurant to eat some yummy pizza!

The first thing we needed to do was find the best spot on the lawn. The twinkling of the Eiffel Tower has 2 purposes. First, the lights highlight the Eiffel Tower’s elegant structure. Secondly, to ensure its safe night operation. It was a magical night sitting on the lawn seeing the twinkling lights.

Very special celebrating Laurie’s birthday at the Eiffel Tower.

We didn’t want the night to end, so us flight attendants played some Rugby before going to bed. I can clearly say Marianne’s team won.

From Pleasanton to Paris, we celebrated Laurie’s birthday in Parisian style. Though we had to leave Paris, Paris will always have an imprint on our hearts.

We worked with a wonderful crew to Barcelona. One of the flight attendants offered to show us around the city. The first thing she wanted to show us is how to use the bus to get to the main center of Barcelona.

The bus was actually very easy to use. I think now Marianne and I can maneuver the bus system on our future trips to Barcelona.

Such a beautiful day walking La Rambla , considered the most well known street in central Barcelona.

We stopped at the La Boqueria, which is one of the best markets in the world.

The colors, scents and spirit of everyday Spanish life burst from the busy aisles of this famous food market. We had a nice lunch at the market and then continued our walk to the water.

Miraestels

Seeing this statue in the water was captivating. I found out it is called Miraestels, a floating icon, becomes guardian of the waters. With its watchful presence, it urges us to care for and respect the sea. Miraestels staring into heaven indicate a double vigilance.

It certainly was a beautiful day by the water.

Our crew split up, Brit stayed with us and the other 2 girls headed back to the hotel. We now needed to saunter the streets in the Gothic Quarter. It’s a charming area filled with trendy bars, clubs and restaurants.

We found a great spot for a much needed beverage.

We enjoyed our time in the Gothic Quarter. Thanks to Brit, it was an easy trip back to our hotel by bus.

Our trip to Barcelona was a lot of fun, mainly do to the kindness and fun Flight Attendant Crew that we worked with. The Flight Attendants that you work with can either make or break a trip! You never know until you walk on the plane what kind of flight attendants you will be working with.

We arrived back into New York around 2:30pm and went to the Crashpad. We were very excited to see some of our SFO family staying at the Crashpad with us that night. Making our Crashpad feel like our 2nd home, we all enjoyed happy hour in the backyard. Great way to end a great day!

So excited to get to experience Tel Aviv with Marianne. We started our journey to New York with great seats in Business Class. Nice way to have some peace before our bizarre flight to Tel Aviv.

I tried to prepare Marianne for this mind blowing flight to Tel Aviv. No words could prepare her for the craziness that she would witness on this flight. It was just what we expected…chaotic. It’s not the flight that makes this trip, it’s having a fun layover right on the beach. What we will do to make work seem like a vacation!

We tried to make it to see the sunset outside our hotel in Tel Aviv. Unfortunately, we were stuck in traffic and missed the sunset by minutes. We decided to walk the boardwalk to see the night action. There was a lot going on; Zumba, yoga, volleyball on the beach and of course lots of eateries with delicious food. Next time Marianne and I are going to try the Zumba class. We loved the music.

It was getting late, so we decided to try the restaurant on the beach in front of our hotel. Beside hearing the roaring waves and the magic of sitting on the beach at night, we found that the food was delicious.

We were not ready to call it a night, so we just turned our seats around to listen to the sweet lullaby of the sea. More adventure was about to happen in front of us on the beach.

As we were sitting on the beach a group of young men came to sit in front of us on the beach with their boom box playing fun music. The funny thing was our waiter kept checking in on us and I said to him, ” Isn’t it nice that off duty policemen come to the beach to relax.” The waiter laughingly said, ” I’m glad you call them policemen, here we call them Israeli thugs.”

As we were listening to their music, we noticed a couple from the table behind us going swimming. The waiter told us the wedding party had been partying at the restaurant all day. The woman could hardly stand. After a few moments, it looked like she was going to drown. Her date was not in good shape either. Marianne came to the rescue and told the “Policemen” about the couple drowning. They jumped up and went to the couple’s rescue. All ended well. Marianne saved the day!

We had a good night sleep. We couldn’t decide if we should take an all day tour to Jerusalem the next day. It left the hotel at 720am and returned at 6pm. Unfortunately, it would not give us much time to rest before we had to go to work that night. We decided to postpone that tour for another time. We found a free walking tour that would show us Jaffa City. Regretfully , I did not read the fine print. We showed up to meet our tour guide and found out this tour was going to be in Spanish only. The nice guy told us an English speaking tour was going to start in 30 minutes at the clock tower. Now we had to find the clock tower.

We found it and the tour guide was excellent. We learned so much about Old Jaffa.

It was time to head back. We had a sunny 3 mile walk ahead of us to our hotel. We couldn’t wait to swim in the Mediterranean Sea.

We stopped along the way and picked up delicious meat filled pitas for lunch.

Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea was refreshing. The water was warm, clean and very clear. Nothing like frolicking in the sea.

Time to say good bye to Tel Aviv. We needed to put our game faces on to be firm, but nice to our passengers on our return flight to New York.

Cheers for us for another great adventure. “Life is a journey, enjoy the trip. Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying every step along the way.”

TEL AVIV

Never in my wildest dreams would I ever think I would travel to Tel Aviv. I certainly went out of my comfort zone to work this flight. I cannot put into words the craziness that takes place on these flights for 11 hours. My head is still spinning!

The Calm Before The Storm

Boarding alone was challenging. I have to mention that the majority of our passengers were Hasidic Jews. They have their own dress, customs and beliefs. They have many children. My 1st challenge with boarding occurred when some of the Hasidic men informed me that their religion prevents them from sitting next to a woman that is not his wife. I told them that they would have to figure their sitting arrangements out on their own. I was not moving anyone. I was told by other flight attendants be firm, but nice. Next they need their luggage near them for reasons you will learn about soon. They would not use overhead spaces that were available if the bin was not directly above them. So boarding is very chaotic. Everyone is walking around even when we have closed the door. It’s like our rules on the aircraft did not pertain to them.

Finally, we got everyone seated and took off. We did our beverage and dinner service right away. This flight like no other had 170 pre-ordered kosher meals. Now we have to get these special meals to their owners. We managed to get everyone a meal and drink. It seemed to me everyone was starting to settle in for the night! I was quickly mistaken.

About 4 hours into the flight, all the Hasidic men jumped up and got their suitcases down to robe their praying garments. They pray at sunrise. Majority of the men pray in front of our exit doors with a window. The men that could not get to the doors, either prayed in their seats or in the aisle. One interesting note is that the men don’t stand still. They rock back and forth in place. I felt bad for all the other paying passengers that were now awake. I was told this is how it is on every flight to Tel Aviv. The prayer time lasts 30 minutes.

We had at least 10 men at this door. Note that we had to cover our coffee bar sink with the curtain because they would take their drinking water and wash their hands in it before praying. We kept telling them to please wash their hands in the lavatory. I asked one of them why he had a white robe on? I was told that the married men wear the white robes. After praying, they put their robes away and finally went to sleep.

Now you are probably saying to yourself, ” why would Nancy put herself through that?” It’s simple……..

Tel Aviv’s entire west side faces the Mediterranean Sea. The city boasts 9 miles – of some of the best beaches in the world with clean wide stretches of sand and stunning views of the sea, white sails and surfers.

We made it to our hotel by 630pm, just in time for sunset and dinner on the beach. We stay at the Hilton Hotel on the shores of the Mediterranean, which consists of a boardwalk that goes for miles. My trip to Tel Aviv was perfect because I had Cori, my coworker and longtime friend from SFO on my trip. Cori and I have had so many fun trips while we were both based in San Francisco. Cori was so gracious to show me all the fabulous sights of Tel Aviv.

Cori and I didn’t want to miss the beautiful sunset. We walked the boardwalk until we found a perfect spot.

After the sunset, we set off to find a place for dinner. We found the perfect spot for delicious drinks and food on the boardwalk.

It was time to walk back to the hotel to get a goodnight sleep. Cori and I were getting up early the next morning to explore Tel Aviv.

It was a nice walk back to our hotel.

Good morning Tel Aviv. This was the view from my bed!

Now it was time for yoga on a paddle board in front of our hotel. No friends, I wasn’t on a paddle board, I shamelessly sat on the bench and watched these girls workout.

Cori and I got an early start on our walk before it got too hot. Our 3 mile walk was to the Old City of Jaffa.

The Old City of Jaffa

It was a pleasant walk along the water to Jaffa. It was fun to see that these beaches are dog friendly and the dogs were having so much fun in the water.

This complex was built as an inn for Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem who, during the centuries that Jaffa lay in ruins, lived among the remain of the ancient structures in 1654, the Ottoman government permitted the Franciscans to build an inn here, which become the first building in new Jaffa. In the 18th century the building was renovated and named Casa Nova. The inn remained in operation until the end of the 19th century. It now houses art galleries, restaurants and apartments.

The port of Jaffa is mentioned in the Bible and is one of the most ancient ports in the world.

Before leaving Jaffa, we crossed The Wishing Bridge. An ancient legend holds that anyone boarding the bridge, holds it’s zodiac sign and looks at the the sea- their wish will come true!

It was about a 3 mile walk back to the hotel and boy were we hot. We definitely needed to get refreshed by the hotel pool.

I can say one thing about this pool, the temperature of the pool took my breath away. It felt like an ice bath. It truly was refreshing. It didn’t stop these two polka dot girls from having fun!

What a great way to end our day! We needed to nap before our 11 hour flight back to New York. It was not as hectic flying back because these passengers never got to see sunrise. We leave at midnight and arrive in New York at 5:00am. This makes for a much calmer flight back.

Tel Aviv has been dubbed the “city that never sleeps”, Tel Aviv is a city that pulses with energy, creativity and a vibrant spirit. It may have been mayhem to get here, but I can definitely say I’ll be back!