Thursday, July 7, 2011

I will have to see your ID's though ...

Time to go. All packed up and we had some spare time to drive around and enjoy the great weather, beautiful views and the 4th of July atmosphere.

Space Needle from the other side

enjoying the sun

Seattle once more

snow covered mountains

We flew Alaska from Seattle to LA and waited there for our connection with Qantas to Melbourne. Since we had some spare time a sip of cool white wine would help us to kill it. We found a nice wine bar at LAX airport and sat down to order a glass. "I will have to see your ID's though" said the waitress. We both laughed out loudly and showed her our ID's. Ziggy said he loves that place and will have a drink there every time while in LA :-)


our Alaska 737 with the amazing Mount Rainier in the background

There was still some time left for boarding and we sat down in a bar just next to our gate and watched other travelers. An Asian origin couple was sitting next to us having something to eat and drink. Suddenly a Qantas representative walked in and started looking for two people booked on a flight to Sydney. She asked around and that couple was the one she was looking for. She informed them that the final boarding call has been made some time ago and the plane was about to depart. Since there were only five gates and two planes departing she decided to find the missing two pax. The couple said that was all right and that they have to finish their chicken first because it has already been payed for. They continued eating like nothing happened and the poor agent stood there with sort of a jaw drop looking around not really knowing what to do. She said couple more times that they really have to go now. I admired her self control - she remained nice and polite. The couple spoke perfect English - so this definitely was not an understanding issue. I guess they just knew the plane will wait. Otherwise they would have to find and remove their luggage before departing without them. And this was a fully packed A380. They finished up their meal and slowly walked out with the agent shaking her head. I cannot find appropriate words for that ... ok, maybe except for: "WTF?????"

Last days in Seattle

Our US trip this year was fairly short and we wanted to see end explore way to much. It turned out to be very intense and exhausting. Every single day was packed up with something exciting. We really enjoyed it and got very tired at the same time. We didn't even feel any jet lag symptoms.

Here are some more impressions of one of the most beautiful big cities in the world:

Renton Municipal Airport - home of the B737 and place I used to fly out of

what I used to call home

working out how to squeeze all the stuff in the trunk

downtown Seattle

downtown Seattle seen from the harbor

downtown apartments along the waterfront

European cruiser

harbor

the first Starbucks joint ever

the famous Pike Place Market

please give me a break for a while


enjoying the city

Zig checked out brewery with 10% strong beer...

...and decided to go out for dinner wearing my coat

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Sleepless in Seattle

After a long and exhausting trip with American Airlines (...) we finally made it to Seattle. Not much changed since I left the place some 5 years ago. The city is still beautiful, amazing, having lots to offer and the summer weather just couldn't be better. We are driving back and forth all days long, seeing places and it seems never ending. I don't know how much time one would need to see everything this place has to offer.

waiting for boarding in FRA

first day - Museum of Flight

Air Force One

Blackbird

some theory cannot harm anyone

but practice is so much more interesting

history of the Boeing Company

World War II history

Zig hoovering in the space

Steve Fossett's extreme altitude modified DG500

where it all begun

visiting old places - I wish I still had the key to the gate

4th of July weekend traffic - I-5 north

the window view from our hotel room

night view out of the window

University Village

It's so nice to get some rest after weeks of very challenging flying. If somebody offered me a glider flight now I would definitely have to say "no, thanks". I'm enjoying the simple tourist ground activities at the moment. I'm afraid it's not gonna last long though ...