Special Clearance

Airplane window view passing over the Alps returning home to Geneva from Crete.

On the flight to Crete over the New Year holiday, we flew very low over the Alps. The pilot seemed to circle them and the airline attendants ran around excitedly telling us to look out the window.

The pilot flew very low for stunning close-ups. "I think we're taking a detour around the Alps," I tell Mr. Wild Dingo as the plane made a huge circle over Mount Blanc.

Being a former U.S. Naval Aviator, Mr. Wild Dingo disagreed. "No, they need special clearance for that. It just seems like we're going in a circle." He went back to reading his magazine.

As I peered out the window, I could see the roof tops of homes or buildings in the valley and the perspective was awe-inspiring.   The sheer magnitude of these mountains cannot be comprehended until you see it that way.  I didn't think to take photos at the time, but I managed to get this one coming home to Geneva. It's not nearly as impressive as what I saw flying out of Geneva.

The pilot came on the speaker. "I hope you enjoyed that tour around the Alps," he said, "the visibility was too clear to pass up circling them."

Sometimes Mr. Wild Dingo's confidence can be as big as those Alps.

***

This week, the two of us are in Venice enjoying the glass, the leather, the gondolas and, gasp, even some wheat. I don't think I can make it on a trip to Italy without eating the pizza or the pasta. Sigh. You know you're getting old when your naughty food is no longer alcohol and cream but wheat and gluten. While we're in Venice, I'll be running some posts on our trip to Crete the past holiday season.