Aeroteca / Barceloneta (full of beachgoers)

Barcelona, May 2026

This was my last layover of the month. I usually like to walk but since the weather was too hot I bought the Metro daily pass for €13,50.

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Aeroteca/Simuteca

The first stop of the day was this aviation hobby store that I became aware of in 2023, while on holidays, but I couldn't visit because they were closed for the "siesta time". They still have that opening schedule in place but this time I could plan the visit! The nearest metro station is Joanic. They have lots of aviation books, some models for sale, key holders, lanyards... You can also book simulator sessions.

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Barceloneta

With such crazy summer temperatures I really wanted to check on Barceloneta and feel its vibe. And yeah... the beach was full of people sunbathing even though it was a working day!

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Skyscrapers

Architecture is a favorite subject of mine... Below you can see the Mapfre Building and Hotel Arts Barcelona:

Per roster, I shall be visiting Barcelona again in June. I plan to take some pictures of Sagrada Família which has its main structure now complete.

London, already a Summer feel in May

London, May 2026

So far this year I've been lucky with recurrent layovers in London, my favorite European capital. And I've been lucky with the weather too.

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Buckingham Palace

I took the Piccadilly Line from Heathrow Airport to Hyde Park Corner. I wanted to see the Buckingham Palace first and then cross the St James Park. I'm not using my Oyster card anymore. I got mine in 2010 so it was a previous generation card with many restricted functions today... But you can add a Revolut card on the TfL Go app and use it as a contactless payment on all underground stations. The daily cap still applies as long as you use the same payment card all day long. So, absolutely no need to get another Oyster.

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St James Park

Whenever the sun shines in London, you can see Londoners being Londoners...

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Household Cavalry

Next place of interest was this gravel square, the Household Cavalry...

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London Eye

... and the London Eye with a clear blue sky!

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Big Ben

This was the first time I was seeing the Big Ben after the recent major renovation works. It looks beautiful!

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Miscellaneous

It was by chance that I spotted this tile "EXIT BREXIT HERE" on a low wall at the Westminster Pier. I thought it was funny.

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Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square is always an imponent sight to see in London.

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Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum's is an upmarket department store famous in London. It also has a tea shop like the Harrods. I took knowledge of Fortnum's while talking with a colleague the previous day.

The inside of the building in general and its two staircases, is really very impressive. 

I found this table very curious because it had on display several ceramic pieces of a very famous Portuguese ceramics factory: Bordalo Pinheiro.

When returning to the hotel I used the Elizabeth line for the first time. The fare is a little bit more expensive than the Underground's but it only took me 30 minutes from Tottenham Court Rd to Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3. It was worth it even because my daily transport expenses in London were capped at £16.30, having exceeded it by £8.60.

Sunset departure at Lisbon...

In-flight, April 2026

... on our way yo Brussels...

Brussels, Zinneke-Pis sculpture

Brussels, April 2026

I was on standby when I got this layover in Brussels. The weather was nice so it was the perfect opportunity to complete the trilogy of pissing sculptures in this city. 

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Zinneke-Pis

After Manneken Pis and Jeanneke, it was time to finally see Zinneke Pis. Differently from the previous suculptures, this is a dry one.

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Grote Markt

... and I cannot avoid Grand-Place. I was impressed by the amount of tourists that were visiting Brussels this day and the insane vibe that was all over the city.

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Miscellaneous

Since I was close to it, I decided to check on Jeanneke that was decorated with Easter motifs, including the Moai statue of Easter Island. I also tried an artistic photo at the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries.

During this layover I also tried to visit aviation.brussels hobby store and I actually went to the place where it sits. But it seems to be in a building with other businesses running inside too where you have to ring a door bell... so I gave up. I had previously checked on the their website and all items seemed a bit pricey and I didn't want to bother anyone just out of my curiosity.

Planespotting last month

Airport action, April 2026

I can't help myself when I feel a good opportunity to take some aircraft photos.

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Luxembourg

CS-TVR, one of the fleet's newest aircraft

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Amsterdam

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Lisbon

Two photos of my last layover in Recife

Recife/Boa Viagem, April 2026

Last years I've been struggling to still feel the joy of being a crew member and going places all the time. Long haul flying takes a toll on my health and on my mood from which I take a long time to recover every time I have a transatlantic crossing in my roster. Recife was never a favorite destination of mine. But I still have very good memories here from the past. When I started flying with Luzair I came here a couple of times with the L-1011, operating for BRA and Aerolíneas Argentinas. Recife was also the city where I took my first steps in 1983. Recife was my first transatlantic crossing ever and the first time I flew on a L-1011, also in 1983. Recife was the closest destination to Maceió served by TAP Air Portugal. So I went there many times in the 80s and 90s on holidays with my parents, flying on the good old Airbus A310. The first time I returned to Recife as a crew member I was even excited to see the BETA Cargo DC-8 at the airport while I was also myself flying on a vintage aircraft. These days you only see twinjets, either Airbus or Boeing. My favorite aircraft as a crew member is now the dull A321LR. How in the world aviation became so boring?!

But I still fight to recapture that excitement of a crew member's lifestyle. Maybe things will never be the same as they were until 6/7 years ago (I'm on my 19th year as a crew member...) but I refuse to stay all time inside the hotel room even if I have nothing new to see or experience.

The first photo was taken at "Posto 7" in Boa Viagem beach - I thought it was curious they chose a Germany flag with a coat of arms similar to that one seen on the West Germany's flag (FRG). The second one was taken when I was walking alongside the beach. It is the Golden Park hotel where I stayed nineteen years ago with Luzair, the first time I returned to Recife as a crew member. 

The hotel looks pretty much unchanged... I have a picture of it in this old blog's entry.

Quick turnaround in Sal Island

Sal Airport, April 2026

Sal has been a recurrent holiday destination for me, for the last five years. Yesterday we were parked in between two TUI fly's Boeing 737s. Seen here, the OO-MAX of TUI fly Belgium:

Wonderful sunset in Frankfurt

Frankfurt, October 2015

This crew pairing comprised one night in Copenhagen and two nights in Frankfurt. Although Copenhagen is one of my favorite cities in Europe, I spent most of the time of this quick night stop sleeping.

On the other hand, the day at Frankfurt was very well spent including this visit to the Bethmann Park which features this Chinesischer Garten:

At the end of the day, we went to our hotel's rooftop (which sadly closed recently due to the insolvency of the Revo Hospitality Group). On the rooftop, we witnessed a wonderful sunset...

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Lisboa

Next day, arriving at Lisbon, we parked side by side with this Maltese Boeing 737-400 (9H-VLA) of Valorfly. This airline is not active anymore.