Copenhagen and the Round Tower

Copenhagen, September 2012

I have seen almost everything of my interest in Copenhagen, in 2011. But it's always one of our nicest layovers so I don't mind repeating it again and again. In fact, I used my bid points to have this flight in my roster. I must confess: I love Nordic cities!

This time, a friend came with me and it was really a nice day at Copenhagen in good company. The weather forecast predicted a cold and rainy day. Fortunately, only the first part was true.

We woke up early, took our breakfast at the hotel and started our long walk until the Mermaid's spot. I already showed pictures of her in a previous post.

Then we visited the Kastellet, a fortress nearby.

Inside the Kastellet

As we spent most of the time in the morning walking and seeing some shops before reaching the Mermaid, after leaving the Kastellet it was already lunch time! We chose a very nice restaurant in the very famous Nyhavn canal.

After lunch, our next goal was to visit the Round Tower, one of the few things left for me to do in Copenhagen. Again, while walking, we stopped in a Mall (Magasin du Nord) and I found myself playing with Lego after so many years... :)

Not for my age!?

I think I should consider a visit to the Legoland in Billund!

-o0o-

The Round Tower

So here we go. Round Tower (Rundetaarn) was built in 1642 (year of conclusion) and is part of the Trinitatis complex, which also includes a church and a library. The purpose of the Round Tower was to be an astronomical observatory. In fact, it's the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. Beside that purpose, being 35 meters high, it gives you an astonishing view of Copenhagen's skyline!

Reaching the Round Tower

Round Tower - Rundetårn

The tickets are Kr. 25.00 each. First you have to climb a spiral ramp of 209 meters in lenght which corresponds to 7½ turns inside the tower before you reach the top. It's not that hard to climb it...

 

Your deserved reward are these magnificent views...

Øresund Bridge - connects Copenhagen and Malmö

The Dannish flag

If you see the larger picture, an aircraft is climbling away!

Nice terrace!

So it was time to leave the Round Tower...

 

Walking down Strøget, Copenhagen's longest shopping street (and also the world's largest and oldest pedestrian street)...

Strøget

The Tivoli, one year later, once more getting prepared for the Halloween...

 

-o0o-

Central Station

As some of you might know, trains were also one of my childhood's passion. So why not visit the central station?

Facade

Station's clock

We explored that area around the central station a little bit more and came up with the following:

Scandic - the first hotel where I stayed in Copenhagen!

I swear I couldn't even remember exactly where it was located... Is it 2008 so far away?

And now... the aviation theme, of course!

AirFrance & KLM...

And perhaps the two best brands in the world together: TAP Portugal + 7-Eleven! ahahaha :)

So helpful and handy those convenience stores!

-o0o-

Saint George's Lake

(Sankt Jørgens Sø)

Ending our stroll in Copenhagen we approached the Scandic Hotel and found a nice place to sit and take a breath before returning to our hotel. I also didn't remember this lake at all! Incredible! In fact, Scandic is much better located than our current hotel but the rooms were not so nice - and perhaps that is the only thing I can remember...

Scandic Hotel

The lake

Swimming ducks across the lake

Nice fountain...

Then, completely exhausted, and with another early morning next day, we had to return to our hotel.

Lots of bycicles everywhere!

At the hotel, we ended the day with a great dinner at the Thai restaurant "The Blue Elephant".

Next morning, at Kastrup Airport, it was time to leave Copenhagen carried by the wings of the best airline in the world...

... which is not SAS! Sorry :)

Farnborough Airshow 2012

Farnborough, July 2012

Everything started with this flyer I found in Airliner World magazine:

I had never attended an international airshow and I was waiting for this opportunity for several years. After seeing that flyer I checked my roster for the weekend in which the airshow was opened to the general public. Saturday morning I was arriving from Munich and then I had a couple of days off. Almost perfect!

Next step was defying an old friend of mine to come with me. I called him and as I thought, he still continues crazy enough to accept these kind of chanllenges :) Eventually another 2nd friend would join this adventure and the same three guys who spent a weekend in New York in 2006 "just to buy a digital camera" were together again!

Saturday, the 14th

-o0o-

Flight to London

This day started very early for me at Freising (Munich). Wake up call at 3:50 am (2:50 am, Lisbon time...) and then a flight to Lisbon. The flight departed with some delay and as I had a short connection time to get the first available flight to London, I was a little bit worried. But guess what, flight to London was also delayed and I even had time to change clothes and leave my uniform in my car!

The flight to London was full and since we were flying with staff tickets we were the last ones to have assigned seats which were obviously separated seats. So I just used the flight time to sleep and regain energy for the day. I didn't even eat the usual sandwich served on these flights.

We landed at Heathrow Airport and then went to our hotel (Crowne Plaza Heathrow) to leave there our things and go immediately to the center of London. Even if our flight didn't arrive late we had already decided that in the first day we would be visiting London and not going to the airshow. Arriving at 13h00, leaving the airport, waiting for the bus to the hotel, then 1 hour of trip until Waterloo train station plus the train until Farnborough, wouldn't leave much time to see anything that day... So we just enjoyed London, caught some rain, bought some aviation books and had a great dinner at a Thai restaurant.

Sunday, the 15th

-o0o-
The Airshow

We had bought our tickets online in advance so we were benefited with discount and would avoid a waiting queue at the venue of the Airshow. We also rented a car and the most experienced driver of us took it until Farnborough with the help of a GPS. I think I wouldn't dare to drive in London any day. It's easy to understand that everything is opposite: the steering wheel on the right side and taking the left side of a road. But having to fight against my automatic skills in a strange and unknown place would be too much for me!

Everything just went fine and we got in the airfield without getting lost. Also everything was so well organized that made things easier for the visitors. When we arrived, the weather was great: sunny with some scattered clouds although they would become broken clouds later that day.

We had to pass through security check control (just like in the airports) and we were ready for the airshow!

-o0o-

Omega Tanker KDC-10-40I

This aircraft was on static display near the entrance so it was the first airplane I saw. Being a L-1011 lover,  of course this modified DC-10 caught my station. The DC-10 was the main competitor of the L-1011 in the 70s and it is a similar aircraft in having a 3-engine configuration. One could see that this particular aircraft was a former -40 series by observing the shape of the #2 engine intake which is rounded instead of being straight.

Engine #2

N974VV

Refueling pod

Omega Tanker titles

Such a  beautiful classic!

Omega offers commercial in-flight refueling services and you can learn more about them here.

-o0o-

A400M & A318

Now it's time to go for Airbus!

I didn't lose much time with the A400M but it seemed to be at least a beautiful aircraft.

A400M & A380

Its rival, the Lockheed C130J was also present at the static display.

The tiniest member of the Airbus aircraft family - the A318 - was brought to the airshow by British Airways.

G-EUNA

In fact, this is an 'A318 CJ Elite' fitted only with business class seats and used on the LCY-JFK run.

-o0o-

Landing Planes During the Airshow

Qatar Airways' A320

Irkut-Avia's An-12, RA-11309, what a treat!

-o0o-

C-17A Globemaster III

Wow! This big airplane really caught our attention. And it was worth the wait in the queue to get inside.

Globemaster

Tail Number 07-7170

Huge inside!

Wing view from a tiny window

This can be opened in flight!

Funny seatbelt/no-smoking sign

Beautiful glass cockpit

Throttle Quadrant

As we were leaving the C-17, the A380 was just starting its airborne display.

-o0o-
A<380 "Love at first flight"

After the tiny A318, let's go see the biggest in action! Although I have already flown the A380, I had never saw it doing extreme maneuvers. It's always an impressive sight and it handles very easily in the air despite its gigantic dimensions.

Descending while in roll to the left...

Low speed pass...

Climbing with a steep angle...

And finally landing in the middle of the crowd.

After the display, again in its static position.

F-WWDD

-o0o-

Other Aircraft

ATR 72-600

Catalina

An-2 cockpit

 And one aircraft of our Portuguese Air Force:

FAP CASA C-295

During the last hours of the airshow we would enjoy the displays of the beautiful Avro Lancaster bomber aircraft and of the Red Arrows, the proud of the UK.

We also paid a visit to the Airbus shop and to the Virgin Galactic stand.

Unfortunately we couldn't wait for the Avro Vulcan display, the last one flying in the world. We had to return to Heathrow to catch the last flight of the day to Lisbon.

As we boarded we were kindly invited to Business Class. So we had nice food and wonderful wine on our return flight. A great way to end a fantastic weekend.

With love from the Red Arrows...

... see you next time Farnborough Airshow!