It is my birthday in October. Somehow this year I do not feel like spending the day in rainy Germany. Last minute I decide to fly to Malta. I have been here before on an on-duty rotation and want to explore the island some more.

The room that I am renting for two nights is located in the northern town of San Pawl il-Baħar. Buses run across the island and I already enjoy the ride there, looking out of the window and taking in the landscape. What can I say: I am staying two blocks away from the beach. It was such a good idea to come here for my birthday.

I quickly change into a dress and I am immediately in holiday mode. I take my book and sit down on the beach directly in the centre. The turquoise water is so inviting. It does not take long for me to jump in. Saltwater on my skin.

For my birthday I book a catamaran tour around the island. Lounging on a sunbed all day is the perfect way to celebrate this day. We stop at different caves along the impressive limestone coast. The colour of the water is stunning. I cannot get enough of the turquoise water, the ever-changing hues of the sea.

And of course we jump into the water any chance we get. I brought my goggles along and observe the fish and anemones. A day spent by the sea is always a day well spent for me. In the evening I go to a small sea-side restaurant have some fish and local wine. It is the perfect end to a perfect day.

Today I fly back to Frankfurt in the afternoon. I check out early and take the bus to Mdina. The old-town is very impressive.

There are only few people strolling along the light stone alleyways. It is still early and very quiet. I like getting lost in the maize and discovering new corners everywhere I turn. A delivery van stops, a few shops begin to open. Another day begins. I like the Maltese architecture. The colourful, covered balconies are my favourite element. They play off beautifully against the light stone buildings. The views from the city walls are impressive. The whole island stretches before me.

Valletta I have explored a little before on an earlier trip. I love the colourful verandas. Everything looks so pretty. Just walking along the less busy side streets, following wherever the road takes me, is so much fun. The views of the harbour and the sea are lovely from all sides of the peninsula.

I meet up with an Australian woman working for German Air Traffic Control and we have lunch together at the yacht harbour. I had such a great time on Malta. It was only a very short trip, but so worth it.

Der Beitrag A Birthday Trip to Malta erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

After such a lovely autumn holiday to Uzbekistan last year my sister and I want to go somewhere again this year, the operative word being “somewhere”. Covid19 is still very much a thing and we decide only the week before that we want to hike along the Ligurian coast.

We spend a lovely day in Genoa exploring the palaces, the small alleys in the old town and the viewpoints. The sun is shining and makes it very easy to fall in love with the city.

Our little apartment is located in one of the stony cold alleyways. It is fun getting lost in the maize of the old town. In the evening we eat delicious pizza and tiramisu for dinner. What a lovely start to our holiday.

We have a GPS track but no idea about the trail as such. The first day taking the train out of Genoa to Nervi we are excited about what to expect. The path along the Mediterranean is already a promising start. A little further we meet our best friends for the next days: stairs.

There is a constant up and down along the steep coast. The stairs take our breath away; and so do the views. The vistas throughout most of the day are spectacular. The blue sea, the green palm trees, the colourful houses…

And the path surprises us as well. We rarely walk on streets. Most of the time the trail leads us through olive terraces and we follow small tracks up in the hills. Every now and again we pass through small villages. The colours of the houses are so lovely: yellow, orange, red, pink and every shade in between. There are palm trees growing, figs and medlar trees. The landscape is so beautiful.

Every night we stay in a quaint little town along the coast. A few times we get to jump into the sea to wash off the sweat and cool our sore muscles. And then we have dinner in a restaurant, sometimes overlooking the sea, sometimes in a small alley in the heart of the town. We indulge in yummy seafood, pasta and risotto. Occasionally we treat ourselves to a tiramisu for desert. Life could not be much better.

Portofino definitely deserves a special mention here. The hike over the peninsula is so beautiful. By the time we reach the monastery of San Fruttuoso we are ready for a lunch break in the shade.

We usually have focaccia, some fruit, olives; whatever we can find in town. The first glimpse of Portofino from up above is spectacular. Now we have to descend what feels like a thousand stairs to actually get to the lovely town. We find a bench right by the harbour and have a long break, take off our shoes, have some food and get to observe all the tourists around us.

A bad storm unfortunately cuts our hiking adventure short. We skip a few kilometres and hike the famous Cinque Terre on the last sunny day. It is so beautiful hiking along the coast and coming upon those quaint little towns. Everyone has these pictures of the small colourful villages in their head and we cannot wait to climb the stairs out of Monterosso and see the beauty of this particular stretch of coast for ourselves.

A few clouds still linger, but by the time we catch the first glimpse of Vernazza the sun begins to come out. We feel so happy and lucky that the weather is holding and our smiles match the beautiful houses nestled around the small harbour. In a small bakery we buy delicious focaccia for our lunch later today. It is still early and the town only just begins to wake up. A few Italian men stroll around the square on the way to their morning coffee.

On the path to Corniglia we encounter a few other tourists, but it is nothing compared to “normal” years. We certainly enjoy the quiet moments in between when we meet no one. The trail is simply spectacular. And as Corniglia, lying on a rock stretching out to the sea comes into view we are about ready for our lunch break. We walk through the small town all the way to the front of the viewing terrace. Here is the perfect spot for a rest.

Leaving Corniglia behind us, we hike through the wine terraces. The hills are so steep here. The views are breath-taking. The sun is shining now and we cannot believe our luck with the weather. As a peace offering to the weather gods we have put the rain covers on our backpacks shortly past Monterosso.

The next village coming into view is Manarola. But before we get there we have to climb down the hill. Our sore muscles love it that we frequently stop to enjoy the view.

By the time we reach Manarola we are already pretty tired. Because the pathway along the coast is destroyed we have to climb over the hill to reach Riomaggiore. For the one kilometre hike up we need almost an hour. We are this tired.

The hike along the Cinque Terre is spectacular, but also very tiring in its entirety. We are glad by the time we reach our apartment in Riomaggiore. A shower, some clean clothes, a pizza; that is about all we need tonight. But what a day!!! And perfect timing, because the next day our train journey is met by torrential rain and wind.

About the only place in Northern Italy where it does not rain much over the next days is Bologna. So we stop in the city, have a look around and decide what to do with the rest of our holiday from here. We are pleasantly surprised by Bologna. The centre is so charming and the warm orangey colours of the houses which we have loved so much during our hike along the Ligurian coast follow us to this beautiful city.

Strolling through the city centre is our favourite past time for the two next days. Bigger avenues with shops alternate with small winding lanes. We pass churches and piazzas. Our second favourite past time during the next two days is eating. The food is so delicious. We have pasta, pastries, cheese, sandwiches, coffee and cornetti and so much more.

The porticis, the arcades, are perfect for the rain showers in the morning. We quickly run from covered sidewalk to covered sidewalk until it soon stops to rain. The old university buildings we find very impressive. The university dates back to 1088 and it is the oldest university in Europe.

The viewing platform of the Basilica San Petronio is perfect for a 360° view of the city. The Torre Asinelli dominates the skyline. In the distance we can make out the San Luca church. This is going to be the first stop on our hike tomorrow.

The Via degli Dei, the way of the Gods, is going to lead us from Bologna to Florence. The next six days we will hike through the Apennines. Even though this might not have been our original plan we quickly fall in love with the path.

Along the Ligurian Coast a summery feeling followed us most of the days. Here in the Apennines it feels like autumn is catching up with us. The leaves start turning orange; sowbreads and autumn crocuses grow along the way; rose hips and hawthorn glow in the sunshine. We pass through forests and meadows; sometimes we follow a small road with very little traffic. Chestnut trees grow along the path.

In the evenings we sleep in hiking accommodations in small villages. Here, the infrastructure for hiking is much more developed than at the coast. The guesthouses usually also have a restaurant attached that serves dinner and a small supermarket for buying lunch. During the day we often meet groups that hike through the Emilia-Romagna with us.

Monte Adone is one of the name giving mountains for the way of the Gods. The views are spectacular and make the sweat walking up here definitely worth it. Birds are chirping and signs along the path signal that this is truffle country. One day we walk along remnants of the Roman Via Transapenninica. The paved road is in parts still visible.

The weather in the Apennine Mountains is much colder than what we have experienced at the coast. In the evenings we basically have to wear everything that we own. But we do not mind much. At the end of our hiking day there are always a hot shower and a warm room waiting for us. During the day we often walk in the sun and enjoy lovely autumn weather.

Florence marks the end of our two week Italian holiday. We have one last day of sightseeing in this great city. The rain finally catches up with us, but after such a wonderful holiday we do not mind much. The grey and white marble of the main church shines wet in the rain. The Ponte Vecchio is busy with tourists and souvenir sellers. And then just as we climb up the hill to the Piazza Michelangelo the sun comes out and the copper roof of the Dome shines over the city. We stroll through the city and enjoy getting lost. Pasta followed by tiramisu and ice cream marks the perfect end to a perfect holiday. We had such a wonderful time hiking in Italy.

Der Beitrag An Italian Hiking Holiday erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

Hello my dear friends,

It is August 2020 and we are in the middle of a pandemic: all the more reason to be grateful for this rotation. Finally I get to really fly again. My standby was almost over and then suddenly the call from Dispatch came. Today we fly to Alicante and back and then to Valencia. It is a long day. I got up at 4.30am and we land in Valencia at 11.35pm. But I will not complain, I got to fly again…

In Valencia we have a day off.  We three girls take a taxi to the Marina Beach Club. At the beach you don’t have to wear a mask, that’s very comfortable in this heat. The Beach Club has a turquoise pool and sofa beds. The beach and the Mediterranean are just two steps down. What a wonderful day. We enjoy every minute of it. The sea, pool, deck chair… always switching between the three that is our only job today. The Instagram girls pose in the pool with their small golden bikinis. A group of young Dutch boys chill in the sun. There is a lot to see and we find lots to talk about.

We enjoy the day. It feels like a real holiday. At 6pm the pool area closes and becomes a lounge. We walk along the beach promenade. A little further along we sit down in a restaurant and have dinner right on the beach. What a beautiful end to this day. It is past 9pm till we are back in the hotel. We wanted to be earlier, but it was such a wonderful day. I quickly shower the salt water off and then fall asleep. Wake-up the next day is at 4.50am.

Valencia to Frankfurt, followed by Frankfurt to Athens. We disembark in Athens and at 2.30pm we are already at the hotel. Yesterday at the pool we joked about wearing our bathing suits underneath the uniform  Athens is a beach hotel. 15 minutes after our arrival we are lying in the shade on the beach. The water is so refreshing. What a gift to have such a holiday again after the day yesterday. The fact that we had to work in the morning is quickly forgotten.

We continue enjoying our afternoon with swimming, sun, we talk and we laugh a lot. One of my colleagues has aquarelle markers and we paint stones for a while. A refreshing watermelon-basil-daiquiri in our hands… This tour we fully live the cliché flight attendant life. And we are not ashamed to admit it.

In the evening we sit just to the left in the restaurant directly on the beach. The waves gently lap against the terrace, the sun slowly sets in front of us, and the lights of the bay get stronger. We have a delicious Greek menu with Greek salad, fried calamari, grilled veggies… What a beautiful day. We all feel like we have been here much longer. The holiday feeling immediately sets in with taking off the uniform. Once again it gets later than we intent to. But that’s okay. Now I’m lying in bed, my window’s open and I listen to the sounds of the night.

Today’s flight day passes quickly as well. During pandemic times there is not a lot of service during the flights. The beauty of the early tour is that most people sleep. It is 3pm by the time we are in our hotel in Helsinki. It is directly at the waterfront and the glass elevator offers an amazing view over the city. Our first stop is the supermarket. Bread sirup, cinnamon rolls, crispy bread and licorice are on our shopping list. Afterwards, we walk to the harbour with a licorice ice cream in our hands. We take the ferry out to Suomenlinna island. We bought a bottle of white wine on board and in the supermarket on the island we buy bread, salmon spread and cheese and a cinnamon roll for desert.

We walk for a bit across the island, we talk and we enjoy the warm temperatures. It’s magical. At the small beach we bathe our feet, but after two days in the Mediterranean the Baltic Sea is too cold for us. We choose a flat stone by the water. Sailing boats pass by; in the distance the big ferries leave the harbour. Sea gulls circle overhead. There are small groups of people sitting everywhere on the stones. We are all enjoying the evening sun. Our picnic is super delicious and we enjoy the end of our tour. We do not want to go back to the city, but… What can I say; again, it is late by the time we get back to the hotel. We have until three in the morning to catch some sleep. On our last day we only have to fly back to Frankfurt and then a quick hop to Bremen and back again.

What an incredible tour. And what a long email… we all missed our beloved crewlife und were so glad to be able to fly again and to spend time with colleagues. This tour was perfect.  It is true, Europe in summer is beautiful. Even Covid cannot change that.

I hope you enjoyed joining me on this wonderful rotation. On the train back home from the airport I thought about you and I thought why not send you a little ray of Mediterranean sunshine. Also, I loved, loved, loved the five days tour and I feel like I have to spread the joy and share this magical trip.   Love, xoxox

Der Beitrag A Perfect Short-Haul Rotation erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

It is July 2020, the Covid pandemic has a summer breather and I am heading to Porto for a few relaxing days in the sunshine. Porto is one of those European cities I first visited during a flight rotation, immediately fell in love with and swore to come back to.

A flight to Portugal, a metro ride into the city, walking for two blocks et voilà, my accommodation for the next couple of days. I just drop my bag and am immediately drawn back out into the streets and the sunshine. Porto has so many beautiful corners to offer. There is so much to discover. I just follow along the streets and whenever I think “Oh that looks nice” I take a turn and follow that street.

As I meander through the city centre of Porto I come across beautiful churches and tiled houses, a wonderful view point and interesting shops. Even though it is summer there are not a lot of tourists, at least compared to former years.  I slowly descend towards the river Douro. Sparkling in the sunlight, the water lies still like a lake. Bars and restaurants line up along the shore. A few boats are anchored. Kids jump of the quay. It feels like a real summer holiday. On my way up the stairs I stop in a small café. It is hot and I enjoy an iced coffee on the terrace. It is such a serene summer scene. I wish I could paint.

I keep walking and suddenly I hear a choir singing. A window is open in a building next to the Igreja de São Lourenço. The melodic chanting of the monks provides the musical score as I look over the red tiled roofs of Porto. It is so beautiful.

After dinner I walk onto the upper part of the big iron bridge Luis I. for sunset. The sky turns rosé and the city begins to glow in the golden sunlight. There are a few people enjoying this magical end to the day with me. As I walk home the street lights come on and churches and other sights are illuminated.

The best way to start a day in Portugal is with a coffee and a pasteis de nata in one of the many small cafés. On today’s walking tour I learn a lot about the history of Portugal. Phoenicians, Celts, Arabs, they all left their traces here. Churches, azulejos, world conquerors, port wine, are among the topics that we cover. It is hot. Cats lie in the shade and fresh laundry hangs high up between the houses. Seagulls nest on the roofs and feed their chicks.

Today I take the early train to Pinhão. After half an hour the first wines appear between the houses and after another half hour the train crosses the Douro River for the first time. Especially the second half of the two-hour train ride is beautiful. We follow the shoreline of the river. Wine is growing up the hill, sometimes we pass a tunnel, sometimes we squeeze through a narrow gap in the rocks.

Pinhão is still a bit sleepy as we arrive. There are several boat tours departing from the quay and I manage to get a spot on one of them. The Quintas, the wineries lie in the middle of their fields. The view from the boat is spectacular. Everything is luscious green and combined with the blue sky it looks so beautiful. I stop by a winery and take part in one of their tastings. The sound of the cicadas follows us around our little tour of the vineyard. Above the town it is quiet and very peaceful. Olive trees grow here as well and black kites soar overhead. And the sweet port wine is simply delicious.

The train ride back in the late afternoon is fantastic. The big panoramic windows offer an excellent view of the river and the hills. The sun is already beginning to drop towards the horizon and the light turns golden. By the time the train arrives at the beautiful Sao Bento station it is 8.30pm and I am so looking forward to a shower.

I cannot leave Porto without visiting the famous Livraria Lello. Beautiful bookshops are always on my to-do list. I had hoped for fewer tourists, but we are early and have a spot in front of the ever growing queue behind us. While we wait I already get to admire the Art Déco façade. The winding staircase in the middle of the bookshop is a real eye catcher. Bookshelves go all the way up to the colourful glass ceiling. The architecture is as stunning as the rows and rows of books.

Before I have to head to the airport in the afternoon a group of girls and I climb the tower of the Igreja dos clérigos. The view from up here is spectacular, blue sky, red roofs, colourful houses, church towers… 360° views… the Atlantic ocean is not far. The narrow staircase is steep and breathing through the mask a bit difficult, but it is definitely worth it.

And so I get to the end of my little holiday. It was such a relaxing stay, just what I needed. Thank you Porto

Der Beitrag Porto erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

I cannot believe it, but the day has finally come…. We talked so long about it and now I am going to take my mum on a Singapore rotation with me. I take care of her during the long flight, we quickly change into summery clothes and we head out to Chinatown. It is still light outside and just so exciting to be able to show her everything that I love about this city. We stop by the Tooth Relic Temple, stroll past the souvenir shops around Temple and Pagoda Street and listen to the music at the Hindu Temple. Slowly the lights come on and Chinatown is beginning to look magical. I love the colourful shop houses. We stop by the food court and indulge in some delicious Singaporean food and refreshing lime juice. The afternoon/evening already felt like such a wonderful, magical gift.

Today we have breakfast in our room overlooking parts of the harbour, neighbouring skyscrapers and the ships out in the Malakka Street. Afterwards we take the metro to Little India and visit Mustafa Centre. Our first stop is of course the big fabric area in the basement. My mum is wearing a blue shirt made from fabric from here. We take our time to choose two fabrics for new dresses. It is just so beautiful to be able to browse the different aisles with someone, to share this with someone. Of course, we have to stop by the huge supermarket section as well. The amount of people and products is simply overwhelming. We take full advantage of the fact that I know my way around.

On we go through Little India over to Arab Street. It is hot, but that is nothing a little lime juice cannot fix. The Graffiti in the small side street is so cool and colourful. We take our time and truly enjoy the cultural mix the city has to offer.

On our way back we stop by Chinatown and the small fabric market there. I show my mum my favourite haberdashery shop and we buy satin binding for our dresses.  By now our bags are pretty full and we need to drop them off at the hotel.

Before we head to the evening light show at Gardens by the Bay, we stop by the Lau Pa Sat food court. It is quite difficult to choose something because there is so much to choose from. Afterwards we walk along the Bay towards the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. I love being in the Gardens as it slowly gets dark. The smell gets sweeter as it gets darker, the white blossoms glow and then the Supertrees start to glow. The light show tonight is Italian Opera! We cannot believe our luck. It is just so magical. I think I have seen the light show for the fifth time tonight, but I still enjoy it every single time.

A new day in Singapore. We have another fully packed day ahead of us before we have to fly back tonight. Our first stop is the National Orchid Garden in the Botanical Garden. Showing my mum all the lovely orchids has been a long dream. We stroll along the paths and admire the colourful flowers. Hummingbirds whizz past us and butterflies sail between the orchids.

On our way back to the city we stop at City Hall and I show my mum some of the colonial style buildings in the city centre. Strolling along Clarke Quay and over the old Cavenagh Bridge we stop by a food court for lunch. There are so many different skyscrapers; some have plants growing on them, some shimmer blue, red or golden. There is so much to see. We pass the Merlin at the Bay and the Fullerton Hotel.

The last two days were just magical. We walked for miles and miles; we saw and did so much: the different cultural areas, the food courts, the orchids, the cityscape…  In my head I have had this itinerary for years and we had so much fun exploring the city together. I am so glad my mum loved every second of it and enjoyed the trip immensely.

Der Beitrag An extra special Singapore layover erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

I have been to Los Angeles many times and one of those big dreams has always been a visit to the famous Joshua Tree National Park. My plan for 2020 is to make those dreams come true and not always say “later”. So here I am, 5 o’clock in the morning sitting in the shuttle bus that takes me to my rental car. It is a bit of a drive, but I love driving out of the city as it slowly gets light and the landscape changes.

It is still very early as I enter the Park. The rocks glow in the morning sun. The road winds between the Joshua trees. Only a short way into the Park I have to stop. It is so beautiful. It is cold and clear and deathly silent. My first stop is the Hidden Valley. There are a few climbers with me at the parking lot. Some are day guests like me; others have stayed at one of the camp grounds within the park.

I put my jacket on, get my backpack and off I go. There is only a small opening between the rocks to get to the valley beyond (Hidden Valley). The rocks, the vegetation, I am fascinated. There are faces, skulls, figures to be seen in the rocks. Erosion is a master carver. Birds are chirping and rabbits cross my path. And suddenly I walk on snow. Snow seems so unreal in this arid desert landscape. I am so excited that I could go on this little trip today.

Only a short drive further is the Barker Dam. A century ago the area had much more rain and farmers grazed their cattle here. There are signs warning the climbers that snakes might lie on the warm stones. The shrill call of the chipmunks signals that they are basking in the sun. It feels like walking through the hot houses of Frankfurt’s botanical garden. Dried-up river beds, yuccas and cacti growing, a lot of dry bushes grow along the path.

By midday it has gotten warm and some hikers walk in T-Shirts. The parking spaces fill up, but the hiking paths are still surprisingly empty. I guess the park is big enough for the January masses. The big boulders offer amazing views of the surrounding landscape. I enjoy the sunshine on one of these big rocks during my lunch break. What a beautiful day today!

I use the official Park map as my guide to all the big sights. The Arch is a short hike away from the road and to reach it I have to climb over rocks. The sun is slowly sinking towards the horizon and it is growing colder again. A desert rabbit hops by and sits listening between the Joshua trees.

Sunset today is at 4.45pm. I read somewhere that all you need for beautiful sunset photos is a Joshua tree and a clear day. Everything around me is dipped in golden light. Even the prickly cacti look soft in the evening pastel colours. I sit on the ground and just take it all in. Today was such a beautiful day and the quietness of the evening is the perfect way to say goodbye to the desert. I have to join the queue of cars exiting the Park now. It would be so lovely if I could spend the night under the starry sky among the Joshua trees. That is maybe a dream for another trip.

Der Beitrag Joshua Tree National Park erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.