Rush-hour at Heathrow.....

 Heathrow (UK) is a very busy airport. The KLM-plane was not the only one that was leaving... There were two planes "staring" at us from the side. Then there was this huge British Airways plane (I am quite sure it is some "Airbus".) passing us. We both took different turns in the end.....  In the end we flew and there was only the beautiful sunset to be admired.

Prepare for landing...... (Buenos Aires)

We are "preparing for landing" in Buenos Aires at the Aeroparque International Jorge Newbery. Coming from the east and over the River Plate (not silver at all, more brown and muddy) we head straight for La Boca. You can recognise La Boca from the air by the iron bridges near the harbour.  To the right of the bridges is the Stadium "La Bomboneira" of the "Boca Juniors". La Boca is known for the bright colored houses where you can spend the day sitting on a terrace while watching tango. 

As we proceed we pass Puerto Madero, the converted old docks. Now it is a very "upmarket" place. Extremely modern sky scrapers posh restaurants and shops, beautiful opportunities to make pictures..... a yuppie paradise.

We even see the Puente de la  Mujer in full glory.

Here the Puerto in full length.

 Next there is this large park. Buenos Aires looks so nice and green from this angle. The main railway station, the Estacion Retiro, is in the middle of the picture. In the middle (left) is theTorre Monumental (the former Torre de los Ingleses). More in the front is the main busstation.

On the upper left side of the park is the last part of the Av. Florida, a famous long shopping street, taht begins on the Av. de Mayo.

We are almost at the airport....  The railway tracks form the boundary between the favella (the slums) and the rest of the city. The highway cuts right through everything.

A last look at the town....

And we are happy to be on the ground again. We flew with this beautifully colored airplane of GOL. Don't forget to take some paper napkins or such to clean the windows before take off.... your pictures will be a lot better.

More about Retiro

More about Torre Monumental

Enjoy your flight.....

Flying to me is always interesting. It is good to be a bit apprehensive during take off and landing. This magnificent way of transport should be treated according to its status; with respect! 

But while in the air, it is a good thing to enjoy the ever changing clouds, the colors on the airplanes, the reflections of sunlight on the wings....  

Sometimes even there are beautiful ice crystals on the window as a reminder of the extreme cold outside.

The melting icecap of Greenland

 

 

Ice crystals... on the outside

Enjoy the flight, enjoy the light

São Paulo, flying in from the west.....

Flying is interesting, when you are able to see the landscape. Especially landing in a city is fascinating. It is like seeing a movie through the window of your plane…..  

When you see this mountain, the Pico do Jaraguá with the large TV antennas, then you are in São Paulo. It is the highest mountain in the city of (greater) São Paulo.

I always try to take a lot of pictures, but it is difficult to take good ones. The window can be very dirty or scratchy, or frozen, or have little water drops inside the double glass. You might be to near the wings and the engines, so gasses make everything hazy. But sometimes you are lucky.

No turbulence, no rain, not a blinding sun. Like when we flew back from Brasilia to São Paulo, Congonhas. There lies the city. Not many words are needed. Just look at the buildings, the enormous city, the pattern of streets, the different houses.

The many high rise buildings, but also houses with gardens. Here live 20.000.000 people.

The Ibirapuera park is visible at the top of these two pictures. You can see the obelisque and the Museu de Arte Moderna.

We are almost there........