Flight Details
LH4343
Lufthansa German Airlines
Date: 13 December 2002
Dep: Madrid Barajas (MAD)
Boarding Time: 1220
Dep Time: 1245
Load: 100%
Seat: 20E
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 321
Arr: Frankfurt (FRA)
LH0470
Lufthansa German Airlines
Dep: Frankfurt (FRA)
Gate: 823
Boarding Time: 1550
Dep Time: 1620
Load: 95%
Seat: 39G
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Airbus 340
Arr: Toronto (YYZ)
----------------------------
Air Canada
Date: 12 January 2003
Dep: Toronto (YYZ)
Load: 95%
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 767
Arr: Munich (MUC)
LH4260
Lufthansa German airlines
Date: 13 January 2003
Dep: Munich (MUC)
Load: 100%
Class: Economy
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Arr: Madrid Barajas (MAD)
Airbus 321 of Lufthansa in madrid Airport (by Keishi Nukina of jetphotos.net)
I flew with Lufthansa and the aircraft was Airbus 321 (same as the picture above). It was a mid-day flight to Frankfurt (FRA) so the flight was full. It was an ordinary flight (except that it was my first time to fly on an A321 and my first time to fly with Lufthansa; so maybe not that ordinary after all, lol!). Food was good and the flight attendants were nice and even extra kind to me because they noticed that my knee was injured. Nice touch.
Photo: LH Airbus 340 taken by Alejandro Perez (airliners.net)
We arrived in Frankfurt after 3 hours. The sky was gray but no rain. Smooth landing. I proceeded to my designated gate and chilled out for some hours. I walked around and explored the airport for a while. I saw the aircraft which would take me to Toronto. It was an Airbus 340. Wow! Again, first time to fly on this aircraft type. I stared at the plane for some minutes. Beautiful metal. Well, nothing, I read some informative brochures about the airport and the aviation buff that I am, I kept some of them.
Time for boarding. I noticed that there were many Indian passengers. Some passengers wanted to bring all their stuff on board while the ground stewardess was explaining to them that the A340 is not as big as the B747. Lol.
It was an evening flight so there's not much to see. And as usual, I enjoyed the take-off. Powerful one, I'd say. I sat next to a Canadian engineer who was working in Germany and he asked me if it was my first time to go to Canada and I said yes. He gave me some tips about the country and we chatted for a while until we fell asleep. The announcement made by the pilot woke me up and he informed us that we were flying over Iceland then Greenland. Affff, too bad! I was seated on the aisle! Anyway, it was dark so maybe there was not much to see. Normally, the passengers can see the coast of Iceland and Greenland and they say it's a sight to behold!
It was 19.00 hours when the plane landed at the Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto. Seconds after, some passengers started to collect their baggage from the overhead compartment and suddenly a loud voice from the back interrupted my concentration of the feeling of landing which was all over me; it was a flight steward saying: "Sit down! We have not arrived yet!". Lol. I don't have problems with that since I am normally a behaved and polite passenger.
After clearing the immigration, I saw my sister and my uncle waiting for me at the arrival's hall. I was happy to see my sister who I had not seen for 2 years. My uncle too. And they were surprised to see me with a forearm crutch!
I was not impressed with the airport because at that time it was being expanded and they were building another terminal so the arrival's area was not really that attractive.
My first impression of Toronto: white, cold, boring. But it was Canada! I had always wanted to visit Canada. I was obsessed with it. I could not believe I was there. And yeah, it would become my home for the months of December and January! LOL.
Before Christmas, I had to get out of bed early because my uncle would bring me to the Niagara Falls. The previous night I met up with a Canadian friend, Bryce, whom I met in Portugal a year earlier and he also visited me in Spain after that. We kept emailing each other and decided to meet up when he told me he'd be in Toronto during Christmas. So there. I brought my sister and we went to see him downtown. We watched a movie and had some chat. I asked him to spend the Christmas Eve with us but apparently he had something planned for that day. I think he had to review for his exams. So I went home because my left knee was hurting.
And yeah, Niagara Falls. This is one magnificent natural wonder. I loved it. Though I was a bit disappointed because the water was muddy as a result of the melted snow. They say Niagara Falls are best seen during the summer or autumn because the water is emerald, sparkling green.
I travelled to Quebec province alone after 2 weeks of staying in Ontario. First I stayed at some friends' house in Montreal. This city I know is beautiful but since it was mid winter, for me it looked boring and white and whatever. After some days, I travelled to Quebec City as suggested by Bryce.
I like Quebec City, especially the old section. It was like France! Europe! Though at first I could not understand the way they spoke French but could get by after a while. I stayed in a youth hostel but could not avail of the discount for because my Hostelling International card has expired so I had to buy another one and got one stamp for every night spent there but at least 3 stamps were needed for me to avail of the members' price which was cheaper. I shared the room with 2 Australians and a Korean.
Before going back to Montreal, I went to Montmorency Falls. It's located outside Quebec City and you can reach the place by bus. With my 2 luggages I took the bus and noticed that I was only one of the few passengers that we there. I did not wonder at all because it was winter and few people would go to that beautiful place (though in summer, lots of tourists). Inside the park, I was indeed the only one in there and the snow was knee high! And since I had my luggage with me, it was hard because I had to walk and reach the place alone and if something happened to me, nobody would rescue me or something, lol. Well, when I reached the place, I saw the frozen falls (which is actually higher than the Niagara Falls). It seemed magical because the surroundings were so white because of snow, the river was frozen and there were like 5 people around. Sure it would have been nicer to see it in summer and in 'action', but frozen waterfalls and rivers have their charm too.
So I travelled back to Montreal and decided to take a side trip to Ottawa, the capital of Canada. I called up Rene, an environmental science student at the University of Ottawa whom I met earlier at the bus station in Montreal. He spoke some Spanish and that's how we got to know each other. Wo wo wo, it was even colder in Ottawa! I waited for him at the bus station and I was freezing! After some minutes he arrived and he let me stay in his dormitory at the university and off we went ice skating at the Rideau Canal! We walked around the city with that freezing temperature but it was worth it. I loved it.
Anyway, after some weeks of spending some cool (or cold) time in Canada, it was time to go back to Spain again. I was sad. I hate that feeling. Ahhh but I missed my sister and relatives there.
Air Canada Boeing 767 (anonymous photographer)
I took an Air Canada flight back to Germany (Munich). It was an ordinary flight (but then again, my first time to fly on a Boeing 767 and with Air Canada, so I think that makes it special again, lol). Mediocre service. I had an aisle seat so no views whatsoever but the cabin. Only the cabin. When I arrived in Munich, I wanted to sleep but no, I could not because I still had to catch a plane back to Madrid. I liked Munich airport though. It's prettier than that of Frankfurt but the thing is Frankfurt is nearer to the city centre while Munich airport is far from the city centre.
Going to Madrid, I flew with Lufthansa, B737. Nice flight and I could see the Swiss Alps!
I took this photo second before take off run
Up up up up hehehehehhe
Seconds after take off
Cruising altitude near Bern, Switzerland
I arrived in Madrid in the afternoon. Went straight to my apartment and took a shower and went to school.
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