One of my favorite layovers is Dublin Ireland. The city is filled with entertainment options and some of the most friendly people in the world. It is a short eight hour flight from Atlanta and, once at the Dublin airport, it is easy to find transportation into the city.

 

In this update, I will highlight some of the recent places that I found interesting and enjoyable.

 

Lafayette is about a 2 hour drive southwest of New Orleans; a one hour drive from either the Baton Rouge or Alexandria airports; or, if you prefer, it is served by its own regional airport. It is in the heart of Cajun country and the city is as full of life as the residents who live there.

 

The flight from Atlanta on ASA takes a little over an hour. Normally, the route takes you south of Birmingham AL, over MS, Rouge LA  where the descent begins and flies over the beautiful Atchafalaya basin and into Lafayette.

 

The trip to London is relatively quick compared to many of the destinations to which I fly. With favorable winds, the flight time can be a little over seven hours to London from Atlanta and eight hours back.

 

London Heathrow is a new airport for Delta. We have been servicing the area by flying into Gatwick, which is a 65 minute taxi ride south of London. Heathrow is a much larger airport and probably the preferred destination for many. It is closer to the city and offers more connections than the smaller airport in Gatwick.

 

Ahhh, Naw'lins how sweet the sound. New Orleans is one of my favorite cities and was the recent venue of a triathlon. The Ochsner Ironman 70.3 was held on Sunday April 5th and there were 2500 athletes racing—I was one of them.

 

Athens is a big, spread out city with lots of traffic. But despite the sprawl, it is still the cradle of western civilization. At the very heart of the city lies the most magnificent plot of ground over which anyone can walk. Its heritage and pedigree are undeniable. Entering the heart of the city, you are entering an area where men have gathered for thousands of years. It is a special and magical treat to walk where ancient Greeks, Romans, and Ottomans tread.

The thing that strikes me most about flying into Lima Peru is the aridness of the countryside. Although situated in the tropics, rain in the city is rare. During this time of year, however, the climate is mild and the temperature is in the low 60s. Found on the western base of the Andes and by the coast of the Pacific Ocean, Lima's climate is moderated by the nearby Pacific Ocean's cold current.  

To me, there are just a few scenes more beautiful than the cockpit view of the Colorado plains meeting the Rocky Mountains. The bird's-eye view is often astonishing and is always mesmerizing. I do not believe it is possible to capture or explain the magnificence of the sight.

That view is nature's welcome to Denver Colorado. The arrival by air is like passing through a door into an old castle--you can feel the solid beauty of what is to come. Although Denver's airport architecture attempts to mimic the mighty Rockies, it falls comically short of the true power exerted by these mountains (man just can't compete against nature).

My sister Cindy lives in a small town thirty miles southwest of Fort Worth Texas. She has lived there since the 1980s and I have visited her there many, many times over the years. With each visit, I come to understand why she loves the town of Granbury.

A few weeks ago, my son and I flew from Atlanta for another visit. Sam and I always look forward to his time with his aunt. He enjoys the fun times with Cindy and I like showing him some of the family values Cindy and I share. As always, Cindy continues to instill in him a large part of herself and the things she loves.

As our Boeing 767ER descends through five thousand feet and a thin layer of cumulus clouds, the outskirts of Prague come into view. The small towns surrounding the city line the rolling hills in multi-colored patches. The morning sun casts deep shadows into the valleys and brightens the near-side of the slopes. We had arrived at what some call the east-west crossroads--the city of Prague.

Prague is often called the Golden City--from our altitude you can see why. The predominant color of the buildings is a light gold. I am sure there are other reasons for its nickname, but this explanation makes sense to me now. Prague is once again a city of influence and attracts a great number of tourist and businesses.

It is winter in Santiago. The seasons of the year in South America are the opposite of what they are in the United States. So, when we departed from the summertime Atlanta where it is hot and dry, we arrived about ten hours later in the cold, snowy winter of Chile. This morning, as I look out of my 6th floor hotel window, I see bare trees covered in a cold morning fog. People are walking wrapped in coats and scarves because it is 40℉ outside (the high today will be 55℉). It is a nice change from the heat of Georgia.