When I was a kid at Cali, one of the things I missed the most from Bogotá was the fact that in Bogotá there are always airplanes flying over, as the airport is inside the city. (In Cali, in contrast, the airport is rather away from the city. It is in fact in a different town.) Ever since, I have appreciated very much the cities in which one can see airplanes flying over---I find it a privilege. Bologna is also one of such cities. And this is one of the things I really enjoy from being in Lisbon: since the airport is at the north of the city, and relatively close from the center, you see planes descending all the time. You see them approaching, hence flying relatively low. So low that you can distinguish the airlines they belong to. It is a simple thing but I love it.
Also because of the location of the airport, landing in Lisbon can be a wonderful experience. Last week the airplane approached Lisbon by flying over the beach, then it gave a turn over the city and the Tagus, and only then landed. It was fantastic! Today, over lunch, a colleague here was telling me about plans of building a new airport, away from the city (in fact, at the other side of the river). He remarked that it was a safety measure for people living close to the airport, in that most incidents with planes occur at take-off and landing. At first I thought "I hope they don't build it so quickly so I can see the planes everyday". Then, when I realized how slow some things work here, I concluded there is nothing to be worried about: I will be able to see airplanes flying over Lisbon for a long while.
2 comments:
You're a weird boy, Jorge. I have never heard of anyone before actually liking the noise, pollution, and safety risks associated with in-city airports. Moreover, I know of no one who really likes flying. Some people even fear or dislike it. It is very practical with air travel though, but your romantic view on it is strange -- where does it come from?
A romantic view, that's a good way of describing it, yes. I suppose it can be traced back to the excitement that flying represented to me when I was a kid. I didn't have much chances of flying back then. (In fact, before coming to Europe in 2005, I had traveled on a plane only twice or thrice.) In that period, plane tickets were not affordable for my family, so flying was not the first option. (Even today it is kinda expensive.) So in some way flying represented to me some kind of unfulfilled dream. And when I see planes over the city I think of all the dreams that might be fulfilled in that precise moment. It is a happy thought. Nowadays I enjoy flying, and have little problems with long flights. Although I hate things different than the actual flying ---such as waiting before boarding and between connecting flights, carrying heavy luggage, the omnipresent crying baby--- in general I am a very patient traveler.
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