Window side seat

I think I've talked about serious subjects for last couple of issues. So I choose a lighter subject for this.

Whenever I take a plane, I request window seat. But somehow it's hard to get the one recently. I don't know the reason. Maybe the passengers check in much earlier than before, or the seat reservation is fixed in advance. It used be possible to change the seat after boarding. However I can't find even extra seat now. In a survival race of air line business, each career makes an effort to reduce expenditure. They change to using smaller plane or reducing flights itself. As a result it becomes much harder to get a vacant seat, especially window side seat which I love.

I have been "Window Side Person" since my childhood. I could not be satisfied without window seat on a bus or train whichever I took. I was the type of person who interested in the way got to there. Of course there are another type of person who doesn't interested in the way at all. In another words, their only interest is how they can enjoy at the destination. So some time I think if I can deal with those people at check in counters.

Anyway through that I've seen beautiful sky view here and there in the world. So on this issue, I'll pick up most impressive window views to me.

I start with America. It's in February. My plane was reducing altitude to St. Paul Air Port of Minneapolis. When I looked down through the window, I saw the acres of farm land of Minnesota. Snow had stopped and the field was all in white. In the white field, only a long straight road made the black tracking mark. The roof of farmer's house was reflecting in the sunlight. I focused on the white filed and found the shadow of my air plane was dropped there. Accompanying us, the tiny air plane was also moving straightly on the snow covered field without any sound.
The Great Salt Lake of Utah was also beautiful. The attendant of the domestic flight was so friendly that she was counseled by a passenger about daily matter flying over The Great Salt Lake... I got into the talk and told her if I could have some drink. She offered me two canned Cokes and said " I have a bunch of Coke today. You wanna more? Five, Six?" We laughed. Then we looked over The Great Salt Lake together. "Beautiful,uh?"
Window seat isn't always happy going. The experience little bit scared was at JFK of New York in mid winter. It's heavy snow. The ran way was closed by the snow. So my plane had to waiting for removing snow from the ran way far over the air port. And it took really long time. During that the air plane was rounding in the thick snow cloud. All I could see was just red cruising light reflecting on the cloud. I was so scared when I thought how many planes were rounding in this cloud of low visibility. J.S. Bach's music from my head set was amplified my fear. You should not listen the organ music of Bach in these kind of situation.

For Asia, where is the most ... ? Maybe the view of Tianshan mountains of China must be one of the best. I crossed over it on the flight from Urumqi to Kashgar. The soiled made mountains as Taklamakan desert had strange draped shape. It's dynamism of continental landscape.
Urumqi had another impressive view. Beneath of turning air plane for landing, the fires of petrochemical plant of Xinjiang region was blew up. It looked like a scene of science fiction movie.

Crossing Alpes route was the one for Europe. It's a flight from England to Sicily. The air plane crossed over the Alps seeing higher peak of Mont Blanc and Matter Horn beside. Shortly after we got to the plain of northern Italy. Then came out to The Med Sea. Corsica Island was just under my sight.

I can't talk about Africa without Sahara Desert. I never forget the beautiful desert landscape on the flight from Senegal to France. Northern Mauritania, around Atar, had very attractive landscape. It's not desert in the flat land. Maybe it's easy to image saying strange rocky mountains like the one of Arizona and cover it with tons of sand. The world of reddish sand looked like another planet. The massive dunes and the rocky mountains was such a beautiful combination. I could jumped off with parachute for adventure..

OK. So, where is my best view from the sky. I think I can answered to it easily. It's the night view of Mexico City. At midnight in December, the air plane slowly banked for landing approach. The great over view of Mexico City was all in my sight. We often describe a night view as a jewel. Well, this is it. Although the big city of Mexico was famous for serious air pollution, late night must be exception. At altitude 2200m, with low humidity, it meant the visibility was superb. I felt I could scoop up the jewels if I reach out my hands.
Mexico City was surrounded by the mountains. So The lights were spread out consecutively from blight center to small light of houses on the mountain side. So it looked like the wave of light washed out the beach. Shortly after, my air plane was gradually descending to the sea of lights.

With quick looking back of my memory, I can describe like this. If I sat on an aisle seat .... of course there is nothing to put down here.