F is for Fail-safe Trap, Right? Book Sat fly Tues as FF points Deval Belgium, Berlin & Stockholm

[CaptJCool]

Dining was SPECTACULAR!

I could rave about these dishes all night long


Caviar paired with


decadent extravagance




Parsnip & Shallot soup paired with






Lamb Chops paired with



That’s an 11/10!

 

[CaptJCool]

Alas, at that point, it was curtains for me.

A quick 2 minute pause and the bed was made and i was off in Lala land for around 6 hours. Tossed and turned for 3 hours more - what a treat to be able to lay my way to Europe



With the obligstory night light




Stellar Comfort even if I now acquired a duffle bag loaded with popcorn and candy and PJs. It was way too warm to bother with actually using them and will be a nice gift for someone I know!

 

[CaptJCool]

Morning and at the appointed moment, the call came for A380 shower-time!

Refreshing and 5 minutes is a long time when you preserve water to get through hair and loofah....






Seriously a grand affair and a very impressive ‘value’ difference from other airlines

 

[CaptJCool]

a modest sized breakfast



My local cafe makes a magical runny poached so I suppose I was spoilt because of it because these were spoilt (didn’t have any runny) perhaps something to do with cooking at a height ? Tasty enough




The fruit was divine especially the blood orange

 

[CaptJCool]

And before we knew it, an hour to landing



And there it was - complete!
At he Gate


Farewell Suite 3K




I watched them dock the gate via this screen and could see the people beginning to leave,

As a maiden F Voyage the A380 was a perfect way to go
Spectacular Evening Dining
Wonderful Dom
Beautifully SOFT and comfortable bedding

And kind and considerate staff who made the journey all the more perfect

 

[CaptJCool]

Happy Dining in the First class lounge

Light Salmon snack before boarding


Fountain is soothing

 

[CaptJCool]

The saving grace of the lounge is the free Wifi and flowing water.

Perhaps I expected more of the place
So on the downside here a few snaps and a bit of a summary of the flight and lounge downside...



Given the layover is barely 2 hours and considering the eating opportunity looming on the 777, I chose not to take advantage of the spa nor dining hall. They look inviting but it’s one thing to know they’re available and quite another to be enabled to utilise them.

Same goes for on-board WIFI. Despite stumping up for a F class tic, rules were rules. Join skywards and it’s endlessly free or 2 hours or 20MB whichever comes first (well I suppose that’s first-class of them)

In the end, I chose to sleep and not bother although I had wondered if I could have used 7 different email addresses over the 14 hours to “get around the access walls”. I feel this is a rookie mistake by EK but hey I was the rookie on the flight and made a few mistakes along the way. (Like where’s the toilet in the shower suite, didn’t know about the coat hangers, paced myself well enough but probably the 6.15 am start from home made it a long day.

 

[CaptJCool]

Onwards and upwards

Out of Dubai !

 

[Major]

An interesting trip

 

[CaptJCool]

A quiet trip to Amsterdam


Dom Rose 2006. Was tasty. Not especially my scene


Dom inspired canapés!



Caviar once more mmmmm


Duck Groie(?) with the Dom


Venison cutlets paired with an Adelaide



Fitting conclusion. To all the dining

A kip of 3 hours and another shower ! So refreshing
In Schipol through customs and the train awaits

 

[CaptJCool]

Next stop Antwerp hopefully for a couple of hours at the zoo

 

[CaptJCool]

working out how to leave Schipol.



The ticket office was “cash only”

Well eventually found the ticket machine did work and bought a 2nd class to Antwerp ....

 

[CaptJCool]

The passing countryside


Replete with windmill




All manner of modes of transport !

 

[CaptJCool]

Such a Grand station at Antwerp

 

[CaptJCool]

Flamingo Heaven

This time I didn’t even need pay admission. These shots were from the boundary

 

[CaptJCool]

Out there






I’m Antwerp

 

[CaptJCool]

Out there




View attachment 188649

I’m Antwerp

I did wonder what was in the phone box.

 

[CaptJCool]

A little reflection on flying First.

As much as I wondered if I would actually sleep while travelling, I suppose the flat bed and soft under mattress does the trick. I do also think it’s one of the Valuable Amazing graces of F.

Like if you don’t actually take advantage of the bed, you may as well don your sleeping mask and cruise back to the sitting ups in Y. (That said, I do think airlines can do better on long haul Y and even though Air NZ have Skycouch, it doesn’t seem to be the great winner in the sky it ought be. Methinks we have all been conditioned to believe a lie flat bed is a perk, and that Y can’t be anything else but seating - Sighs)

I sincerely appreciated the SPECTACULAR dining (less is more) plus the post dinner bed-like sleep.

I did get through the trip, perky, and ready to face the new day!

 

[CaptJCool]

Real coffee at the Opera

 

[CaptJCool]

In Antwerp diamonds maketh the city rich and famous



Fashionista





I’m struck by the variety of fashion stores - amazing array

Flowing fountains of fashion














Cocroco

Way off the beaten track ! Down a small alley. I’ll go there later