like a queen

2025.05.01

Last January I saw an ad for a cruise. It was not just a cruise, it was a women-only, lesbian cruise organized by Reynas Torremolinos. And I was in the middle of planning my trips for the first half of 2025, January would be Italy, then in March would be Lisbon for the European Standup Festival… and so for April, after considering it for a day or two, I bit the bullet and booked my cabin.

The cruise took place from April 26th to 29th. And so far it is without a doubt one of the best decisions I’ve made this year.

These girls are the sweetest you could ever imagine. I found inclusion, sorority, community, visibility, and above everything else connections and friendships that might well take the rest of the year in unexpected directions.

I am so happy I did this. To Reynas, and to my new friendships, I am so thankful. And to one in particular, I can’t wait for our next adventure.

Sometimes, life is good.

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planning

2024.09.26

Time for preflight…

The 2025 season is likely to be memorable with the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2 (this year was marked by the 80th anniversary of D-Day but unfortunately I couldn’t make it to any of them), which will probably be a focus of Le Temps des Hélices at Ferté-Alais and Air Legends in Melun, and the return of the Biscarrosse Rassemblement International d’Hydravions airshow after being cancelled this year because of the Olympics… (At least they said it was moved and not cancelled… Not sure yet if that’s confirmed, and also not sure if this means we’ll get two RIHB in a row, or if the two year schedule is now odd-numbered years…)

I’m very excited by RIHB in particular and really, really, really hope it happens because I haven’t been at the Bisca airshow since 2012! I was all set to go this year until they dropped the news it was cancelled and it was a real bummer.

Going to either Ferté or Melun, I’m pretty set on taking this opportunity to book a flight on a T-6 with Aero Vintage Academy, with whom I flew on a Stearman some years ago… although that could change to a Travelair 400 flight under certain circumstances. To be confirmed.

Here’s to an exciting season of plane spotting, flying and photography!

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Blues Sister

2024.09.07

It’s 380 miles to Asturias, I have a full tank of gas, a full pack of gummy bears, it’s daylight and I’m wearing sunglasses.

Let’s hit it.

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The Cat Pack — “La Bruja de la Mancha” N24VP (Part Deux)

2020.06.05

This series of posts will retrace a few of the surviving airworthy (or close) PBYs around the world, and their history.

As you recall, back in August 2018, I had the immense pleasure and privilege to check out and even climb aboard N24VP. To this day the PBY is still in Ocaña waiting for its first flight in many years, after several setbacks that left it wanting for two new engines… And the pandemic currently circling the globe didn’t help…

However, this long overdue post is to present at last the small videos I took at the beginning of my visit, before the owners arrived. I did a 360° walkaround to present the plane, its history and features.

Here is is below, I hope you like it:

 

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Flying Legends 2015

2015.07.17

I have just returned from Duxford’s Flying Legends airshow and it was such a splendid experience that I find it difficult to put to words. For a week-end, I spent time in the 1940s, listening to Glen Miller tunes sung by the delightful Manhattan Dolls, photographing Spitfires, Warhawks and Mustangs, visiting Sally B., the last flying B17 in Europe and then hear her roar above my head, and even taking a ride in a 1943 DH.89 Dragon Rapide.

To make it short, I had a flipping grand old time.

Here’s a small sample of pictures taken at the airshow. More to come as they are ready, enjoy!

chute & cap
Flying Legends 2015

Cheerioh!

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