Rolling In!

If you remember a few blog posts back I had the pleasure of a ride and some basic training in the Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter. Well, today, I was fortunate enough to enjoy lesson Number 2. What a blast! We took off, headed south, and focused on maintaining course. Then came some climbs and descents, a bit of practice turning while remaining on station, and then a few laps around the pattern. I’m starting to get the feel for the cyclic, which is a fine touch indeed. At any rate, here’s a shot looking straight ahead as we roll in to Runway 9 on final approach.

If your computer is like mine, you can click on that photo and enlarge it. Either way, we rolled a little the other way to line up and it looked like this:

The airspeed indicator shows about 52 knots. I usually come in on final in the Cessna 172 at 65 knots, so this felt a little slow. If I keep going for rides like this, I’ll be hooked on this helicopter flying thing. It’s even more addictive than airplanes. Remember: Always do your checklist!

Published in: on May 21, 2010 at 9:24 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Bebidas Frias, Madrid

Traveling through Spain, I took various opportunities to check out the Coca-Cola signage. Madrid (and Spain in general) is dominated by Coca-Cola soft drinks. Of course! It’s the real thing. Anyway, I came across many signs with retro themes including this set. First, the vertical.

That’s an excellent sign with the pretty lady at the top. Here’s the horizontal that was on the door.

Furthermore, in most every store I purchased a Coke it was ICE COLD. Ah, refreshing! I’ll have more Coke signs in future posts from the recent voyage around Spain. Stay tuned.

Published in: on May 20, 2010 at 7:32 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Curiosity Shop, Madrid

The Curiosity Shop fronts a pedestrian throughway only a few blocks south of the Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain. I was walking by here in search of postcards when I came upon it. The sign is an old-time painted one that is hard to miss:

And the door bears plenty of logos and stickers that also catch the eye:

There’s plenty to gaze upon right there. However, the items in the window and beyond are the real treat. You’ll find all manner of old toys and novelties on display. Peer through the glare on the window to see for yourself. When was the last time you saw things like that?

I imagine if you’re a toy collector or someone who appreciates such things, this place would be a must visit while in Madrid. Be sure to bring your Euros. Those old toys sell for tall prices. By the way, just a few doors down, you’ll find some nice postcards and ice-cold Coca-Cola, too.

Published in: on May 19, 2010 at 7:46 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Escorial Lunch, Spain

Typically, I don’t like to eat outside. However, there’s nothing like lunch with a view. We happened to be only a few blocks from El Escorial in Spain and there was a series of restaurants with outdoor seating that looked out over the palace. Therefore, I broke the rules, took a table, and settled in for a nice lunch. The menu of the day featured some interesting choices, none of which I can explain in Spanish. The first plate was a shrimp in cream sauce over a puff pastry as you can see here:

Tasty and light, despite the cream sauce. The other first plate was a mushroom concoction with the same cream base as you can see below:

You can see one of the Escorial towers in the background there and get a sense of the view from this table. Quite nice, eh? Well, there was a main course, it was a sort of lamb rolitini type of thing as shown in the next photo.

The meal was tasty as was the wine. Sadly, El Escorial was closed for a holiday. My sightseeing was limited to the outside areas, which are nothing more than stone plazas. Always good to call ahead or check the internet to see what attractions will or will not be open. Lesson learned.)

Published in: on May 18, 2010 at 8:19 pm  Leave a Comment  
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