Saturday, 28 September 2024, Venice to Tallahassee

Written 26 February 2025

At the left here, boxes containing croissants, chocolate croissants, and a sandwich (I think it was ham). Under them in the bottom of the bag were an apple, a banana, a box of water, and a 1% yogurt.

Here's David boarding the water taxi that would speed and another couple us across the lagoon to Marco Polo airport.

At the right, one of our last views of Venice—a palazzo. I couldn't tell you which one.

At the airport, we were met by a Tauck guide who ensured we all got to our correct gates with all our luggage.

The VIP lounge (to which our first-class trans-Atlantic tickets admitted us) was sleek and modern, with lots of spaces for eating, socializing, and working.

The food provided in the lounge looked pretty good. Here at the left, "bureks," crispy pastry wrapped around spinach and ricotta on one tray and around meat on the other. On the third, croquettes of potato and ham.

At the right, chocolate and blueberry muffins, pecan brownies, and almond and pine nut cream tartlets.

At the next counter, soppressa (a kind of salami), brioche sandwiches with ham, squares of tomato focaccia, and sliced-bread sandwiches with tuna and hard-cooked egg.

Then plain, chocolate, jam-filled, and cream-filled croissants. Off to one side were cut and whole fruit.

The Italians seem to be the only other nationality that take cookies as seriously as Amerians. These were arrayed between the coffee dispenser and the shelves of grab-and-go still and sparkling water.

Finally, I'd say this row of little desks takes the concept of "work cubicle" to a whole new level. Note the row of electrical outlets above each work surface.

The leg from Venice to Paris Charles De Gaulle wasn't first class, but I was struck by this multifunctional seatback. At the left here, my Kindle is resting in the handy slot that would have held a book or magazine just as handily.

But the small panel below it folded out and its inset lifted as I show here at the right.

You could then set your book, magazine, or (as I have here) Kindle in place, and the spring-loaded inset would clip your reading material gently but securely in place.

Then just as you settle in to read, the friendly stewardess brings you this delectable smoked salmon sandwich with slaw, accompanied by a dish of yogurt, some French butter, and a little jar of strawberry jam. She brought a warm croissant a few moments later. Nice.

We even got a three-seat row to ourselves.

It was also the first flight we ever remember being on where both the pilot and copilot were women. The times they are achangin'.

In CDG airport, I discovered this sculpure, which I'd never seen before, of a sleeping kitty the size of a small elephant!

As always, meal service in Air France first class was, well, first class. We made our meal choices in advance, in the lounge, to minimize waste—why pack a dozen chicken entrées if everyone wants the pork?

First, they brought me this little vegetable and couscous tabouleh, with a box of tiny crispy cheese-filled crêpes.

The official starter was crabmeat salad with snow peas and fava beans, together with a bread roll and a green salad with a tiny glass bottle of vinaigrette.

Because it's Air France, you get a cheese course—in this case, Fourme d'Ambert (the blue one), Cantal (the wedge standing up), and St. Nectaire (the wedge lying down behind it). All excellent!

The dessert was described as "gourmandise croquant au chocolat"—that is, crispy chocolate yummy thing. An apt description.

On the flight, I watched (count 'em) four movies: See How They Run, Eddie the Eagle, Equalizer III, and Hairspray. Fun.