HOW TO TRANSITION FROM ONE CULTURE TO THE NEXT: IN MY CASE AN ENJOYABLE SOLUTION OF FLYING EXPERIENCE

 In today's discussion, the airline in question is SWISS airlines. I have flown them a few times before, once Montreal to Zurich to Singapore and back, eleven years ago almost to the date, LX 64 to Miami. I remember that day feeling a lot of Saudade.. leaving Paris and going to Miami.. 

But this day was different. A lot of amenities are toned down and the passengers on this flight 64 from ZRH to MIA were almost all Americans.. as Europeans are still not allowed to visit USA.. all that might change pretty soon.

Europe is doing a wonderful job of containing Covid Infection and the personal responsibility is taken pretty seriously. I would be very easily reminded when my mask slipped off my nose.. On the TGV train in France, Police walked around checking the masks of people before the train left the station.

I had travelled from Paris CDG to ZRH Zurich International airport to catch my flight to MIAMI. I had no expectations. I am used to the kind of excellence of Qatar Airways and Swiss taught me something today. I am using these intercontinental flights to adjust psychologically from one ambiance to the other, from one civilization to the other without too much damage to myself 

Airbus 340-300 was the captain of their fleet even though SWISS has been switching to Boeing 777 lately, I was told. I looked at the aircraft that would take us all across the Atlantic in just a few hours. Thank you.

Most of the Lounges are closed around the world due to Covid and they are only now cautiously opening them. I remembered the splendour of the Business Class Lounge of Swiss from other times but now it is but a skeleton but it was nice to relax there for a while before joining the others to board the plane.

It was nice to se where the flights were off to. Definitely not too many flights east .. There was hardly any INDIAN or CHINESE visitors in the Airport as most of ASIA is cut off from travel to Europe.

The majority of the travellers were Americans, a mixture of tourists and residents. 

Very interesting to note the way the Americans walk, talk and dress for their International flights. Especially after two weeks in France where people pay attention to their appearance and apparel.

Many of the behaviours of American passengers would be culturally unacceptable to  European public but as they say to each his own. 

I was one of the first to board so that I could take some photos of the interior of the plane and I was pleased with the seat allocated to me 

We were asked to keep our masks at all times (except eating or drinking) during the flight and also not to congregate around common spaces. 

 

As soon as the flight took off, the service began. I had been thirsting for a drop of Champagne and as we used to say, it brought coolness to the tonsils.

I was able to rate the champagne using the Vivino app and I liked the taste.

Duval-Leroy Brut

Duval-Leroy -Vertus, Champagne

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier

Made by the family owned winery Duval-Leroy, this award winning Champagne is the perfect balance of finesse and power. It displays a fine mousse, with aromas of citrus, baked apple tart and honey and a fresh, power finish marked by notes of ginger and cinnamon.

Regardless of what they say, my palate felt the difference, and I enjoyed it immensely. So much so that during the rest of the trip, I drank only Champagne foregoing the usual Merlot-Sauvignon Blanc of Switzerland or Riesling from France.. Had quite a few drops of this precious fluid..

I noticed that the person in charge of service on my section of the flight was a young man who was very polite despite being impeccable a la Suisse. I did note a wisp of etranger but did not wish to question until we chat a bit more about Swiss Airlines and the food in question.

Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian and I wonder Brussels Airlines fall into the conglomeration of Teutonic family, certainly I was not expecting any gastronomic excellence in this flight. (my flight over to Europe on Iberia served mediocre food that was easily forgettable)

Imagine my surprise when the plates began arriving from the galley which was close to my seat and I could even feel the flavours that wafted in.

I had chosen Mediterranean vegetable tartare with ricotta mousse. Pickled pearl onions and toasted sunflower seeds.

Once i had the first morsel on my tastebuds, I wanted to learn more about the chef in charge of Swiss Airways  on board cuisine.

Chef Francisco Sangali from Restaurante Vicania in the village of Morcote.

The food had a distinct mediterranean taste and I could feel the taste of Lake Lugano. Oh Lake Lugano, I had seen it as a school student once crossing on a train from Switzerland to Italy, the final destination being a student conference in Milano. Mmmm

Sea Bass with almond sauce. Potato, courgette puree, yellow and green courgette 

I made a mental note of the extremely smooth flight and there were no turbulences to speak off during the flight. I commented this to my new friend, BC, who was in charge of the side where I was sitting: filling my flute with champagne, and bringing me things to eat.

Elderflower panna cotta with salted walnuts and chocolate crumble

On the plate in the beginning you can see Broso and Gottardo cheese with Swiss pear bread

A very sumptuous meal and a nice drop of champagne.. thank god for the French

I was not at all bored during the flight. I had Yuval Noah Harari's book on Kindle and I "attempted" to read it .

also for a very small price, you could text during the flight, and it was a relief not to be using wi fi , so i could keep in touch with dear friends in Brasil or Cuba and also my colleagues in Miami.

My new friend BC was born in Switzerland and has been a FA for four years and absolutely loves his job for the freedom to travel that it gives him. Just two days ago he had travelled to Tel Aviv a city that he loves and a people he felt to be very friendly and accepting of him.

As an adolescent I remember hearing my father say: One day the Kurdish people will have their own state, Kurdistan.

Like the Jewish people have the most successful, democratic state of Israel. Kurdish people would be democratic not demagogues, would be innovative and a light to the people of Middle East including the Turks who took their lands , Iranians to whom they are related and to the Arabs, to whom they are not related.  

He and I chatted about the dreams of our fathers and I told him, hope in our lifetime we would have a Kurdistan.. not only that area in Turkey but also Lebanon Syria Iraq Iran Azerbaijan and Armenia!!!

Just an hour out of Miami, un repas léger was served. Do I want the warm pasta dish from Italy or a cold soba noodle plate from Asia?

I correctly chose the warm italian orecchiette pasta with lovely wild leaves and vegetables. It was truly out of this world.. congratulations to the Chef in that small village along the lake Lugano and SWISS air.. 

As the comforting voice of the captain came over the intercom, I got myself ready to leave this joyful accommodation of 9 hours with good company of BC from the Swiss Airways.

When I commented on the smooth flight to BC, he told me a story about the captain. I told him to give him my best wishes and  thanks .

As I was waiting for my luggage to arrive , I noticed the crew and among them whom I took to be the Captain.

I went up to him and said :

I want to thank you for the smoothest flight across the Atlantic. Also I heard that you had flown 6500 flights in your lifetime and that this is your last flight with Swiss before you retire. I congratulate you and thank you .

He was pleased, a bit quizzical how I knew about it, and people around me heard me and they also began pouring in their congratulations.

So this veteran pilot on his last International commercial trip had an unexpected moment of Gratefulness, from an itinerant traveller in seat 6K, Maqroll of indeterminate nationality.

TAP Portugal had cancelled  my Paris Lisbon Newark flight on this day and they did not make any other arrangements (a penalty under EU laws). Fortunately I was able to procure a seat on SWISS

Thank you SWISS for getting me back to my patients who are waiting to see me tomorrow.

Thank you BC for wonderful service, I mentioned that to the Chief FA, as I thanked her for a lovely flight.

A nice experience and this helped me forget the liminality of being in France and saying Good Bye to France (this time around I absolutely loved France) and then adjusting to the post-truth USA and especially the right wing ambiance of the Banana Republic of Miami . We were told that Public Health Officials would be waiting and would randomly check our covid test status, but unfortunately not a single one was to  be seen!

A heartfelt thanks.

ein herzliches Dankeschön

Un Grand Merci

there are both french and  German dialects in Switzerland. which differ from above.

Engraziel (rumanitsch)