Dallas Visit with Allison - Frontiers of Flight Museum, Boeing 747 Model / My First Ride in a 747

Took a bit of time to select out this near-direct frontal view of the mighty Boeing 747, the Queen of the Skies.  Original picture is below.

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I'll never forget my first ride in one of these.  Chenjean, my then fiancee-to-be, and I flew in one on our trip to secure her father's permission to marry this crazy American.  It was such a colossal beast!  Once we were able to get out of our seats and move around, I walked up and down the length of the aisle, marveling that this behemoth was up in the sky flying at more than 500 miles per hour.  And to add to the hugeness, there were stairs leading up to a second floor!

Of course I had to go there to see what it looked like and what the rich folks were up to.  I half expected to be stopped by a stewardess, but wasn't so hastened up the spiral staircase.  The seats were much larger, of course, but what caught my attention most was a big bowl of fruit at the top of the spiral staircase.  This bowl of fruit had the biggest, golf ball-sized grapes I'd ever seen!  Had to have some.  So as inconspicuously as possible, I picked three or four and slipped them into my pocket before heading back down to our side of the tracks.  After extracting my prizes and showing them to Chenjean, was surprised when she peeled them before eating!  First time I'd seen that, and was equally as surprised to later see her peeling the small American grapes also.

We've traveled many times since on other 747's, and later the 777's, but nothing will match that first awe-inspiring, wonderful ride on the Queen of the Skies.