Understanding Eastern block rock. By air?

1) ZRH to ATH

I was lucky to get the only empty seat in all of economy class next to me on my standby flight to Athens. I'd gotten bumped two hours earlier in Zurich for insane cash bribe. Cheetah zipped over to occupy the seat, I buckled him in, and the man next to me could care less.  This is essentially now business class since the only difference between coach and biz on Swiss in Europe is the empty middle seat.  Dumb.

I've never understood why all of these tiny ethic groups insist on having their own crappy little countries.  I think that mentality, lack of practicality, is why they are so poor.

I guesstimated the flight plan in the inflight magazine. Looks genuine. Probably is pretty accurate.

Uh, oh, full flight to Athens.  Almost bumped again.

Greeks et al served by Germanic folks, strange mix

Book a lot more interesting than the Alps 

Swiss sense of humor parked next to runway at ZRH airport 

After take off from ZRH, I was so exhausted that I fell asleep and missed the Swiss alps.  Actually, it was cloudy over Zurich, so maybe there was not much to see.  The brilliant white Austrian Alps woke me up.  But after 29 hours on the road, it was hard to keep my attention going.

Innsbruck, Austria 

I've never visited Austria.  Valleys must be gorgeous.

Over Austria, spectacular.  I can't help but thinking of their escape route to Switzerland in "sound of music".  It'd be harrowing.  And this is summer!

Alpine Mountains in the farthest northeastern corner of Italy, then flat plains beyond

Over Ljubljana, Slovenia.  I know zero about this place but it's not as spectacular as what I've seen so far

We are over Croatia for ten minutes, Rolling hills and farmland, nothing special

We're now over the killing fields of Bosnia.  I should study that war, because I just don't understand where the Serbians got off doing that to their neighbor.  It is clearly gorgeous land.

That must be Croatia and the Dalmatian coast on the horizon.  Every tiny country really does seem to have its own character for the air.

Swiss has turned the flight map off now to show promotional ads, so I have to guess where we are. I think that's Sarajevo

Finally a map feature!  Dubrovnik on the horizon, the little islands out in the Adriatic 

There's a lake near the sea, so it m

must be Montenegro.  It's the First city  I have seen.

Tirana, Elbasan and down the coast Vlore, Albania.  What's wrong with these people that they can't make a decent living in a great location? 

Mountains again, this time bone dry with a bit of snow on top. 

That lake looks like Pogradec.  Is that Macedonia?  Wow, pretty.

We must be in Greece now.  Cute villages nestled in the valleys between small mountains.  Maybe it's Larissa?  The terraced farms look like strip mining from the air 

Farms and a Lake town are not on my Swiss air map

I thought we were done but this sudden big daddy must be famed Mt Olympus.  It shows how naive people are.  No one would choose to live up there.

Suddenly again, we have Midwestern-American looking farm quilts.  

The first man made geography, a reservoir. The Greeks are clearly more clever that their Neighbors.

And there's the sea.  Must be Lamia.

Greek Island 

The gods ARE partying over Athens

Greece is Radically different from the rest of the region. So pretty

Coming into Athens 

Looks like Southern California 

Trip over.  Welcome to Athens 

On the drive from the airport, Athens Looks JUST like Los Angeles!  Great wide freeways and chaparral hills

2).  ATH to ZRH 

M T

The Greek men all look pregnant

A giant guy came and sat next to me in the middle seat.  I made a Snap decision to grab the non reclining row to get my planned necessary two hour sleep. I got to 

Ilian and I got to Athens 90 min late.  Not sure joe the ship schedule got so delayed but Ilian was dragging. I am used to long days touring and I solider on.  Long story short, we

 The Excellent Swiss Flight attendant brought me a pillow and blanket so I made a sofa bed: first class really beats business 

Sinking Venice 

Buddha wakes me at 817a to set my watch to 717a and witness the incredible spectacle of Venice.  I first see the breathers around the lagoon snd wonder what it is.  Venice is below us but my phone straight down 

We're So close to the alpine peaks we could nearly touch them

I developed a new iPhone airplane pic method.  Instead of aiming with the screen, I consider just aiming the lens and I can get great shots below and to the sides I can't even see with just my eyes.

We're 30 min early, left Athens early I guess.  Now I have enough time did brekkie at the biz lounge

3) ZRH to LED (Leningrad)

Hmmm, passengers on this flight have a tacky style of dress.  

Ruskis are Different from the fatties in Greece.  I don't mean that disparagingly now that after three days, I am one of them.  Can't figure out what in their diet is so fattening.  Only thing I can think of is the high fat yoghurt and feta cheese.  Maybe so.

krakow, Poland: boring landscape 

Xyz  river, Poland goes through Wroclaw.  Boring.

Very ruski dance

A woman decides to take continuously screaming baby away from husband in their front row of First and do a Russian folk dance with rhythmic hissing sounds to calm the baby.  This goes on for 15 minutes.  It's so rude that I have no issue filming her do it.  I thibk I'm egging her on.

(Insert video)

Elegant First class brekkie this year. Delicious bread pudding with berries and I can eat it all.

My veggie lunch last year.  Pathetic.   

I wrote Swiss Air threatening email about their pathetic insulting vegetarian food lady year, and voila!  It's been great.  Great service, too, I the air and on the ground.  They have improved so much.  I've already written them a more praising their ground staff at ZRH.

Kaliningrad, Russia

We're over the Baltic now, and I am shocked this is one Baltic state Russia held on to. I don't know.  It's an island of Russia surrounded by Lithuania and Poland.

I wanted to see the Baltic States but it's all thick Baltic clouds now over Lithuania. :(

Lithuania!

Latvia!