Just remembering Pan Am. Oh how I loved that airline, the whole notion of traveling and Jet-Setting around the World in a Pan Am Clipper. A TWA Jet would be acceptable as well, but nothing could beat Pan Am, King of The World Airways for many years. Growing up and going to see movies at the Rivoli Theater in Rutherford New Jersey almost every Saturday, we watched movies and dreamed. Many a movie in the 60’s started out with its opening scene of either a TWA or Pan Am jet-liner landing at in airport of one of the most renowned city destinations of the World: Paris, Rome, London, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo. You would invariably see either a TWA or Pan Am jet landing, it’s tires screeching as the wheels hit the runway, then immediately the next scene would cut to either, traffic around The Coliseum in Rome, The Arch d’ Triumph in Paris, or cars at Piccadilly Circus  London, then they cut to the first scene with characters after the jet landings and main city attractions to identify which ever city the movie was first set in.

I especially loved all James Bond movies as I aspired myself to be like Bond, complete with Beautiful Women, fast sports cars, and Jet-Setting around the world, Champagne, Caviar, the whole nine yards. And I grew to love Pan Am.

I dreamed of traveling the World; Paris, Rome, Venice, Hong Kong, I eventually did three times over. And of course you know my first trip abroad just had to be aboard a Pan Am 747 to Rome, Italy. I was in heaven on that flight, a Boeing 747, Champagne, Stewardesses, flying over the Atlantic, destination Rome. And don’t you know the second day I was in Rome after eating my first Tremenzzini, Spaghetti Carbonara, Cod di Vaccinara (Roman Braised Oxtails), and Bucatini Amatriciana and seeing thousands of Vespa Scooters zip around the Eternal City, I just had to rent one. I went to a shop on the Via Cavour, rented my Vespa and headed straight toward The Coliseum 3 blocks away. I got there and circle this Ancient Roman Arena 5 times before going off to explore Roma, “Just like in the Movies.” I was in 7th Heaven. All this; a Pan Am 747, Rome, a Vespa and my youth.

 

 

Daniel Bellino Zwicke