In March of 2008, I was given my first flying lesson in a Cessna C172 by one of my friends who just got his pilot's license.  Our flight was from Concord's Buchanan Fields to Half Moon Bay Airport.  The flight time is approximately 30 minutes.  I have always loved to fly commercially, and I always try to get a window seat so I can look out the window during take off and landings.  It still amazes me how us humans can go up in the air in these "flying machines (as they were called in Orville and Wilbur Wright's Days)."  I was allowed to take the controls for a short time.  Moreover, I was able to listen in to the Air Traffic Control commands too on the headset.  Our Bay Tour took us above Contra Costa County to over the Golden Gate Bridge and then left down the San Francisco coast to Half Moon Bay Airport.  On the way back, we had a good view of downtown San Francisco and the Bay Bridge.  Most of the Bay is restricted SFO (San Francisco International Airport) air space.