GREAT NAVAL AIR BATTLE

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Tonight! The Great Naval Air Battle. The reenactment of the Conch Republic’s fight for independence. A must to see. The Battle begins at 7 this evening in the waters off the Ocean Key dock, Pier House and Schooner Wharf.

The Conch Republic Navy and Air Force take on the U.S. Coast Guard. Conch pirate ships will have water canons firing on Coast Guard vessels. The Conch Republic Air force will  engage U.S. Navy jets from Boca Chica. The Conch Air Force consists of World War I type bi-planes and seaplanes. The Conch planes swill drop bombs on the Coast Guard vessels. Furling unrolling rolls of toilet paper.

The Conch Republic position with regard to the United States: Don’t screw with us!

My friend Mike (of Mike and Tina fame) was a Conch Republic bombardier for several years. He dropped the toilet paper bombs. His friend Nick was an officer in the Conch Republic Air Force and flew one of the planes. Sounds like a fun time.

All of Key West will be watching the battle.

Today is also another war holiday. In Italy. April 25 is celebrated as Liberation Day. The day American troops freed Italy from Nazi domination. A big holiday. Parades, street bands, etc. The holiday pays homage also to the resistance fighters who opposed Germany during Italy’s occupation. Several hundred thousand were killed. Many were women.

I recall in both of my visits to Novara viewing the wall the Nazis used to shoot partisans. A long brick wall. They lined the Italians up and executed them. It was a strange feeling standing before the wall and recalling what had occurred.

My friend Anna tells me of her first experience meeting U.S. Army troops. She was 5 years old. They gave her chewing gum. She had never seen chewing gum. Thought it was candy. She chewed and swallowed. The soldiers laughed. Then explained to her that gum was to be chewed and not swallowed.

Mussolini was captured on April 27. Two days after the liberation  of Italy. He was no longer liked. He and his girl friend were executed and then hung upside down at a gas station near Lake Como.

Yesterday started with a haircut. Lori continues to help keep my beard trimmed and in shape.

I desired Cuban cheese toast with tomato. I enjoyed the sandwich and a large cup of Cuban coffee at Blossoms.

Bocce last night. We won 2 out of 3 games. An improvement. We won all three last week. We are on a roll. I played in the last game which we lost. Some of my shots were good, some bad. It was a so so night for me.

The season is over. It is very noticeable. Traffic is down, bicyclists few. I was the only one at Lori’s. There were only three of us for lunch at Blossoms. We needed a break. Key West will pick up again shortly with events scheduled almost every weekend.

Enjoy the day!

TOMORROW KEY WEST

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Tomorrow Key West!!!

I am ready. I have been away too long. Home beckons.

No blog tomorrow. I have to leave at 8 in the morning to get to the airport in Milan. I will not arrive in Key West till around 8 tomorrow night Key West time. Two in the morning on the time I have been living for two months. I will be dead.

I am exhausted this morning.

I did not sleep well. I am in Novara. No air conditioning. Yesterday was a run run day. Between the two, I am shot. On the other hand, the trip may be catching up with me. It was exciting, but on the go most of the time.

Wi fi continued to be a problem yesterday. I was in Courmayeur. The closest wi fi was 8 miles away at a Sports Center. I borrowed a car for the drive over.

I do not know if I was permitted to drive in Europe. Additionally, I had not driven a stick shift car since the late 1950s.

About 2 miles into the trip, the car stopped. No juice. Battery appeared to be dead.

A fix. I was in a foreign country. Did not know if I was permitted to drive. No cell phone. Verizon made sure of that.

I must have looked a pathetic sight standing outside the car. A SUV stopped. A family. Parents and child. The husband spoke English. He offered to take me to a garage down the road.

The garage man said he was too busy to deal with a dead battery. Woe is me, I thought.

My new found friend drove me to another garage. The owner did not speak English. However, he understood my problem. He drove me back to my car. Got the battery and car going. Then followed me to his garage. I needed a new battery, he said. Who was I to argue. A three hour wait. Somehow I got across to him where I had to go and why. My blog and KONK Life column had to be done. I suspect he thought I was some sort of reporter or TV star from the United States.

He immediately put in a used battery and told me to return in 3 hours or more. Off I went.

When I got to the sports facility, I was told that wi fi was on and off in the valley all morning. It would be hit and miss.

Great!

It took me 15 minutes to get on. I was on and off for several hours. Whatever, I got this week’s column off to Guy deBoer. The Athens beggar story. Read it. You will enjoy. The paper will be available Thursday.

Drove back to the garage. The new battery had arrived. The owner put it in immediately. A real nice guy.

He charged me 170 euros. $230 American money. I do not know if expensive or not. I did not care. The car was fixed!

Typical of Italian and Greek businessmen, he refused to give me a receipt and I had to pay in cash. Everyone tries to beat taxes. I can’t blame those that do in Italy and Greece. Because of the euro problem, they are being taxed to death. Italian real property taxes went up another 30 per cent. Just like that!

Later, the 3 1/2 hour drive back to Novara.

I still had not done yesterday’s blog. I was up till after midnight doing it.

Not a relaxing day. I am not complaining. I am happy to have had this year’s European experience. As I think of it, yesterday was the first tiring day of the trip. Not bad.

Enjoy your day!

AUSTRALIAN INSIGHTS

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I flew from Athens to Milan yesterday. I had the good fortune to be seated next to a woman of beauty and intelligence. She was from Australia.

The young lady is a public servant. Civil Service type for the Australian government.

I obtained significant insight from our chat.

From the 1990s into the early 2000s, Australia was on the verge of an economic crisis. Jobs and cash flow were needed. The two political parties running the government got together. They passed laws appropriating monies for infrastructure. Jobs were created, money flowed. The stimulus plan worked. A financial crisis was avoided.

Note that the two Australian political parties worked together. Politics in Australia is as adversarial as in the United States. However, when the chips were down, the parties joined together to do the necessary.

The United States needs an infrastructure stimulus program. Obama pushes it. The Republicans reject the idea. When will country over politics reign in the United States?

Australia biggest export customer is China. They export more goods to China than any other country. China needs everything. They are buying. Australia imports Chinese goods, also.

Obviously, no balance of trade problem between Australia and China.

Why does the United States have one and not Australia? What is the United States doing wrong with regard to its China trade policies? Why can’t the United States and China work together as Australia and China are?

Australia did not experience the bank problem we have had in recent years. The reason is that Australia required the banks to have more liquidity. Higher surpluses and reserves.

United States banks have not been held to the same high standard as the Australian banks. Probably because Australia’s leaders are less prone to favor banks over the electorate. I have a feeling corporate/banking lobbyists do not have the same influence in Australia that they do in the United States.

It is interesting that a democratic nation similar to that of the United States appears to operate more intelligently and effectively where economics are concerned. Perhaps it is the air they breath on the other side of the world.

I was shot when I arrived in Novara late yesterday afternoon. First time I have really been tired this trip. I was in bed asleep at 7. Woke at 4. Stayed in bed till 6. Feel a hell of a lot better this morning.

I have started working on next week’s KONK Life column. The Beggars of Athens. From Diogenes to present day. Guaranteed interesting!

Enjoy your day!

ARRIVED!!!!!!

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I am in Italy! Novara to be precise. Northern Italy. Near the Alps.

The trip over uneventful. I took a sleeping pill this time. It did not work. I think I was the only one on the plane awake. I read instead. A new book. Paris. A history based on three different families and how they grew and progressed over the years.

Time wise, I am all screwed up. It ia 5 in the morning here. Eleven friday night in Key west.

I enjoyed a new experience flying in. I would like to tell you I joined the 1,000 mile club. Unfortunately not. The last 50 miles was over the Alps. Above the clouds. Snow covered. Awesome!

Seventy one degrees when I arrived. A bit nippy. I was told it was in the 80s the day before and rainy. Italy weather comes up from Africa.Yesterday the wind brought sand. All cars were covered with sand.

I am using an Italian computer. The keyboard is somewhat different. I cannot find the apostrophe for possession. So if it is missing, it is not my grammar.

I spent hours with Verizon and Sloan to be sure everything worked correctly for this trip. Nothing does. Neither my computer nor data port. Tablet only good for reading books. Nothing has connection. I am using a friend’s computer at the moment. Notice I found the apostrophe. It is under the question mark which is top line immediately after the number 0. Italy!!

Gasoline $12-$13 a gallon. Complain not about $4 a gallon!

All cars are stick shift in order to get more mileage for the dollar. Only handicapped persons have automatic shift.

I arrived 3 in the morning our time. An hour later I was in bed sleeping like a baby. For four hours.

Last night was party time. Some friends from last year arranged a welcome back gathering. The food excellent. The booze flowed.

These people were primarily champagne drinkers. The good stuff. A bottle of gin had been purchased for me. Gordon’s. I had a friend who drank gin. The bottle was empty at the end of th night. Trust me, he consumed much more than me. We drank neat. No ice. A common problem in Italy.

Millie and Mikey. Millie has become a Facebook friend the past 2 months. Fifty one and lovely. Millie had a stroke in January. She is doing pretty good. Her cheery disposition helps. She is an architect by education. Cannot wait to return to work.

Met Enzo and Alice. They brought the champagne. Enzo too is an architect. Alice owns a pharmacy, though she is not a pharmacist.

Paolo. An accountant by education. He and his group manage large buildings.

Then there was Celestine. She and her husband own a contracting firm. She packed it in a few years ago and now keeps house. She claims working as a contractor was easier.

I had a terrific time! I did not understand most of what was said. I am sure they had trouble with me. But we got along and laughed a lot.

It is saturday morning here. Very late thursday night where you are. My tv/internet show in your morning at 10. The show goes on with out me. Watch. It may be a rerun you missed. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Television Comcast Channel 19 and U-Verse Channel 19 up through Miami-Dade County. World wide on the internet. www.weyw19.com. All the shows have been You tubed.

Tonight I dine on Lake Maggiore. Hemingway wrote dramatically of it late in his novel A Farewell Arms. I cannot escape Hemingway. Someone told me last night to visit a nearby town. Gave me the name of a bar Hemingway used to drink at and wrote. When I recall, I will definitely make an effort to visit it. I shared Sloppy Joe’s with him. He knew neither Sloppy Joe’s nor Key West.

Enjoy your Day!

LOVELY EIMY PREGNANT

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Eimy is a most beautiful woman!

I last saw her two years ago. Sleek. A lovely figure. A radiant smile.

I saw Eimy again last night. Still so beautiful. Radiant. Beaming is actually a better description. Rounded in the middle. Eimy is pregnant!

Congratulations Eimy! Mike, too!

Her family way has not detracted from her natural beauty. Only enhanced it.

Mike and Eimy live in Las Vegas. Mike is a mortgage broker. Mine, actually. Eimy, a CPA. Not working at the present, however. She is a stay at home while awaiting the birth.

They love Key West. Have visited here before. They will return.

We met at Louie’s Backyard last night for hellos. With them was Pete from New York. Pete is an old friend, also. Pete works on Wall Street. He was here with his girl friend Julie.

Pete is a charming guy. Has a unique sense of humor.

Also with them were Tim and Jenny. Engaged. Live up the road in Hollywood.

Jenny is crazy about Key West. Loves its laid back atmosphere. She wants to be married here. We briefly chatted about her options. She is tuned into L’Attitudes. They will have to work overtime to pay for the reception.

Great people! I could not join them for dinner. I had already enjoyed dinner a couple of hours earlier with the family.

We celebrated Fathers’ Day last night at Benihana. Robert was excited. His first time. Ally was haughty. She was a pro. She had been there two times previously.

Needless to say, the eyes of both were glued to the with cook and cooking process.

Robert surprised me. He was wearing a tie. He proudly told me he made the knot himself. It was not a snap on. Cameron taught him how to do it the day before. The knot was perfect. The ends of the tie met. I played dumb. Robert promised to teach me. He told me…..Don’t worry Poppa, it’s easy.

I have to start packing today. I fly to Milan Thursday. I cannot wait. I am looking forward to the trip.

Show time tonight! My blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time.

A quick half hour. I share my thoughts on current topics and issues.

Three situations I definitely will touch upon are our involvement in Syria, the new Catholic Church program requiring Catholics to act as Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses in going door to door, and a Boston Children’s’ Hospital program offering free hand transplants to children who have no hands.

Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

SANTORINI PICS / MERKEL VISIT DANGEROUS

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Photo problem resolved. Lost Novara pics found. Thanks to Sloan. Today, Novara and Santorini.

The photos will appear following each day’s blog. Just scroll down and up will come Novara first and then Santorini.

Santorini was spectacular! No other way top describe it. God’s gift to man! I was taken with the beauty of the island.

Santorini is located in the southern Aegean sea. The remnant of a volvanic explosion.

Santorini was one island. 3,600 years ago a volcano on the island erupted. To better place the explosion in time, 1,500 years before the birth of Christ.

It was a volcanic explosion to beat all explosions. The eruption broke the island into several smaller islands.

The volcano still exists. I will be showing pics of it when the volcano photos are published. The volcano is still hot. A devastating explosion occurred as recently as 1956.

A recent scientific article suggested that another eruption is imminent. The chamber below the top is building up with lava. It is ready to go. When I visited the volcano, I could see steam coming up through the rocks. Sometimes as close as ten feet from the path I was walking. The article said that in addition to the steam, carbon dioxide was being emitted. Apparently an additional bad sign.

The split off island I stayed on is still referred to as Santorini. There are several towns located on the island. I stayed in Elia. The best place to stay. I traveled all over the island during the ten days I was there. The island towns were typical beach towns found anywhere. Except for Elia. Elia was old Greece in every way from the cave apartments to the buildings to the people.

I have posted nine photos of Santorini.

The first is me sitting in front of my cave apartment. A good shot of the view, also.

The next is me again sitting looking out over the ocean. A magnificent view! The volcano is the black island to the left.

The third photo is of me sitting on the same terrace with my back to the sea.

You will recall that steps were horrible from my perspective. Steps and hills everywhere. Killers. The next pic is of me climbing the stairs from my cave. Followed by another pic showing the end of the steps at the walkway.

Night times were cool. The next photo is of me at night on the walkway wearing a rain jacket. It never rained on the trip. The jacket was the only covering besides shirts and one sweat shirt I brought with me.

Donkeys all over the Greek islands. Not just Santorini. Some people either do not wish or cannot walk up and down the steps. Donkeys are provided to carry them. The next photo is of the donkey steps. The brown spots are donkey dung. Sorry. I failed to take any pics of the donkeys on Santorini.

My favorite restaurant. The Katina! Ate there four nights. The photo is of me and Igor. He waited on me every evening. Not Greek. A Russian. Igor and I became friends. The food absolutely outstanding!

The last photo is of Santorini at sunset. Whether Key West, Santorini or where ever, islands world wide have their special sunsets.

My yesterday consisted of a walk. Then lunch at Blossoms. Cuban cheese toast with tomato, plus a large Cuban coffee. I stopped at Walgreens and the dentist. The dentist for a minor mechanical change to my implants. Visted Lisa.

Cooked a steak for myself in the evening. Then settled in bed to watch the Jets game. At least they scored a couple of touchdowns! The Jets should play Tebow more. They payed a hell of a lot of money to use him only minimally. Tebow is a winner!

The woes of each country are different. Each nation is suffering financial problems. The problems did not arise in similar ways. The road to almost bankruptcy has been different for each.

I am motivated to make the preceding observation because of Romney’s comments regarding Spain yesterday. Now Spain is pissed at him. As are the Brits. Fortunately for Romney, the people of Spain and Great Britan are not voters in the U.S. election.

My recent two month European trip has made me a half assed international expert of sorts. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is in Athens today. She is meeting with the Greek governement. Probably as I am writing this blog. The purpose of her trip is to show the Greek people that she and Germany are their friends, want to help the Geeks resolve their financial difficulties, etc.

A bad idea. A bad trip. You will recall as I wrote in my blogs when I was in Athens and attended two demonstations, the Greeks hate the Germans. The Greeks spit every time Merkel’s name was mentioned.

Merkel’s primary purpose is to show German support for the austerity efforts the Greek government is imposing on its citizens. So Greece can pay the money it owes to Germany. She is not going to be a popular lady!

Nor is she expected to be. Police have been brought to Athens from every where. Seven thousand will be in Athens during her visit. Some of the police include roof top snipers.

The demonstrations will probably start or take place in front of Parliament. Tomorrow I will be sharing with you my Athens photos. Included are a couple of shots of Parliament.

A reminder again of the address changes for KONK Broadcasting. To watch my friday Internet show: www.konknet.com/tv/personalities. To read my weekly KONK Life column: www.konknet.com/konk-life/contributors.

Remember to scroll down for the Novara and Santorini photos.

Enjoy your day!

TRIP PICS…..THE BEGINNING

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This is the day!

Trip pictures being published!

I have grouped the photos into 12 categories. From this point forward, a category a day will be provided. Today’s pics are of the Novara phase.

Novara was my first and last stops on the trip. I flew into Milan. A half hour drive away was Novara. Translated, Novara means new camp. Way back when, there was no Novara. The Roman legions camped there. For a long time. Ergo, the name Novara.

Remnants of the Roman stay can still be seen. The Romans constructed a stone wall around the camp. Portions of that wall remain today.

The City of Novara developed from what was once the Roman camp.

There is a Hemingway tie.

Novara and Milan are cities. Stresa is a town. They are located in the Province of Novara. Novara is both the name of the province and the city. Each community located relatively close to the other.

Hemingway was an ambulance driver during World War I. He was stationed in northern Italy. Received multiple shrapnel wounds to his legs. He was hospitalized in Milan. Fell in love with one of his nurses. Following his hospitalization, he went to the resort town of Stresa for a rest. Stresa is located on Lake Maggiore.

Hemingway years later wrote A Farewell To Arms. The background and characters for the book came from the time he spent in the Milan hospital, at Stresa, and involved Lake Maggiore.

The Novara photos are a set of six.

The first is a photo of the building I stayed in at the beginning and end of my trip. It is a medieval building. More than a 1,000 years old. The exterior has been reconstructed. I was in an apartment on the second floor. The center balcony is off the living room of the apartment. The gigantic wood doors are the entrance way to the building’s courtyard.

The next photo is the building’s internal entrance way into the courtyard. The entrance way has been redone also. Note the fine workmanship on the doors.

The next pic is my bedroom ceiling. Though the outside of the building has been updated, the interior remains as it was a 1,000 years ago. The apartments have cathedral ceilings. All rooms. Huge wide windows. The ceilings are hand painted.

The next photo is a ceiling one, also. Of the sitting room ceiling.

I made a Moroccon friend on the trip. Miriam. She is in the next photo on the far right. It was my 77th birthday. Miriam cooked for me and baked a cake. The picture is of me and her family.

The final photo is me and the cake.

Tomorrow Santorini.

I enjoyed a yesterday, also.

Spent most of the day finishing Bob Woodward’s The Price Of Politics. Excellent reading. Scared me. The novel clearly evidences the inepts governing us. From the President down. Without mentioning it, the book cries out for term limits. Lack of ability and serving self interests permeate the book.

Though not mentioned, the book cries out for term limits. I would do one 6 year term for a President, one 5 year term for a Senator, and one 3 year term for a Congressman. Get them in and get them out! Keep reelection out of the picutre.

Lisa did a Thanksgiving turkey dinner last night. Delicious! Robert and Ally a joy.

I come from the generation that is not mechanically inclined. Corey was trying to show me how to operate my cell phone camera to my blog. Simple to most of you. Not to me.

Those of you who watch my internet show on KONK Broadcasting and read my weekly column in KONK Life via the internet, be advised the sites have been renamed. Sorry. Not my doing.

To watch the friday internet show: www.konknet.com/tv/personalities.

To read the column via the internet: www.konknet.com/konk-life/contributors.

Remember to join me for Santorini tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!

WHAT A JOKE! I JUST WENT TO PUBLISH THE NOVARA PHOTOS. I LOST THEM! SLOAN WORKS WITH ME TOMORROW NIGHT. SHE WILL HOPEFULLY FIND THEM. I CANNOT. WHICH MEANS…..NO TRIP PICS TILL WEDNESDAY. I AM NOT EVEN GOING TO PLAY WITH SANTORINI TOMORROW. I WOULD PROBABLY LOSE THOSE ALSO.

DAY 42

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The honeymoon is over!

I return to Key West tomorrow. Monday, not Tuesday as I thought. Fortunately, Lisa picked up on my error. She Skyped me yesterday to tell me I was going to have missed my plane if I left Tuesday.

On a trip as I have experienced, days of the week and dates get screwed up. Intermingle. Are not important.

As a result of which, a person can miss a return flight home!

My today – Sunday – now changes. No Milan. No Leonardo Da Vinci. Instead rest and packing.

I am in Novara. Drove here from Camogli yesterday afternoon. A two hour drive. Thruways all the way.

Strange traffic for a summer Saturday afternoon. None. Just me and a few other cars.

It is the cost of gas and high road tolls here in Italy.

The other vehicles on the road all passed me at 125 miles per hour. Crazy!

The clothesline saga continues. Eevry town and hamlet I drove by…..there they were! Clothes hanging ouside windows and on front porches. Even here in Novara, a classy city.

Lisa Skyped me in the afterfnoon. Fortunately. Otherwise, I would have missed my plane tomorrow. Got to see and chat with the grandkids and son in law Corey. I could tell I am really missed. A nice feeling.

Last night was another birthday dinner. My Morrocan friend Miriam cooked for me. And several others as well. A dinner party.

We started with a good champagne. During dinner, Beefeater was substituted for me. A thoughtful gesture.

Pickies to begin. Too many to describe. All good.

Then humus. Not the kind you buy in the supermarket and scoop onto a plate. Miriam made the humus from scratrch. Ground the checi beans herself.

The entre was spiedini. Small pieces of beef on a stick. Miriam also prepared some sort of wheat dish mixed with very tiny pieces of tomato and covered with just enough oil.

There was a touch of Lebanese to the meal.

Miriam exceeded herself with the birthday cake. Made by her from scratch, also. A cheesecake covered with blueberries and gelato. Of course on top 77 candles. One big 70 years old one and 7 tiny one year ones.

Everyone sang Happy Birthday! Just like in the U.S.

I was pleased with it all. My special thanks to Miriam.

Today I have to get ready for tomorrow. I will leave Novara about 6 in the morning. I have a one hour drive to the Milan airport. Then many hours in the air till I set down in Key West just after 9 in the evening.

Enjoy your Sunday!

DAY 34

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I am back in Italy!

Flew to Milan and then was driven the one hour to Novara.

Humid here in Novara. Very. I can understand why Italians run off to the mountains and sea shore in the summer months. They have no air conditioning!

No air for two reasons. The cost of electricity is one. The other is that most of the buildings are so old it would either be too expensive or too difficult to air condition.

Which means I slept with my bedroom window wide open last night. I also had the benefit of two fans. Hopefully I will be on Mount Blanc this evening where humidity will not be a problem. I have been told the fireplace may have to be used. It is that cool in the evening. Makes sense. Mount Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps and Europe.

Flew Aegean Air again. A treat! Lovely young attendants, stewardesses, hostesses helping. A great meal. Only a two hour flight. Not much more to tell, except for my chat with two of the working ladies.

They are not called attendants or stewardesses. They are hostesses. The hostesses are all young.

I explained how it all works in the U.S. They could not believe men did their work and what they were called and who performed the work was an issue of gender discrimination.

As to age discrimination, they had never heard of such a thing. They were confident that no way would a mature woman be permitted to do their job.

A different country. Different thoughts and concepts. Interesting.

One thing did not change. Clotheslines and drying clothes. They were evident everywhere on my car ride to Novara. Just as in Greece.

I chatted with some friends last night in Novara. The issue? The euro. What else!

They find this present marriage of sorts between Germany and France strange. The two nations have been fighting for years. They were referring to wars. France generally got kicked good by the Germans. They were unable to understand how the French could now be a junior partner with Germany.

The Italians are really mad at the Greeks. with a fervor that did not exist three weeks ago when I left Italy. They feel the Greeks have spent Italian euro money and did it in a wasteful fashion. I find this amusing since Italy is third from the bottom in this euro crisis. It is just a question of time before Germany starts defecating on them.

I was early to bed. A tired day traveling.

Today hopefully Mount Blanc.

Enjoy your day!

DAY 4

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I survived today. I finally fell asleep this afternoon for four hours.

I am sitting at the computer in the library of the apartment I am a guest at. It is a library as you would imagine from days gone by. Two walls of books floor to ceiling. Furniture galore. The room is not small. Furniture all antiques. The desk I am working at is the strangest I have ever seen. Strange only because new to my eyes. Different. Long, tall, wide, fancy heavy wood. A poor description, but the best I can do.  Old prints and paintings adorning the walls.

It is Wednesday evening. Normally, I would be doing this blog in the morning. However, I must be up and out of here at 8 in the morning in order to get to the plane timely. I am not going out tonight. Too tired. So nothing will be missed by doing the blog at this time.

I hope to sleep tonight. Last night and this morning were disasters. I even took a pill this morning. I forget the name. It is what is taken in the United States to reduce swelling. It also induces sleep. It did not help me.

I lunched in at the apartment. The housekeeper took pity on me. She prepared a light lunch for me. She cooked a fish. A whole fish. Actually microwaved it. In oil. The fish is native to the Mediterranean Sea. I do not know its name. The name unimportant. The fish delicious! She served me the fish and a fish knife. She said you know how to clean of course. I smiled and said, no. What would I know about deboning a fish and otherwise preparing it for consumption! She tought it cute that I was so inept.

I followed up the fish with a bowl of fresh strawberries.

When I was walking the streets of downtown Novara yesterday, I saw a chocolate shop. There were many. This one a Lindt. A Swiss company. The store had small thin hollow Easter bunnies. I love them! Bought one. Ate it as part of my lunch.

A couple of months ago, I read an article on Yahoo re chocolate producers. Lindt was listed as #1. The best chocolate in the world! I had asked Lisa to get me one for Easter. She still buys her father candy for Easter. She could not find Lindt in Key West. 

I have spent a lot of time in bed the past 36 hours. Not necessaringly sleeping. Trying to sleep. The mattress is wonderful. Hard. I love a hard mattress. This one the hardest I have ever slept on.

I inquired how so hard. The mattress is stuffed with sheep wool. Stuffed till the enclosure is at the breaking point. The covering holding the sheep wool was thicker than an American mattress and box spring combined. Big time comfortable! Even the pillows were so stuffed.

The mattress and pillows were not as down filled. The one I am sleeping on the rock of Gibralta!

I mentioned the other day my acoustical theory about how pedestrians avoid cars. I was wrong. As far as I myself was concerned. Five times yesterday I almost got hit. I never heard the cars coming. Someone had to pull me aside each time. My theory needs adapting to I guess.

I am anxious to share with you my cherry and strawberry experience.

At dinner the first night, fresh cherries and strawberries were served. A huge bowl of each. Both looked anemic.

The cherries were small. The red coloring dull. Most yellowed.

A large bowl of water was set in the middle of the table. Spaghetti bowl size.

One of the guests had picked the cherries that afternoon. He took his ladder and climbed a tree to pick them. A bushel full.

I noticed everyone was picking up a handful of cherries and dipping their hand full in the water. Hand and cherries combined. Why, I asked. To clean the cherries was the response.

Although the cherries did not look appetizing, when in Roman do as the Romans do. I did. The cherries were the most delicious I have ever eaten

The strawberries looked anemic also. Small. Dull red. White in spots. Sweet! I asked if any sweetener was added. The host looked at me as it insulted. I explained why the query.

I shop at Publix in Key West. The cherries are huge and a deep purple. The strawberries fat and robust. No comparison between the taste of the fruit purchased in Key West and that eaten at the dinner party. The artificial additives to American fruit adds to its appearance, not taste. Whereas the natural fruit served in Novara with no artificial additives had a fantastically superior taste.

The weather is consistent. Hot by day, cold by night. Notice the use of the word cold as opposed to cool. From humidity in the afternoon to three blankets at night. The weather is much like that found in our Adirondack mountains in the summer. Think Old Forge. The only way to avoid the three blankets is to have body heat next to you which, unfortunately, I do not.

I will be in Athens tomorrow night. Another world I am told. I have been advised to be prepared to dance syrtachi and bouzouki. I am sure I have not spelled them correctly. My mind is already filled with Greek music. I can envision tomorrow evening and its pleasures.

So much for today. My next blog will report on my first day and evening in Greece. As much as some of you may not be able to wait to read it, I cannot wait to experience it.

Enjoy your day!