SATURDAY…..STARTED SLOW, FINISHED FAST

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Outstanding weather this morning! Again , no breeze. Is it a sign of anything?

My yesterday started slowly. However, I did enough last night to make up for it.

I wrote my blog late in the morning. After having laid around in bed a couple of hours longer than normal. Made myself a sandwich. Read a bit. As I was reading, I noticed how tired I was getting. It was just after 1. An unusual time for me to be tired. I did the normal. I went to bed. Slept till after 4.

Whatever the reason, it was a good sleep and I felt much better afterwards.

Don’s Place first last night. Several bocce team members there. Hershel, Stan and Erika. Nate and Michael, also. Bocce was the topic of conversation. Whereas I believe we have to concentrate more with every shot, Hershel believes we have become complacent. Whatever. We are talking about the problem which is good. Hopefully, it will help us win.

Then to the Chart Room. JJ and Peter for company.

JJ had some beans that were soaked in apple cider. Good! No, great! He buys the apple cider, cooks the beans himself, then puts them in the apple cider to soak. Great flavor!

I was hungry. Where to eat? What did I want to do?

I decided I would like to watch the Alabama/Old Miss football game. Not at home. From somewhere crowded with people yelling and screaming. I went to John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Pub. I sat at the back bar, enjoyed fish and chips, and watched an excellent game. Old Miss looked good in the first half. Not in the second when Alabama ran away with the game.

I was impressed with the number of people in the place. Absolutely packed! Everyone drinking and eating. I told John how pleased I was that his investment was working out. He had a gleam in his eye. If anyone deserves success, it is John.

Syracuse did not play yesterday. A week off. Next week Clemson! Number 3 in the country. It would be terrific if Syracuse won. Though I doubt it. I expect the Vegas line to be 30 points at least.

I have to comment on the Washington situation. They are all crazy! Lunatics! Like kids playing at a game. They forget people’s lives and pocketbooks are at stake.

Silvio Berlusconi is up and at it again! He is a shrewd politician. Here I am complimenting him when he is doing the same thing the Republicans are here.

A Court decides this week if Berlusconi keeps his legislative seat. He has two felony convictions. Berlusconi must be nervous. He sent a letter to his followers yesterday. An Italian  friend wrote me about it. He wants everyone to come to Rome tomorrow or the next day. He will pay everyone’s way. To demonstrate on his behalf. He wants the Court to recognize his power and back off.

Berlusconi’s party is a close second in power. Italy’s President is of the opposing party. The President cannot stay in power if Berlusconi yanks his party’s support away. It is coalition government. Berlusconi has threatened to have his party’s five cabinet members resign. The result would be turmoil. A new election would be required.

Politicians everywhere play hardball. Whether the U.S. or Italy, if you do not play the game their way, they threaten to take their football and go home.

A local criticism. Regarding the Key West Citizen. I have recognized of late that Key West’s only daily newspaper publishes little if any  news of major public events. I especially noted it this past weekend when the Poker Run got next to no mention. I think two photos.

From what I gather, it is all over money. Apparently, Key West’s weekend events do not or are not paying to run ads. Advertising!

The situation is a shame. I do not know who is right or wrong. The public is screwed, however. Locally and nationally. Many read the Key West Citizen via the internet. Key West has a special place in many hearts.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

LAKE ORTA

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Each day is an adventure.

Yesterday’s adventure was a trip to Lake Orta.

The lake lies a one hour drive north of Novara. Go a bit further and you end up in Switzerland. An hour and a half away is France.

The trip to Orta was uphill. It took me into the Little Alps. So called because the mountains are smaller than the Alps themselves. No snow capped peaks.

The mountains, roads, trees and views reminded me of upstate New York’s Adirondacks. The same. With one major difference. The buildings. All huge and made of stone and granite. None wood. No wooden camps. Medieval Italy again. The buildings were all constructed in the 1,000 AD to !,500 AD era.

I finally ran into the Italy I experienced last year. Everything that goes down has to come up. The Orta village sits on the water at the base of a hill. Parking is near the bottom, though not quite. The last 1,000 feet is up to you.

The down trip went well. It always does. Up was another story. Shades of last year. I had to stop and rest a few times. However, I must admit I seem in better physical shape. The steps were long and twisting. Elevating at a 45 degree angle. The whole walkway only four feet wide. The buildings hovered next to and on top of each other. Built at a time when there was no vehicular traffic. Also at a time when narrow passageways were a safety factor in case of attack. The enemy would have to come drown the narrow walkways while the residents were pouring boiling oil down on them from the windows above.

I sat a couple of hours in the square. Piazza, actually. In italian, piazzetta. I am learning.

There was a tiny island about 300 feet off shore in Lake Orta. St. Giulio Island. A beauty. Completely covered with granite/stone structures 1-5 stories high. A church steeple visible off to the side.

I sat in the piazza and mellowed out on the view and a couple of drinks. Peaceful, restful.

I had dinner in a little hole in the wall restaurant located off one of the walkways. An outstanding meal! Rigatonis cooked in a light oil and mixed with small finely chopped vegetables and goat cheese.

My day started badly. Verizon sucks!

I spent hours and money getting set up for this trip. I cannot use my computer, tablet or data port. The problem is the data port. I cannot even put someone else’s wi-fi into my computer. It will not take. Verizon supposedly had everything worked out. They obviously do not know what they are doing, their store people do not know, the people they put me in touch with did not know. I am screwed. I wanted to do a number of things from Europe. Including my blog talk radio show.

I went to a computer store yesterday. Big! Like a huge super market. It was for communication items. The store made available computer geeks to help. Free of charge. Three spent over an hour with me. They finally concluded that Verizon did not know what they were doing. But they did not know, either. I had to go we elsewhere.

I did not come to Europe to get frustrated and run around trying to get my equipment to work. I am using a friend’s computer that accommodates my needs, except for tablet internet reception and being able to do my blog talk radio show.

I have not given up yet on the blog radio show. It is scheduled as usual for 9 tonight. That will be 4 am Novara time. I have a geek friend of a friend coming over later in the day to see if he can help. If so, the show will go on. If nothing, I failed in getting the problem corrected. Sorry.

Some observations.

The Italian people are very nice. Quiet. Congenial. Not boisterous. Do not raise their voices. Passive is the best term to describe them. Contrasted with Italo-Americans. Of which, I am one. We are boisterous, aggressive, know it all and in your face. I have concluded that those Italians who immigrated to the United States a hundred years ago were similarly passive, etc. as the ones today. However, being strangers in a new country they developed aggressive and loud qualities in order to survive and succeed. The new nature never left us.

Proving the point that Italians are passive, they have to be the most conquered and occupied country in the history of man. Italy’s history is replete with successful invaders. Starting with the Romans of antiquity to Attila the Hun to the World War II Germans.

The passivity was perhaps ingrained before the Roman invasion or has developed over the centuries from being an occupied country so many times.

I have not seen one beard in the three days I have been in Italy. Beard’s apparently are a local thing. Key West has them. Novara does not. I must look luck a nut when I am out walking wearing a baseball cap and exhibiting my beard. As stated yesterday, I have not seen one baseball cap either

My friend Silvio Berlusconi is in trouble again. Yesterday he was sentenced to seven years in jail for having sex with a 17 year old girl and abusing his power in trying to help her in a separate matter. He was sentenced two years ago to four years in jail for tax evasion. He is not considered convicted under Italian law until his appeals are exhausted. The process takes several years. His popularity continues. He is considered to have an excellent chance to be elected Prime Minister again.

I have a habit of saying…..Only in America! Sometimes…..Only in Key West! Now…..Only in Italy!

I discussed Napoleon yesterday and his impact on this area of Italy. Since then I have discovered that Napoleon was not French. He was born Italian. Born in Corsica of a noble family. The story is he ended up in France because he believed in freedom and equality and wanted to help the French fight for those things.

Immigration is a major issue in Italy as in the United States. In England, also. I had the good fortune to talk with a Brit last night.

The story is the same. The immigrants arrive, stay illegally and become social welfare burdens. The Italians and English have forms of socialized medicine. Because so many immigrants are eligible, care for all is delayed. Between three weeks and three months. Then there is the increased taxation to take care of the immigrant population.

A world problem.

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Will I be there? The question of the moment. Tune in and see. That is the best I can do. If I am on, it should be a terrific show based on my travels and what is happening world wide.

Enjoy your day!

GREAT WHITE SHARK?

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There was talk friday night at the Chart Room and the Hot Tin Roof of a Great White Shark being seen by divers around the Vandenberg. No one discussing the shark had seen it. Local newspapers have not reported any sightings.

So what is the story?

Great Whites are not common to Florida waters. Too warm for them. However, this past winter the ocean has been unusually cool.

Three weeks ago, a Great White was caught one mile off Fort Lauderdale. A female, 13.5 feet long weighing around 1,000 pounds. The fishermen released the shark. Federal and state laws protect Great Whites. Something I cannot understand since Great Whites eat people.

Divers have reported sightings of a Great White in other Florida waters. They claim to have watched in awe as the shark swam around them, but did not attack.  Great whites are not known to bother divers.

Now the purported sightings off Key West at the Vandenberg.

I wish someone who actually saw one would come forward. In the meantime, I recommend caution. Great Whites may not bite divers, but do attack surface swimmers. It would be awful if a tragedy were to occur.

I spent some pleasant time with Tammy yesterday. A manicure and pedicure. I especially enjoy a pedicure. I think I have a foot fetish of sorts. It truly relaxes me.

Hotel people were at Lee Nails. Kate Miano from the Gardens and Carrie Babich from the Southernmost Complex. Friends. Both operate top notch resorts.

Stopped at Lisa’s afterwards. Robert was busying making a replica of a ukulele out of recyclables. Montessori is having a show friday of things the students have made from recyclables. A big deal. Parents and family will be in attendance. I will be.

Ally has the same assignment. She was not into it, however. She was wandering around moaning she did not know what to do. Lisa and Corey were telling her to think, come up with a plan, and do it. Ally kept responding…..I can’t!

That is Ally.

Forgot to mention meeting Kevin for the first time at the Hot Tin Roof while watching the Great Sea Battle friday night. Kevin was at the table next to us. He owns the Angelina Guest House. He was with some of his guests.

Yesterday, I wrote of hospital medical repatriations. When I get a hold of something, I stay with it.  This morning I am dismayed to report about patient dumping by psychiatric hospitals. They do not fly their patients out of the country. They put them on a Greyhound Bus to another state. The mentally ill. Without money, food, meds, or any plan for continued treatment. In fact, with no one to meet them.

A Nevada hospital has been reported. The claim is the hospital dumped 1,500 mental patients into the 50 states between 2008 and 2011. The hospital is under investigation.

Money was the motivating factor same as with the illegal immigrants.

Enrico Letta was appointed Prime Minster of Italy yesterday. A coalition government. Not strong. Could break apart momentarily. Letta is in power because of the support of Berlusconi’s Democratic Party. Berlusconi’s people insist Letta must state openly in his acceptance speech that he will abolish the unpopular housing tax and repay everyone the monies they paid into the government based on the tax in 2012. Amounts to some 8 billion euros.

There will be a confidence vote tomorrow following the speech. If Letta fails to comply with the Berlusconi party’s demand, Letta will be the shortest lived Prime Minister in Italian history.

My back went out again yesterday afternoon. I thought I was all better. Apparently not. Pain then and this morning.

I stayed in last night because of the discomfort.

Lisa and family are coming over this afternoon to swim in the pool. This will be Jake’s first visit to my home. We are hopeful he will enjoy the pool better than he does the ocean. If he wants to play with Robert and Ally, he will have to. They are never out of the water.

Life experiences are expanding with Jake in the Malcom home. He got worms. The vet said they were caused by a mosquito bite. One pill and Jake has no more worms. Jake is favoring one foot. I see another vet visit ahead. Added costs not anticipated. Jake sleeps in a cage in Lisa and Corey’s bedroom. He now cries at night. Once in bed with Lisa, he quiets down and goes back to sleep.

Ho ho!

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

DAYS 31 and 32

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I am back! Missed a day. Yesterday. Big traveling day.

I am sad to say I left Amorgos. It is like Key West in my feelings. Twenty five years ago on my first visit I knew some day I wanted to live in Key West. Amorgos leaves me with the same feeling. No way, however. Key West is home and I am happy there.

I am in Athens. A big vibrant teeming city. After spending more than three weeks on three different Greek isles, I needed a return to the normal world.

I am doing my two days in Athens big time. Staying at the world famous Grande Bretagne. It is civilization. Opulent. Service till you fall over it. Tons of fresh clean towels. A woman to give me a manicure. A real shower. Not one of those small confines with a hand held shower head. Big bed with a great mattress. Clean sheets every day.

The modern conveniences!

My last day on Amorgos was spent doing exactly what I liked. I sat in my bathing suit with my feet propped on another chair on my terrace. A baseball cap on my head backwards. And read. Except for an hour in the afternoon when I went in to take a nap.

Dinner was with Demetrius. He made a fuss. I told him…..I shall return!

Yesterday was a new experience. My 9 hour boat trip to Athens. I was not excited. The starting time was too early. The length off the trip too long. I expected an old beat up trawler with a handful of people.

What surprise! The boat was fantastic!

Big. Three stories. Long. A ferry boat in effect. The first floor for cars. Don’t know why. There are not that many cars in the Greek isles to fill the mammoth space. Two floors for passengers. Roughly 400. The second floor all economy class. The third, half economy and first class. The other half business class.

I was in business class. Explanation time. Classes when traveling are not the same as in the U.S. Whereas first class is tops, in Greece business class is. The Greek first class is comparable to our business class.

You would not believe the business class salon. Easy chairs and sofas. That’s all to sit on. Pure comfort. Always a table nearby for a drink or whatever. Service. Waiters. A small bar with little goodies to eat. Only half full.

The trip was a treat! Rather than the dreaded experience I thought was before me.