FROM SLOPPY JOE’S TO MICHAEL’S

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Good morning! From glorious Key West. Where it is raining! And looks like it is going to rain all day.

I am sorry there are so many photos of my trip. Over 600. To be expected I guess from a seven week trip.

I spent the better part of yesterday going through the pictures. Selecting the ones I thought best to share with you. I did not finish. Selected too many. They are all good!

I have been advised I cannot run 600 pics. Would slow down everyone’s computers. A decision has been made. I am going to break the photos down to each of the seven places visited. Plus an extra category or two for some unusual experiences. Like the volcano. Then select the best ten of each category.

I feel bad. Like I am cheating everyone. Any ideas, let me know.

I walked Duval a bit early in the evening. Hemingway Days in full swing. Booths along the street selling all kinds of things. One of the most active booths was selling food. Greek food. I looked. Nothing looked like what I ate in Greece. I passed. Did not try any of the items.

Worked my way into Sloppy Joe’s. More people than the fire laws probably allowed. The Hemingway look a likes were on stage. It was the finals.

The heat was too much for me. I left Sloppy’s and Duval. Headed for the air conditioned Chart Room.

JJ bartending. Sheila and Captain Peter at the bar.

I sat next to a lovely woman. Turned out she was Greek. Her name Elena. Likes to be referred to as the Key West Greek.

I had never met her before. Elena has been in and out of Key West her whole life. She has lived elesewhere, also. All over the world!

Elena is an artist. A mixed media artist. Paintings, woood burning, etc. Her work is being shown at Hogfish, the Greene Street Cigar Company, and the Estate Liquidation Warehouse.

I enjoyed her company. She knew Greece intimately. Great conversation!

Elena made me feel good. She brought up ages. Told me she was older than me. I said no way. I am older than everyone. She said she was 59. Blew her mind when I told her I was 77. I think it is the beard. I may never shave it off.

Sheila had a friend. Mary Antoine. Mary was down from Fort Lauderdale. She is into cruising and franchising.

I desired a veal chop. To Michael’s.

Sat at the bar.

Two gentlemen next to me. In their early 60s. We chatted. One started talking about Woodstock back in 1969. He had been there. For all three days. Made sense. Once you were in, you could not get out.

He told us about his experiences at Woodstock. Except for one. His friend and I asked simultaneolusly…..But did you get laid? The laughs were gut wrenching. He did. In the mud and rain.

It was celebrity night at Michael’s. Paula Dean came in. With a large group. Her husband is a contestant in the Hemingway look alike contest. Paula is the TV chef. Oprah loves her. She is world famous.

Paula was well received. Most knew of her. I did not realize so many people were into cooking. She was gracious. Acknowledged everyone. Enjoyed her evening.

Robert got home last night. Lisa and Corey drove to Miami to pick him up. Lisa said he was tired. He looked like he had not slept in a week.

The family and I are having dinner together tonight at the Yacht Club.

It is 10 am. The British Open is coming up on television. Must hurry to watch it.

Enjoy your Sunday!

KEY WEST LOU LEGAL HOUR

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Good morning!

Heavy humidity. Can cut it with a knife. When I opened the glass sliding doors in the kitchen, a blast of heat enveloped me.

This is Friday. Friday is my internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. 10 this morning my time. World wide. www.konkbroadcasting.com. Join me!

Besides commentaries involving Penn State, the Syracuse/Pitt Big East resolution, and Germany banning circumsicion till 14, there are many other interesting and thought provoking issues being discussed. Like the woman who started a hug a day movement, one drug cocktail executions as opposed to three, a Wendy’s server who sold child porn while turning the food over to the customer, John Holland and three Presidents, Grover Cleveland’s out of wedlock son revealed during Presidential campaign, bras older than previously thought, aging and drinking, and a public decency trial in which charges were dismissed. Plus more.

Good stuff!

Someone commented and asked whether the German circumsicion decision was anti-semetic. I do not know. All I can tell you is that research indicates Germany has been cutting back on the rights of minority groups over the past several years. There are only 180,000 Jews residing in Germany at present. It is reported the German Jews consider this a step back in relations. One which makes them uncomfortable.

Germany is acting strangely in many respects of late. Consider its hard ass handling of Greece which I reported on during my trip. I fear Germany is feeling omnipotent once again.

Yesterday was a simple one. I sat outside under the tiki hut and finished my work for today’s show. Then did research a bit for one of my books.

I finished around 7. I was tired. Made a sandwich, took a shower and went to bed. No Key West for me last night.

Enjoy your day!

A NEW USE FOR PARKING GARAGES

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Today’s blog is late. Sorry. I had a 9 o’clock dentist appointment. I could not get the blog done before the dentist visit.

I was in the chair two hours.

The tune Onward Christian Soldiers runs through my mind. I keep going and going and going to the dentist. Will it ever end?

My implants did not hold during the trip. A problem. Did not let it spoil my good time, however.

The implants have been an ongoing problem.

I think we finally got it this morning. I just finished lunch and experienced no difficulty.

The hills and steps got to me on the trip. I did perseverve, however. Actually I had no choice. It was either walk up them or go no where.

By the end of the trip, I was in better physical shape than at the beginning. The hills and steps were responsible for my reconditioning. Unintentionally, I had improved my physical being.

My intent is to keep walking to keep me in shape. One of you recently wrote me and suggested a stairclimber. Key West has no hills. It is flat. I needed the up and down to keep in shape.

I did not want to return to the gym. Did not like it. Came up with a brilliant idea.

Use a parking garage!

The Key West hotels that have garages have huge ones. Generally at least four stories. Things are slow in the summer. Ergo, little if any traffic in the garages. I picked one and went. I was correct. No cars, no traffic. I walked up the four stories and then down. Up and down for an hour. The up was a good incline. Raised a sweat.

The parking garage is my solution. Until I get arrested for loiteering.

Needed to get out last night. My goal was La Trattoria for dinner. Wanted to see Kathy and Becha.

I started at the Chart Room. Packed. Not even breathing room. No one I knew. All tourists. I left.

Then to Don’s Place. Todd bartending. Jimmy at the bar alone. Joanie working selling tee shirts at the Green Parrot.

Jimmy and I had a couple of drinks together and a good talk. Jimmy reads my blog and knew every aspect of the trip. Jimmy had been in Europe in the 1980s with the service. He was personally familiar with Italy and Turkey. We had a great discussion about the various countries and peoples.

After Don’s Place, I headed over to La Trattoria.

There she was! Mistress of the bar! Kathy!

Love Kathy. Everyone in Key West loves Kathy. She had some heavy surgery several months ago and is on the mend. I got my kiss and enjoyed sharing words with her. She had a busy bar and got to me to chat in between customers.

No Becha. Night off. I was disappointed.

I was enjoying a drink and had not ordered yet. I looked up and there was Dottie. I have not seen Dottie in four years. She married and went to Mexico to live. She is back in Key West working. Her husband is in Mexico.

It was wonderful seeing Dottie again. An embrace and a kiss, of course. Then we started talking as if we had just seen each other last the day before. We continued the evening together dining at the bar.

Dottie is working at a jewelry store on Duval. She appeared happy. I am happy for her.

My beard continues to grow. It is now six weeks old. Looks good, looks bad. Have not made up my mind yet. Comments from others are interesting. Makes you look older, makes you look younger, are you cracking up, what happened, and the like.

I have no immediate intention to shave.

Enjoy your day!

A BUSY FRIDAY

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Good morning!

A lovely Saturday to you!

It rained big time yesterday. All day. This is Key West’s rainy season. However not as much as yesterday. Normally, it rains once a day around one in the afternoon for 10 minutes.

I was driving home at one point and it started pouring. Heavy. Like I almiost could not see. It started on the boulevard and continued on US 1. I turned into Key Haven. Went 100 feet and noticed everything was dry. It had not rained in Key Haven where I live. This is not an uncommon happening. Many times Lisa will telephone to warn me not to go out. The rain was too heavy. I ask…..What rain? It would be raining in Key West, but not Key Haven.

A humid Friday morning yesterday. Heavy. Felt like you could cut it with a knife.

My morning was busy.

My first stop was the dentist. My cell phone was broke and I wanted to make an appointment. For my teeth, not the phone. I see the dentist Tuesday at 10. My implants screwed up on the trip again. My teeth do not stay in.

Then it was to KONK Broadcasting to do my internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. The show was good. A bit of a travelogue, followed by a segment of news commentary. I was pleased to be back doing the show. I had missed it.

KONK Broadcasting is on the third floor of an old renovated building in Key West. Actually, it is in a very well done remodeled attic. There are two flights of steps to KONK. Many and steep. Prior to the trip, I had to pause at the first landing to catch my breath. When I reached the top, I had to pause again.

Yesterday, I moved up those two sets of steps like a young kid. Easy and swift. No concern. No getting winded. The trip had helped me in this regard. All those hills and steps I complained of in Italy and Greece had conditioned me a bit.

My cell phone was not working. Ergo had to stop at Dr. Leffert’s office to make an appointment. My little finger on my right hand is infected at the tip. Swollen. Reddish. Looked pussy. It got cut getting a manicure in Athens ten days ago. An appoinment was made for one o’clock.

The next stop was Verizon. My man there is Diego. He swiftly took care of the problem. It was not the phone. It was me. I did not know what I was doing.

Then to Walgreens. I had picked up one of my prescription drugs the day before. It was not correct. I had a new prescription that Walgreens had already filled and failed to cancel the old one. The mistake had cost me $134, even with insurance. I am in the doughnut. A screw job in and of itself.

Got my $134 back. Had to wait 15 minutes for the manager to do it. An inconvenience. Walgreens never learns. They are inconsiderate to their drug customers. Long lines, waiting. With all the money they are making off prescription drugs, they could hire another two people and not even feel it off their cash flow.

Back to Dr. leffert’s office. Yes, I had an infection. She told me what to do. I will do it as well as taking an antibiotic. My pinkie will be well in short course.

I needed to publish a column on Amazon Kindle. Did. The title: Life Begins First Day of a Woman’s Last Menstrual Cycle. A bit confuing. You havve to read the title a couple of times to fully grasp it. There was no other way for me to say it.

Arizona is anti-abortion. They have a new law designed to shorten the time within which an abortion may be performed. They passed the law just to cut two days off the time frame. In order to do it, they had to disregard and manipulate medical science and natural law.

An interesting column.

I am getting better with the jet lag. However at 4 I was tired. I intended to go out for dinner. Layed on the bed for a short nap. Woke at 9. Too late to go out. Stayed in.

Tom Dixon lives in Buffalo. He is a Key West snow bird. Owns property here. He wrote me toward the end of my trip and said that the jet lag was not as bad flying back. He was right! It is no where as heavy as the initial trip to Italy.

Enjoy your day!

AVALANCHE KILLS SIX NEAR CHAMONIX WHERE I WAS TWO WEEKS AGO

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My sleeping is all screwed up. Still feeling the effects of jet lag. I am into day 3. Yesterday was not bad. I thought I was on the mend. Today, I feel like a brick wall fell on me.

I was shocked when I read the news on the internet this morning. There was an avalanche in the Alps near Chamonix, France. Six killed.

I was there two weeks ago.

I stayed a week in a valley that sits half way up the Alps. An Italian town. Courmier. A half hour drive away is Chamonix, France. Chamonix is in the Alps, also. I spent two days in Chamonix.

The Alps are big! Bigger than anything I have ever seen!

The vally was in/on Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc is not one mountain. It ia range of mountains consisting of eight or eleven peaks. I cannot recall the exact number. One of the peaks itself is called Mont Blanc. The Mont Blanc peak is the highest in the Alps and Europe. The third highest peak is Mont Maudt. Some people were attempting a climb to the peak on Mont Maudt. An avalanche occurred which killed six people.

I recall that each of the Molnt Blanc peaks was covered with humongous ice glaciers. One morning when I woke and stepped outside, the glaciers and a good part of the mountain top wrere covered with a snow which had fallen during the night. As I was driving into Chamonix that morning, I noticed the temperature was 11 degrees C., which is something around 29 degrees F. At the time I was at least a mile below the peaks. So cold it was and cold enough to snow.

It was Lori time yesterday. Did I need a haircut!

For the past two years, my head has been shaved. While on my trip, I did not get a haircut. My hair was shooting out all over the place when I sat in the chair yesterday. I told Lori….I want the keep the hair. She trimmed it accordingly. Looks terrific!

Lori wanted to trim my beard a bit. It is now six weeks old. I was hesitant. It is not full grown yet. I had her only tidy up the neck portion.

I look like one of the Smith Brothers. How many of you remember the Smith Brothers?

Had lunch with two of my favorite people. Robert and Ally. They picked I Hop. While I enjoyed two eggs and toast, Robert devoured a Philly cheesesteak sandwich and Ally a huge cheeeseburger. God bless young appetites!

Tomorrow Rolbert goes to Miami Children’s Hospital for his semi annual check up. Then Saturday he is off on a week’s vacation under the auspices of Miami Children’s as he did last year.

Robert was born with cancer of the liver. He had two major surgeries the first eight days of his life. At Miami Children’s Hospital. Robert survived. Miami Childen’s and God saved him.

Last year Miami Children’s started a program to take those saved on a fantastic one week vacation all over Florida. Robert enjoyed it. He returns this year for another such trip.

Robert still sees the same doctors who worked on him during those early days. When one doctor was asked why the trip, the docotor explained…..we lose so many…..we want to celebrate in a happy fashion those saved.

I slept yesterday afternoon. I am letting my body call the shots.

I did go out around 5. I wanted to see my friends.

First stop was Don’s Place. No Don. For whatever reason, he did not even play golf yesterday. Kurt, Herschel and Herschel’s brother were there.

Kurt generally wears a bushy white beard. He said I needed some trimming. He agreed with Lori. Herschel has some hair on his face. He thought mine looked good.

My next stop was the Chart Room. Home coming time!

Emily bartending. Love Emily. One of the nicest and sharpest people I know. She reads this blog every day. Knew my trip intimately.

Captain Peter was there. Peter is not into computers. Does not own one. He knew I was in Europe. The other Chart Roomers kept him up to date regarding the trip.

Captain Peter has been everywhere in the world. He is British born. Now an American citizen. Has been to Greece, Italy and France. He chatted with me for a while about the Greek isles he has visited.

The Captain was excited. He had purchased a van while I was gone. Took me out into the parking lot to show me. It gives him a land place to sleep when he is not on his boat. The boat is moored two miles out. Some nights it is difficult to find. I fear Peter is going to end up in Cuba one of these days.

Sheila greeted me with a hug and kiss. She keeps up with the blog daily, also. Sheila drives one of Ed Swift’s conch trains.

David came in. Good to see him, also. A loyal reader. He wrote me several e mails commenting on the blogs while I was away.

The newlyweds arrived. Sean and Katherine. Just returned from their honeymoon two days ago. Both happy and rested. I owe them a dinner and wedding present. Next week.

While they were luxurating on a Caribbean beach, an announcement was received that Sean had won some sort of junior type Pulitizer Prize for an article he wrote. Sean is a newspaper reporter.

Tourists Mark and Kimberly at the bar. They were taking in the conversation about my trip. They joined in.

Mark and Kimberly are from Columbus, Ohio. A great place! I did legal work there as a young attorney.

Mark works for Ford. Kimberly is a school teacher. Mark a Republican. Kimberly I am not sure. However, it was evident she was an unhappy trouper. Ohio’s Governor had tried to cut back on some of her teacher benefits.

Mark and I got into it briefly on a friendly basis. Kimberfly kept telling her husband to be quiet. He was not and I was not. We had a polite exchange. This is their third year in Key West. They have stayed at the Pier House each time. They are becoming locals.

Then it was early home to bed. Jet lag ruling the evening.

I learned from Herschel that our bocce team did not make the playoffs. We ended up in 5th place. Need to be in the top 4 to qualify for the playoffs.

There is bocce disconnect. Some teams/players are upset with each other. As a result there is no bocce banquet/party scheduled.

Who would think people know of Watertown? A city in the northern part of New York. About 80-90 miles from Utica. I mentioned yesterday that I had run into Ryno. I said he used to live 14 miles away from me in Watertown. I must have been screwed up from the jet lag. It is Waterville. A ton of you corrected my misstatement. Thank you.

I am back as regards my internet show, also. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Friday at ten in the morning my time. Worldwide. Join me. Besides hearing my enlightning words, you can see my new beard.

i am going to touch on many topics tomorrow. Including Greece and the euro. As I reprted in the trip blogs, the problem has the makings of a World War III. It is incindiary. I was there and personally observed the feelings. I plan on sharing some trip highlights, also. It should be an interesting show.

Enjoy your day!

DAYS 43 and 44

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I am back!

In lovely humid rainy Key West!

Truly, there is no place like home. My pillow and mattress. My bathroom. My comfort and comfort factor.

There is a movie called Independence Day. One of the Quaide brothers is in it. The crazy one. I think Randy. At the end of the movie, Quaide opts to fly his plane into a huge war vessel from outer space. One that has been destroying earth. He knows there is a nuclear bomb stuck in an opening to the air vessel. As he aims his plane for it in order to destroy the enemy and of necessity himself, he shouts with a smile on his face…..I’m back! That is how I feel.

Good does not accurately describe the trip. It was trerrific! Two months in three foreign countries. What could be better!

This is a two day blog. Sunday, my last full day in Novara. Monday, my trip home.

I tried to do the blog yesterday in Atlanta between planes. Too tried. No way could I do it.

Sunday was full of last minute details.

Terrific lunch! A fresh fish. Broiled whole. A bit of oil.

Shopped. For Robert and Ally. Found a lovely white shift dress for Ally. It matches the one I bought for Lisa in Athens. Found a great bathing suit for Robert. I never bought anything for Corey or Cameron. Saw nothing that turned me on. They will get my best wishes and an apology.

I spent a portion of Sunday afternoon reading a couple of English newspapers. British. Hard to come by. I love reading and missed it a lot on the trip. Not enough English material available.

Then a Sunday afternoon nap. Followed by packing. Always a pain.

I was surprised that my bags were less full than when I left. I could not have become such a great packer in such a short time. This morning I received an e mail. I left a lot of stuff in the apartment in Novara.

Some observations I would like to share with you. Some previously mentioned. However, worth mentioning again.

When I was preparing to leave for the trip, many people told me to be careful. Europpeans did not like Americans. I did not know what to expect.

They were all wrong. One hundred per cent. The Greeks and Italians I met all loved me and Americans. They want to know more about us. They want to live here. Two asked me to take them with me when I returned. They were serious. This is the land of milk and honey from their perspective.

In Greece, Italy and France all one hears music wise are American songs. Sung in English. In Greece where I spent about four weeks, I only heard Greek tunes 3 times. Never in Italy or Greece. They are American crazy!

They like Americans on a personal basis, also. They sought me out for conversation purposes. They have an unending interest in us and our ways.

Greeks work hard. Harder than most. Harder than the Italians.

Greeks try to make a buck when they can. Their season is 6 months. They work 6 months. Seven days a week. Twelve hours a day. I did not meet one Greek who did not work that shift. The Greeks understood you have to make it when you can.

The Italians must have enough money. They close from 12-3. Nothing is open on Sunday. Including restaurants. Saturdays are slow business days also, in the sense that little is open.

Greeks and Italians hate Germans. Both got screwed over by Germany in World War II. The feeling still exists. That is why Merkel’s Germany is so disliked by Greeks and Italians. World War II was only 65 years ago. Recall how we still fight the Civil War in the United States and that war has been behind us more than 150 years.

Of the three countries visted, each had its own unique personality. The people each different. I liked the Greeks the best. Warm. The Italians are stand offish. The French snobbish. They think their s–t does not stink.

I could not sleep Sunday night. I had to rise at 4:30 to drive one hour to Milan to be at the airport and check in 2 hours before flight time. In Europe, if you do not check your bags 2 hours before, the bags do not get on the plane. You are told this by the airlines constantly.

I was up at 4:30. I slept little worrying that I might not wake timely.

It was a pleasant drive to Milan. No traffic to speak of.

The Milan to Atlanta Delta flight was 10.5 hours. A long time. I read one whole Girshom novel, 2 English newspapers and a Time magazine. Plus watched a movie. Time moved quickly for me.

I had a 5 hour lay over in Atlanta. A killer. I started falling asleep in the airport. I kept fighting the sleep for fear I would miss my plane.

Lisa and the grandkids met me at the Key West airport. A grand feeling to see them! Robert and Ally ran to hug and kiss me. They had both made a welcoming home card for me. It was wonderful to see Lisa, also. Robert and Ally were in their pajamas. It was past their bed time.

I finally got to bed at 11 last night. Slept two shifts of 2.5 hours each. Otherwise wide awake. I figure I have at least 5 days of jet lag with which to deal.

Customs in Atlanta was a big deal. A lot of it. Europe no where as thorough as we are.

There was a young man in front of me. He was stopped 3 times and questioned. One time the dog sniffed his bag. I thought he was dead there. He got through. Till the end. Then security came over and took his passport and him.

My shaved head now has hair. Short, but obvious. I am going to keep it. However, a trim needed which I hope I can get from Lori today.

I grew a beard. Well, lets say I am trying. I have not shaved in over 5 weeks. I think I look gritty. Everyone including Lisa likes it. I will live with it for a while. What I love about the beard is that I do not have to shave. I have always hated shaving.

DAY 44 is the end of the story of my trip. As said before, I am back. Tomorrow the blog will return to normal. And shorter. I had to write long blogs on the trip to be sure I shared everything with you.

There will be an epiloque of sorts. In one to two weeks. I took or had taken over 600 pictures. I want to put some together and share them with you. Things like Louis and the volcano, the monastery steps, and the like.

Who knows, there might be a book in all this.

Thank you for bearing with me through this almost seven week trip. Love you all!

Enjoy your day!

DAY 41

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I am doing this blog in Camogli each morning from some sort of travel office. The office provides internet rental service. The place is always crowded. However, I have not seen one person buy anything except me. Six euros of computer time each morning.

After completing yesterday’s blog, I took a walk. Down strange streets and alleys. The alleys are not bad. It is the stairs. Everywhere. Italians must have strong hearts!

I was tired after the walk. Took a nap. Ended up sleeping most of the afternoon away. It is very humid here. It contributes to my tiredness.

I found a Don’s Place in Camogli, Italy. A French cafe on the waterfront. Why Don’s Place? A tanqueray on the rocks was only 4 euros. The cheapest anywhere else in Camogli at least 8 euros. Many 10 or 12. And then there is Portofino where it cost me 17 euro for a gin and tonic.

The owner is a nice guy also. Don again. He spoke English. Was married 5 years ago in La Hoya. Knows Los Angeles and San Diego well. His in laws live in California.

Most bars give you something to eat with a drink. Generally a small dish of potato chips. This guy put out chips, nuts, 2 types of small pieces of pizza, green and back olives soaked in oil, carrot sticks and I cannot recall what else.

What a bargain to drink at this particular French cafe!

Dinner afterwards was with some people I had met earlier in the day. We dined at a very nice out door restaurant which jutted over the Mediterranean. Dinner was by candlelight.

Camogli’s beach is a horseshoe. To my left while dining was a hill. Some of the trees and some of the rocks were bathed in lights. I could see nothing else. Turns out there are hotels hidden behind the trees and the lights were provided by the hotels.

To my right was the length of the beach with a large Church at the end. The Church was all lite up. Beyond the Church, I could see the lights of Genoa.

My appetizer was cod in milk. I have no idea why I ordered it. I am glad I did. It was good. The cod was neither dry nor salty. The meat actually flaked off onto your fork.

For dessert, I had cannoli. Two of them.

Cannolòi must have been a poor man’s dish. I can remember my Mother frequently making them when we lived third floor front on Jay Street. She had hard wood rollers. Looked like hot dogs. She prepared the dough from scratch. Then stretched the dough around the wood forms. They were then dropped into a pan of boiling oil.

When they came out and were cooled, she stuffed the shells with ricotta somehow sweetened. They were good!

I had them again last night and remembered my Mother. Quite frankly, the ones I had last night were no were as good as Mom’s.

I happened to mention to the people I was with that it was my birthday. They bought my dinner.

I return today to Novara. A couple I met have invited me to dinner. The wife is the Moroccan I have mentioned previously. I have been told there will be a cake, also. This should be one great meal! The woman is a professional chef.

Clotheslines again. I am hooked on them.

I failed to mention yesterday that I saw the same thing in Portofino. Yes, very rich Portofino had clothes hanging out windows of very expensive condo buildings and private homes. Not as much as elsewhere. Maybe one or two windows or porches every 3-4 buildings.

I hope to get to Milan over the weekend. Other than flying in, I have not really seen it. There is a Leonardo Da Vinci painting that has been recommended to me.

Many have inquired where are the pictures? No pictures? There are a ton of them. I have two discs of 300 each.

My computer talents are limited. Getting the blog out each morning on this trip has been a task. Pictures too! No way could I have handled it.

I plan on issuing a followup to my DAYS with a couple of days of pics. I am going to try to group and label them so you can fit them in to the experiences shared with you.

Enjoy your day!

DAY 40

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Today is special.

It is my birthday.

Seventy seven years.

A long time. Who would have thought. I still remember my young years like yesterday.

My father recently passed on at 98. His father at 94. It appears the genes may be good. I hope.

The weather. I have not spoken of it in ages. Here in mid Italy, it is reported in the following fashion. There is a heat wave coming up from Africa. When the heat wave hits the Mediterranean, the humidity will increase. Rain is also expected coming down from the Alps.

I share the weather report so you can compare it with those in the U.S. Generally the same description wise. Only the names are different.

Yesterday, I finally made Portofino. It is as good as they say, if not better. Magnificent. Beautiful.

You can feel the wealth. Huge yachts. Smart people. High end clothing shops. Everything perfect. The buildings, boats and cafes neat and orderly.

Portofino appeared to me as if it were a finely mowed the lawn. Perfection!

The private homes on the hillside equally magnificent. Obviously equally expensive. Terrific shrubbery. All neatly manicured.

The negative with Portofino is that it is too expensive. Outrageous price wise. I had a gin and tonic. Seventeen euros. Roughly $20 American money.

An ordinary millionaire could not afford to live in Portofino. It is only for the very very rich.

I took a cab to Portofino. Decided to treat myself well. The thought of a train and bus really did not excite me.

The cab cost 40 euro. Not bad for a 15-20 minute drive from one town to another. We had to go up one side of Mount Portofino and down the other.

The return trip was not as easy.

I figured I would take a cab back to Camogli. I went to the cab stand. Four cabs. All beautiful. BMWs and Mercedes.

I asked the fare back to Camogli. One hundred euros. I explained I had only paid 40 euros to get there. They did not care. The cab drivers were polite, but adamant. One hundred euros or stay in Portofino.

I sat down on a bench beneath a nearby tree. What to do? I really would have been pissed off if I had to go 100 euros.

Then I saw a sign. Bus stop. At that instance, the bus came. I got on and made sure it would take me to the metro railway station in St. Margery. I probably spelled the name wrong.

I was assured it would. The cost: 1.5 euros. A deal!

I enjoyed the ride. A large comfortable air conditioned bus. Many lovelies in the their bikinis.

The bus dropped me off in front of the metro station. I went in to the counter. A ticket to Camogli, please. Three euro. I bought it. So far I had spent a measly 4.5 euros to return to Camogli.

The person behind the counter told me to hurry. The train was just arriving. I ran out and got on. One stop later I was in Camogli.

The train dropped me off at the internet store I have been using each morning to do the blog. The streets beyond are blocked off. Only pedestrian traffic permitted. A shot walk and I was at my apartment.

On rising this morning, I watched a little TV. No English speaking channels. I came upon the Wizard of Oz. In Italian. However, the songs/singing were in English with Italian sub titles. The movie was easy to follow. I must have seen it a 100 times already.

I have been enjoying breakfast at a little cafe on the sea. Tiny inside. Three small tables outside. Rosalie, sometimes Rosalia, has been taking care of me. A short thin woman in her mid 50s.

I told her today was my birthday. I was 77 years old. She started pulling on my left ear lobe. Seventy seven times. For good luck. She said that was the Italian way.

I explained how we spank in the U.S. She thought that was strange. I did not tell her that pulling on my ear lobe was strange to me.

How will I spend the rest of my birthday? Anything special? I do not know. I will take today like every day. As it comes.

An observation. Middle aged and older women dress well in this area. Nice dresses, suits and hats. Looking at them is like viewing a fashion show.

Enjoy your day!

DAYS 36 and 37

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I am back!

It is a question mark each day whether I will return. I failed to bring my computer with me. I am at the whim of internet stores and friendly people. One thing I know for a fact. Everyone in Italy is using old and sick machines. Each day is a task and a surprise.

I have been sleeping in Courmier the last three nights. Driving back and forth to Chamonix each day. The Alps are always before me. From the moment I rise to the time I go to bed. They are there on the drive to Chamonix and back. The mountains dominate the scene.

I would be remiss if I failed to make some additional comments regarding Mont Blanc. Remember it is 11 peaks on top of an already big mountain.

Mont Blanc defies description. I guess that is why I am back trying to tell you more about it. Words do not adequately tell you what the eyes see.

The mountain is high and tall. It stands defiantly. Speaks quietly. Says…..Don’t screw with me!

Impossible to see all 11 peaks at one time. Clouds up high. Block the view.

Trees cover the lower range of Mont Blanc. Pine. All the way up to a certain level. Then nothing but bare rock. Someone told me pines will not grow above 2,000 feet. The bare land is formidable. Then comes the peaks. Not just the very top. The top for a considerable distance downward.

When I arrived, some of the peaks had valleys of glaciers. Ice. One day later all the peaks were covered with snow. A significant dusting. Impressive.

Many waterfalls. They are streams running down the sides of the mountain. All over. Some a foot wide. Others up to 20 feet. Beautiful. They run in and out of the woods. You see it, then you do not. All of a sudden the stream reappears again.

The thinner streams were not running yesterday. They were frozen. Yesterday at this time (11 am) the temperature was 29 degrees F. At the same time 24 hours later it is 50 degrees F.

The waterfalls are attributable to two factors. The first is the melting glaciers. The other is that the mountain top is loaded with natural springs and wells. Below ground. They seep their way upward and add to the glacier spill off.

Yesterday morning, I had a unique experience. When I opened the door to the balcony starring at Mont Blanc, I saw a number of clouds. Some were below my eye level. Others at my eye level. Others above my eye level. All set against the green pines of Mont Blanc. A wow!

Last night when driving back to Courmier, I had another experience. Though one I have had before. Fog. Big time. There were occasions I could not see at all. Bad.

Moving on from Mont Blanc, let me share two food experiences I had yesterday.

The first was in Chamonix at lunch time. I went into a big restaurant at the main corners of Chamonix. Where all the world walks by. It was too cold to eat outside, however.

The menu was in total French. No English sub titles as I had become accustomed to elsewhere on this trip. I saw what appeared to be the word sausages. I have been eating many sausages this trip. All different. All good.

I ordered sausage. Pointed to it on the menu to the waitress. My mistake was not asking her to spell out exactly what I was ordering. Assuming she spoke English. I do not know. I found whereas many Greeks and Italians have at least a smarthering of English, the French seem to be above a second language.

I was served two boiled hot dogs and french fries. Not big fat hot dogs. Not long ones. Two regular sized.

I looked at them for a few minutes. And then decided, oh well! My mistake. Eat them.

I called the waitress over. Asked for ketchup and mustard. The least I could do was dress the meal up. She looked at me in shock. I knew what was coming…..We do not serve ketchup and mustard! We are French!

I quietly ate my boiled hot dogs and fries.

Dinner last night got screwed up, also. I was at what might best be described as a good neighborhood restaurant. It had been so described to me. I was told to be sure to eat polenta. It is the favored dish in this Alpian village.

There were only six entres on the menu. Each served with polenta. The only thing I recognized was chicken catecetore. I asked what polenta was. No screwing around this meal. Lunch was bad enough.

The waiter provided a polenta description. It was crushed corn. All mashed together with what I could not understand. He told me it was everyone’s favorite. Had me look at the other tables. Each had this heaping large dish of yellow stuff on their table. He further told me Christopher Columbus introduced polenta into this country. There was no corn in Europe prior to Columbus. He brought it to the old world from the new world.

I did not like the polenta. I was told to bury it in the tomato sauce. That is the way it is supposed to be eaten. I did. Better, but still not my dish.

The polenta alone cost me 12 euros. About $16 American money. Not worth it.

I am absolutely impressed with Italian roads and bridges. All appear in tip top shape. The Italians have also recently constructed a speed train from Milan to I know not where. A new road was built near the railway tracks. The road had to have 72 bridges. So the trains could pass underneath.

Italian roads and bridges are well maintained. There is a reason for it. At some point a law was passed that whoever built or constructed a road, received a contract to maintain the road for 30 years. The money for maintenance comes from tolls. The contractor charges the tolls. The contractor keeps the money and makes repairs as need.

A good deal for the contractor! Positive cash flow!

The Italians using the roads are not very happy about the 30 year thing however. The tolls are expensive. My two hour drive from Novara to Courmier had cost me 25 euros one way. The Italians are an adept society. Their way around the burdensome toll is to drive back roads. They know all the bye ways.

I think the Italian way of building and maintaining roads and bridges is worthy of investigation. Gets the job done! The job we are not and have not been doing for years. Our roadways and bridges are a disgrace. Forget maintenance. A pot hole per family. The cost is not a tax to be imposed. It is paid daily by the users of the roads and bridges.

It is probably a screw job either way. However, worth exploring.

A few words about Chamonix. Lovely! gorgeous! Exciting! People all over. Summer and winter. Great pedestrian walk ways. Terrific high scale stores. No tee shirt vendors. Very European. I sat several times having a coffee at an outdoor cafe and watched the world go by. It was the world. The whole world. Every nationality walking the streets.

I got to Chamonix through a tunnel. A nine mile tunnel. The Italians and French built it. Runs right under one of the Alp mountains. Cool!

Somewhere in the back of my mind comes a recollection of Mary Shelley and this area. I did not have the time to research it. Forgive me if I am wrong.

Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein’s Wife. A best seller at the time. She lived here in the Coumier area. Courmier was to have provided the background for the book.

Recall that her story took place in a castle. Castles all over the place here. Recall also the fog. Fog frequent here. Recall further the fog I drove through last night. The fog was thick enough not only for Frankenstein, but also Dracula and Wolfman.

Later today, I am driving to the Portofino area. The Italian Riviera. A three hour drive.

I will be staying in Camogli, a town immediately next door to Portofino.

The trip should be interesting. It is summer time and the area should be flourishing.

Enough for today. I am going to be thrown out this internet store. It closes from noon to 3 each day. In Chamonix, all the stores closed from 1 to 3. Siesta time.

Enjoy your day!

DAYS 35 and 36

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Between northern Italy and mid eastern France, computer/internet connections have been a disaster. I think it is because I am high up in the Alps. Whatever.

I could not blog yesterday. Today is a double header. Every word worth reading!

If I had been able to do the blog yesterday, my opening comment would have been…..The last 48 hours have been amazing! Absolutely amazing! Hard to believe!

Here it is…..48 hours ago I was in Athens, Greece. Yesterday Novara, Italy. Today Chamonix, France.

How about this…..Athens a boiling 90 degrees. Novara’s humidity a killer. It snowed last night in Chamonix and is presently 29 degrees Fahrenheit.

The trip caught up with me in Novara. The humidity unbearable. Italians have electrical power problems. Ergo, little air conditioning. I slept in Novara that one night with no air.

Fortunately, only one night in Novara. Then to Courmier. Courmier is the area in northern Italy immediately before France. I am staying a couple of nights in a condo there.

The drive from Novara to Courmier took 2 hours. The speed limit was 85. I was the only one doing it. They were passing me at 125 miles per hour. Each time a car went by, I did not see it for long, but heard it loud and clear. A long swishing sound.

I stopped at a super market before going to the condominium. Needed breakfast goodies. The parking lot was an eye opener. The parking spaces were all half the size of those in the U.S. The cars small also. No big cars here. I was driving a Fiat. Stick shift.

Italians pay $12 a gallon for gas. They learned q long time to conserve. We have not when it comes to cars. I doubt the American public ever will. The desire is for big and more big.

Courmier looks like a Swiss movie. Makes sense. Switzerland is only one hour away. Old stone homes. Hundreds if not a thousand or more years old. Stone with wood trimming. The stone is gray, the wood brown.

There is a lot of renovating going on. Huge cranes all over the hill sides.

Courmier is in the Alps. So is Chamonix, France from where I am writing this blog. The Alps are big. No question about it. I had never seen anything so big anywhere. Majestic.

Mont Blanc is huge. As far as the eye can see in any direction. Higher than anything I have ever seen.

Mont Blanc is not one peak jetting upwards. It is a series of peaks. Eleven peaks sitting on top of an already high broad miles long mountain. The whole thing is called Mont Blanc. One of the peaks is specifically named Mont Blanc. The biggest of the big. Four thousand eight hundred ten m. I do not know what the m means. Suffice it to say, there ain’t anything bigger!

Mont Blanc is beautiful. Breathtaking.

The condo I am enjoying was two bedrooms. The building all stone. Two private balconies.

My intent was to drive to Chamonix the first evening and have dinner in France. Only a half hour away. I was too tired. It was bed for me.

Courmier is a valley. About two thirds the way up Mont Blanc. I was glad I had jeans. It is cold that far up.

Many power lines run along and on the mountains. Italy has a power shortage. France does not. France has nuclear reactors producing electric power. The Italians buy much of their electricity from France. At a premium price. The Italians voted at one time to ban nuclear reactors in Italy. A costly decision dollar wise. Whether health wise is another question. I make the observation because France and Italy are so close. Any French nuclear disaster would pour down on the Italians.

The drive from Novara to Courmier was interesting for a number of reasons. One had to do with castles. So many. Each built high on a hill. A small one. Apparently making it next to impossible for an enemy to scale the walls.

The castles were about a mile apart. I recalled that way back when there were many Italian kingdoms. Each with its own king. They warred constantly. It was easy. They were each a mile distant from each other. One hour’s walking time. Less on a horse.

Churches everywhere. Apparently each castle had its own church. The church was an integral part of each kingdom.

That is the end of Day 35. I had intended to go on to the next day. Day 36. A rendition of my first day in France. However, I am too tired. I apologize. The trip is starting to get to me. I will pick it up here tomorrow. You will love the glacier and snow stories, the dramatic drop in temperature, and the high quality of Italian roads and bridges. And more.

Enjoy your day! I am mine. I know this is the trip of a lifetime and one I will never do again.