AVALANCHE KILLS SIX NEAR CHAMONIX WHERE I WAS TWO WEEKS AGO

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!

DAY 21

Today could be the most significant day in history since the close of World War II. The Greek elections are being held.

The issue boils down to whether the Greeks want to continue operating with the euro as money or would they prefer a return to the drachma. I have talked with many since I arrived in Greece. I am getting divergent opinions.

Yes, I saw grown men and women spit on the ground when they heard Merkle’s name at a protest rally in Athens. That is not all of it however. I have found the bankers and very affluent support continuing with the euros. Why not. They are doing terrific under it. Making money!.

Then there are the small businessmen. They are struggling. They want a return to the drachma like yesterday. They also want out of the European Union.

Then come the people. The Jims and Janes on the streets. Those going to work every day to put food on the table. They feel the oppression of the euro. But I suspect they will not vote in large numbers. They claim it is too late. The Mafia is controlling everything.

I find it surprising that people still revert to the Italian wrongdoers of old to blame. I think they do not really mean Mafia per se. What I sense is that they believe that government has been bought by big business. Believing that, I suspect most will not vote. Simply because they believe their votes will mean nothing. The banks and big business will control in the end no matter who wins.

Sense a similarity with the USA?

Germany could ease the pressure. Germany is making money with the euro. Germany has become in effect the banker for the rest of the euro nations. Which includes Greece.

Germans as a people tend to be anal. Black and white. By the book. Greeks on the other hand go with the flow. They take everything in stride. Are not as serious about things as they probably should be. Like money.

Germany is in a position of power. The third time they have so been in less than 100 years. The Kaiser in 1914 and Hitler in l939 were two instances. Germany felt it was omnipotent. Two world wars resulted.

This Germany/Greece thing is a war that is erupting. Except this time it is with money instead of bullets. Each can have a devastating effect. This euro thing can result in a world wide recession of a sort never before experienced.

I have a suspicion. It is based on what I have experienced and read over the past three weeks. I believe the euro people will win. Why? Because they will vote. They are doing well as indicated hereinbefore under the euro. The people on the street appear to have already given up. They will not turn out in the numbers necessary to throw out the euro and return to the drachma.

I cannot wait till later tonight to see if I have called this correctly.

The trip caught up with me yesterday. I have been at this three weeks. All of a sudden I was tired. Dead tired.

I walked into town and had lunch. Something I have not done since arriving. I then sat in the shade at the sidewalk cafe where I had lunched and watched the world walk by.

Eventually, I got back to my hotel. And my bed. I slept the afternoon away.

I was still tired when I woke. Opted to remain at my hotel and dine in its dining room. Glad I did. A great meal! The service unusually spectacular. I am staying at a small hotel. I have gotten to know everyone. This was the first time they had the opportunity to show me what they could do. They wanted to show me, to please me.

And please me they did! I won’t go through all the specifics, except to relate that the meal was heavy with tomatoes, olives, cheeses and oil. Dessert was a Greek chremboule. Two gins. Beefeater. One of the few places in Mykonos that stocks it. And a shot of something after dinner on the house.

I could not thank them enough.

I was up and out early this morning. Needed a manicure and pedicure desperately. The last ones were more than 3 weeks ago.

I had to walk up the highway about a quarter of a mile. A beautiful salon for nails and massages in a small strip mall. I was their first customer. Everyone sitting around. Ergo, I had three ladies working on me at one time. One on the toes and the other two each had a hand a piece.

A good job! I was pleased.

I asked them if they had voted. They said no. I asked if they were going to vote. They said no. Why, I asked. Mafia!

Not a bright response, but that is the way it is. Again, I have heard that same response many times over the past three weeks.

Now for the fun part of this morning.

I got hit by a car.

There are no sidewalks. The driving lanes are narrow. Drivers speed constantly. The only place for pedestrian traffic is on the edges of the road.

I was in an area that had a three foot stone wall running on both sides of the highway. Between the road edge and the wall was two feet. No more.

I was casually walking down the road against traffic. Staying in my little two feet. All of a sudden this guy came around a curve. There was no oncoming traffic. He had a good fifty feet after the curve to see me. He never tried to avoid me. He clipped my right arm with his passenger door mirror. I went flying over the wall. I looked up to see the car speed away. The driver had to feel the impact and hear its sound. The thud was loud.

I was concerned. The last thing I want is to be sick in a foreign country. There was no one around who saw or could help me. I eventually got up. My right arm beneath the elbow was sore. As was the right side of my neck.

I walked back to my hotel with no difficulty. It has been about two hours since the event and all I am experiencing is pain in the two areas I complained about. I lucked out.

So far on this trip I have survived three earthquakes and one auto accident.

I still have three weeks to go.

A beach day again today. Paradise Beach. The one two days ago was Super Paradise Beach. Two separate beaches. One old, one new. I am going to the older one today.

Enjoy your day! And be careful as you walk.

DAY 18

Mykonos. Nothing to compare it to. Perhaps a bit like the Jersey Shore, Coney Island or Jones Beach of old. Trying to be the Hamptons, but not quite making it.

Hordes of people! More than I can describe. All on holiday. Tourism is the major industry. The only industry.

Besides the original natives, way back in history there was an influx of Egyptians and Phoenicians. There are many wind mills. Known world wide as Mykonos’ landmark.

The name of the island is Mykonos. The name of the principal town is named Mykonos, also. Unusual.

Chora is the place to be in Mykonos. It is a special area of the town. A neighborhood unto itself. Stone buildings built close together. Narrow streets between them. Very narrow. Like 3-5 feet. The buildings were built close together many years ago to protect them from the sea and its storms. Today those alleys/walkways are the playground of Mykonos. Stores, bars, restaurants and I do not know what permeate the area.

These alleys of Chora go every which way. Like a maze. Easy to get lost.

Little Venice hangs on the ocean side of the Chora. It is called such because its houses literally hang over the sea.
At least the balconies do.

I find three differences between Mykonos and Santorini.

One unquestionably is the weather. The humidity on Mykonos is a killer. The evening brings no relief. Breeze. What breeze? There is little, if any. Whereas Santorini had no humidity, was hot by day and cool by night. A sweater or jacket was required in the evening. Air conditioning not used. Open a window or door and sleep comfortably under a blanket.

It is said the difference in humidity, etc. between the two islands is the height of each. Santorini is high and buildings are on top of the cliffs. Mykonos is relatively low. Hills. Gradual, however.

Only about 100 miles separates Mykonos and Santorini. Mykonos is to the north of Santorini and normally would be cooler. It is not.

A second difference is the number of people visiting each island. Mykonos is jam packed. An avalange of people arrive daily. Every nationality visits and works on Mykonos. I would describe the crowd last night in the Chora area as being just slightly less appearance wise as Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

Santorini has significantly fewer visitors. Comparatively speaking, I would estimate Mykonos has more vistors than Santorini by 30-1.

The final difference is in the atmosphere. It is in the air. Everyone whoops it up on Mykonos. Party time till the wee hours of the morning. Santorini is in bed by 10. The streets are totally empty by 11.

Life begins between 10 and 11 in Mykonos. Last night as I was walking to my hotel away from the Chora, tons of younger people were walkimng in the opposite direction. Towards the Chora. The ladies dressed. Dressed! Like in minis, knee length and other size dresses. Heels. Tall. Made up for a night on the town.

I felt sorry for the ladies. The humidity was so heavy I could see their make up starting to run.

By the way, I was walking up to my hotel at 10 while the younger ones were going downhill into the Chora to begin their evening. A difference between the generations.

I had dinner last night in the Chora. Overlooking the sea. The restaurant was Antonia’s. Just like in Key West. Key West’s Antonia’s puts out a better product, though I did enjoy my meal. A lamb casserole.

After dinner, I was off to find the Montparnasse. It is a piano bar. The only piano bar in Mykonos.

Donna and Terri suggested I stop there. Teri sang there at one time. They told me the owners were a Judy and Nikko. Terri said tell them of our relationship and be prepared to be treated royally.

I never did. I could not find the place. It is in one of those alleys I described earlier. I asked three knowledgeable Mykonos citizens where it was. Each knew. Each sent me to a different place. Each was wrong. By this time, the humidty had gotten to me and I said screw it.

Bobby Peaco, who played and sang at the Keys Piano Bar, is playing at Montparnasse now. I was looking forward to seeing him again. I was also looking forward to boozing it up a bit. Did not occur because this man could take the heat no more.

Perhaps tonight.

The stones constituting the walkway in the Chora alleys interested me. I was told they have been there forever. They reminded me of the stones making up the Appian Way. Thirty years ago when in Rome, I visited the Appian Way. The roads were constructed of larger stones than in Mykonos. The same stones which the Roman chariots traveled over. Back before the birth of Christ. The Mykonos and Appian Way stones were similar, except in size.

Mykonos is definitely a tourist town. The prices 25-50 per cent higher than Santinori. Gin on the rocks was 50 per cent higher. For Gordon’s! I did not find this gouging on Santorini.

Today the Super Paradise Beach. I have been assured by many it is one of the world’s finest beaches. I am looking for to experioencing it.

The bottom line is Mykonos is a terrific vacation place. For many from all over the world. It is not my cup of tea, however.

The Greek election is Sunday. Very significant! The result will have world wide impact.

I compare this election to Governor Walker’s recent recall election in Wisconsin. I thought surely he would have been beaten. He was not. Walker has now set the trend to be followed for the next ten years at least in the United States.

In Greece, the issue is the euro or back to the dracma. From what I have experienced in Athens and Santorini, the populace wants back to the drachma. Except for my friend and recent landlord Nikos. He wants to stay with the euro. Nikos represents the affluent. The others I spoke with the more common people. A Wall Street / Main Street battle all over again.

No one is talking politics on Mykonos. The locals are too busy making money. The tourists too busy having a good time.

Sunday will tell the story.

Joanna is my saviour! Her grandfather built the hotel I am staying in some fifty years ago. Her uncle now owns it. She manages the place.

Joanna is some place in her twenties. Industrious. Charming. Ever so helpful. You have to inderstand my cell phone is down, whi fi does not work that often here, and Louis needs a computer to do his blog.

I explained my problem to Joanna when I checked in. She said no problem. You will use mine as long as you are here. So here I am, sitting at her desk, punching away.

An international hotel chain should look at Joanna. Her experience is in the blood. She would make a great acquisition.

Enjoy your day!