VOLCANO DAY

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I think I have the hang of getting the photos to publish. Three yesterday! When I complete the blog this morning, one more. The volcano photos!

This photo/pic thing is a constant education for me. I was unhappy that the pics were so small. Detail is important and did not show effectively. Yesterday, I clicked on a pic. Lo and bhold…..it enlarged! Clicked on it again. Got even bigger!

The message is that if you want a larger and clearer photo, merely click once for larger and twice for largest.

Today the volcano! It was hell for me that day. I realized my age. I also became aware that I was definitely out of shape. You will recall I could not complete the climb to the top of the volcano.

There are 10 volcano photos.

The volcano sits out in the bay off Santorini. The first photo is off the volcano. It was taken from the walkway on Santorini. The volcano is the black island in the distance.

The next pic is of me walking up the volcano. There were about sixty of us. Every one made it but me. I started at the head of the pack. Soon I was at the end. Then I was with the stragglers. Finally, I was the last straggler. This photo is of me at a time that I was third from the rear. Only two ladies behind me. The stress of the climb was upon me.

Fifteen minutes later, I was dead last! No one any where near me. All way ahead. Photo 3. I suggest you click once and then again a second time. I would like you to experience the line of people ahead of me and how far behind I was.

Photo 4 is where I said…..NO MORE! I could go no further. I gave up. Happily.

I stopped several times on the way up. To rest and drink some water. such is photo 5.

Photo 6 is of me walking down the volcano all alone. I was not ashamed!

A boat took me to the volcano and then took me away from it. Photo 7 is of me sitting on the boat as it left the volcano. I was dead! I did not care what happened to me! If I did die, dump me overboard was my thought.

On the return trip, the boat stopped at the island of Thirassis. A small nnothing. Two restaurants and a gift shop. The gift shop was operated by a tall bearded Greek dressed in monk’s robes and a hat. Photo 8 is me sitting alone enjoying lunch.

Photo 9 is one of the best. Double click this one. View it at its largest. It is a pic of the reataurant owner grilling lunch. Note the stove. Look especially at the octopus he was grilling. Octopus was a dish served at every restauant. A tentacle was chopped off. Generally, 10 inches. About 2 inches in diameter. Grilled before and after. Rubbed with oil occasionally. Served thusly done. Tender and delicious! Sweet. No sauce required. Fish suvlaki is the other item being grilled.

The last photo is me dead on the bed when I returned. I had never been so tired!

Good night last night.

Started at Don’s Place. Chatted with Don, Herschel, and Frankie. All team mates. Discussed and analyzed our bocce team.

Then the Chart Room. A crowd. Emily bartending. Che and Captain Peter talking. Jean Thornton her usual lovely self. My Jasper friend Jack Kelly and his wife Sabina. Met a criminakl lawyer from long Island. Michael.

I chatted with Jack and Sabina a while. Then with Jean and Che. Che is a Congress of Vienna expert. Which means he is a Napoleon expert as well. We talked about Napoleon. I made mention of the bridges I observed in Northern Italy on my recent trip. Many were built by Napoleon. The northern Italians did not speak ill of Napoleon. They were proud of what he had done for them.

Decided I would walk Duval a while. A lot of people.

I stopped into Sloppy Joe’s. Planned on grabbing a sandwich. No room at the inn. Not a seat in the place.

Walked by Coyote Ugly. About 20 young guys at the bar. Two young ladies dancing and singing on the bar. The Bull was empty. I thought Yankee Jack might be playing. I ended up at Kelley’s. Enjoyed the wings!

Nothing was accomplished by the Merkel visit to Greece. Why then did Merkel even make the trip? The British press reports this morning that Merkel went to Greece to show the British she was not afraid to face the Greeks. It was show time. Her purpose was to insist face to face that Greece pay every penny owed. Plus interest and penalties.

Merkel has an election coming up. Her opponent has been attacking her regarding the Greece pay back problem. He claims Merkel has been too easy on Greece. Ergo, the trip. The Greeks still have to pay, suffer austerity. Merkel was in and out in six hours. Nothing accomplished to assist the Greeks.

No Internet show tomorrow. The Key West Lou Legal Hour will miss another weak. KONK Broadcasting owner Guy de Boer will be in Miami for heart surgery. Good luck, Guy!

Bocce tonight. Bocce tomorrow night. A make up game.

Enjoy your day!

A GRAND EVENING

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MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT: My European trip photos will start posting Monday! Finally! Thank you for your indulgence.

The pics will be spread over 12 days. Each grouping will involve a particular activity or place.

The photos are not as good as I would wish them to be. Took all of them with a couple of years old cell phone. Next time, I will do it better. A camera. In addition, I would post the pics daily rather than save them to the end.

Nevertheless, you will enjoy!

Last night was one of the most pleasant I have spent in quite a while. My evenings are always good. Some however are better than others. Last night was one of them.

I attribute the quality of the evenining to the people I ran into. All a pleasure.

I started at the Chart Room. Jean Thornton was back. Seated at the bar. Next to her, Stephanie Kaple.

Jean is known as Key West’s Golden Girl. She found gold and jewelry on a Mel Fisher dive years ago. Changed her life.

Stephanie is Key West’s Island Shoe Girl. She wears the most expensive high heel shoes. The higher the better. She may not eat well, have extra money to spend, but she does have shoes! Stephanie also writes a blog every one should read. Whatever the topic, she ties it into women’s shoes. Many of her writings involve social issues. You can find the blog under IslandShoeGirl.com.

I saw two familiar faces at the end of the bar. Dan and Nancy. We had met before on one of their previous trips to Key West. Dan is from Toronto and works for Dow Chemical. Nancy is a nurse from Detroit. She is a colonoscopy expert.

Love Nancy! She reads my blog every day! Dan is less diligent. An occasional reader. Nice people. I spent a bit of time with them chatting. They are here for at least annother week. I look forward to running into them again.

While I was talking with Dan and Nancy, Jean came over and invited me to join Stephanie and her for dinner at Hot Tin Roof. Jean specified she was paying. I could not say no.

I was a lucky man. Two ladies to dine with. Two lovely intelligent ladies.

We sat at the bar at Hot Tin Roof. Talked a very long time before ordering. One drink too many too long.

While I was sitting there, a couple stopped by. They had been looking for me at the Chart Room. Emily sent them over to Hot Tin Roof.

I am a Manhattan College graduate. A few miles up the road is Cudjoe Key. A fellow Manhattan graduate lives there. He reads this blog religiously and occasionally comments. He too is a Jasper. Jasper is the nick name for Manhattan grads.

His name Jack Kelly. Graduated from Manhattan College in 1968. A young man compared to me. I graduated in 1957.

He was with his charming wife Sabina. A real nice person.

We talked a while. I was excited to have finally met him. He likewise was excited. We are probably the only Manhattan graduates in the Keys.

Jack did the Air Force ROTC while at Manhattan. Later was a fighter pilot. Retired from the military at some point. Now enjoys Key West and the lower keys.

Jack brought back memories of Manhattan College. He was wearing a tee shirt with writing and an emblem on it. The Pershing Rifles. The organization was a gung ho extension of the ROTC at Manhattan. Meant Jack was really into the military thing while a student. Contrasted with Louis. I left the ROTC after two years. It was enough. I hated the marching, left face, right face, etc. Officers were always shouting that I was out of step. Mentally, I would respond that it was not me. It was the rest of the group.

I actually did not go on with the ROTC after two years because a four or five year committment was required upon being commissioned. I wanted to go directly to law school. A four or five year delay was not part of my plans.

We intend to have dinner together soon.

My evening out turned into a big time winner! Dan and Nancy. Then Jack and Sabina. In between, Jean and Stephanie.

I loved last night!

I finished the evening at Don’s place. Toni and Puff at the bar. Puff watched the end of the Syracuse/Pitt game with me. Syracuse won 14-13. I chatted with Kurt a bit. Don came in. Sat next to me. We talked a long while. I like Don. He is first class.

There was some day time activity, also. A haircut with Lori. A manicure by Tammy. A visit with Lisa.

Today is Saturday. I have no plans. Lets see what happens.

Enjoy your day!