That whole A.D.D. thing turned my recently-back-from-Europe blog into a blog that was more about my daughter Tara’s own, separate, European expedition and farm-hand experience.
(Tara and I once wondered, at which point, Attention defecit crosses over to the disorder designation!?) (OK…so…I was only one sentence in, the LAST time that I digressed. Does “after one sentence” answer the whole “disorder” question, or what!)
Back to Europe. (Not, actually, “going” back… At least right now…)
It ended up, that my next column in the November/December issue of Merrimack Valley Magazine will be about our recent trip. It will be out “any day”, so, I will avoid writing about the same stuff twice.
Until then, a few observations…
* I want to party in London. We stopped there for the night, on the way to Rome, but the “old people” I was traveling with were tired (= jet lagged), so we had a couple beers in a pub, walked a couple miles worth of “squares” (Like Leicester–sounds like Lester), Picadilly Circle, etc, had a crappy dinner–not without fun and shots of fruity beer–and turned in early. We were there just enough time to make me know to go back!
* Tuscany is too beautiful to describe in words…and even pictures fall way too short. Michaelangelo and his peeps are incredible, but Mother Nature, hands down, does the best work ever!
* Man, they drive fast in Italy…and right-up-on-you if you are not fast enough!
* Hanging hind quarters of cured-pork (prosciutto) are as ubiquitous in Italy, as sandwich counters in America. Love that shit.
* Rome=Amazing. Unfortuantely, a billion people feel the same way. The Colloseum, up close, is so unbelievable that even in real life it looks like an immense painting. (The bad news…Millions of visitor’s travel to see and celebrate this place, where millions of people cheered when the lions ate their neighbors!)
* Florence? I get it. But…seen one 13th century Duomo, seen them all. (Truth…”David” is amazing) (and, Florence may have been more crowded than Rome, if that’s possible!)
* Siesta, every day. Italy and Spain. Take a nap, greet the kids after school, make a scultpture. Just no commerce. Love that shit.
* Funny…Go to Italy or Spain, and all they do is warn you about pick-pockets. I hear, when Europeans warn each other about America, they say, “Don’t get shot.” True story.
* Europe’s building’s maybe centuries old and in need of constant maintenance, and the sewer systems a bit, um, less efficient..but they have the whole eco-bathroom-shower-toilet thing figured out! They have TWO levels of flush; Light, and heavy. You choose.
* Salad. No one seems to offer salad dressing…Olive oil, lemon. Salud.
* “Gas or no gas?” (= “Sparkling or still?”)
* In Tuscany, good chance the “house wine” was actually made out back!
* Even the most expensive grappa makes you do bad things.
* We traveled as a group of (8) throughout Tuscany. (7) of us were cheery, easy going, and fun. Just sayin’
* Now I know why people go to Aruba and such. I used to think it was because of sand, and sun, and ocean. Now, I think, it might be lack of tourist destinations–churches, museums, towers, big clocks, double-decker tour buses, architectural splendor.
* Barcelona’s beaches… Yes please. Love that shit. (Though, I have NEVER seen a beach more beautiful than “ours” in New England)
* Italy’s beaches…Yes please.
* Tapas? “All day”
* I want to open a Pinchos restaurant. Or Pinxtos, as it were…
* Flamenco = Tap Dancing, with sexier outfits and bigger shoes. The original “Stomp”?
* Montelpuciano. Mio dio. (All day) (Love that shit) (Just sayin’)
Read more if you wish, when the holiday issue of MVM hits the newstand! https://www.mvmag.net/index.php/columns/
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