Weekend Wrapup - Birthday Party and a BIG Fish

My fourth excursion to the Brenta River turned out to be the money trip. After a few enjoyable yet fruitless trips, I finally struck gold this past weekend. While fishing the "zona trofeo" (trophy zone) Saturday morning I nailed the biggest fish I've ever caught on a fly rod - a gorgeous fat rainbow trout that came in at 43cm (17 inches) exactly. He put up a fantastic fight, struggling for almost 20 minutes before finally succumbing to my net, making several deep runs and even jumping a couple times. The euphoric feeling of having that monster at the end of my line will stay with me forever. Here's a couple pictures:




Saturday night was spent at the birthday party of Alessandro, the one year old son of our friends Susan and Matteo:


The X Man had a ball as there were a lot of other kids and plenty of toys to play with. His favorite was this bike that he was determined to ride despite the fact that his legs couldn't reach the peddles:


The rest of the weekend was spent running errands and then lounging around the house:


Overall, an enjoyable, relaxing weekend. It would normally rate about a 6 but catching the big 'bow bumps it up to a nine and a half...


Rik

Geno Martin, This One Is For You...

Eugene "Geno" Martin is a retired Army Captain that I used to work with here and have remained very good friends with. He's currently living on a farm outside Philadelphia with his lovely wife Lisa and his 4 kids (actually 3 - Leah, the oldest is in college). He also checks in here at the blog periodically.

As you may know, one of the more common summer fashions here for men are capri pants. One of the funniest things Geno ever said was one morning when he said "I don't trust any guy who wears capri pants!"

So Geno Martin, this one is for you:





Rik

Leave it to the Dutch...

I've been through Schipol Airport in Amsterdam a few times and have seen this. I always thought it was just a creative little joke, but now I can see the method behind the Dutch madness:

In Italy, August Sucks.

Don't ever come to Italy during the month of August. In Italy, the month of August is reserved for what is known as "ferie". Seemingly the entire population of Italy takes anywhere from two weeks to a full month off for holiday and heads for either the mountains or the beach. Almost every single store, hotel, bar and ristorante closes, sometimes for the entire month of August. Walking around some cities is almost like being in a ghost town. It almost has to be seen to be believed.

For us it's not a disaster because we get most of what we need on the base, but for people who live and like to do things on the economy, it can be very frustrating and inconvenient sometimes. Two nights ago the wife was too tired to cook so the X Man and I headed out to pick up a couple pizzas. We went to Antonio's. It was closed. We went to another one down the street, it was closed. We went to a third one, closed as well. I ended up driving for almost a half hour before I found a pizzeria that was open.

On the bright side, the drive home from work is not quite as bad because there are a lot less cars on the road. And I've noticed a subtle change over the five years that I've been here in that each year there seems to be one or two more places staying open in August. As long as there's one bar and one pizza place in town open, I'm happy.


Rik

The Day I Almost Got Lynched in Tennessee

The year was 1995. My friend Randy, his wife Kelly and I were on a cross country road trip from Boston to Las Vegas. We had planned several stops along the way to see different parts of our great country and experience different aspects of American culture. One such stop was about an hour outside Knoxville, Tennessee. Randy had a friend from the Air Force who lived there and insisted that we stop and stay with him and his family on their farm for a night or two. The highlight was to be our attendance at a University of Tennessee football game that weekend against the Georgia Bulldogs.

It is a strange thing, this fascination the people in the south have with college football. It's like a religion. In New England, college football is not real popular. I've always followed it - I'm a huge Notre Dame fan - but not to the extent that the people down south do. We arrived in Knoxville (the home of the University of Tennessee)the morning of the game and literally every other car was adorned in some sort of UT decoration. Many had UT flags flying out of the windows. Some even had huge UT decals on the side doors. I'd never seen anything like it.

Since there are NO Dunkin Donuts anywhere south of the Mason Dixon line, we were forced to conduct all of our coffee refill stops at...wait for it...the Waffle House. We still had an hour or so until we had to meet Randy's friend so we decided to stop and have breakfast at a Waffle House in downtown Knoxville. For a Yankee, going into a Waffle House is like stepping into another world - a world full of rednecks and truckers. We sat in one of the booths and perused the menu. When the waitress finally came over to take our order, she looked at me with disgust. Before I knew what was going on, she yelled out, in a thick southern drawl, "Hey y'all, we got us a Bulldog fan over here!". Upon hearing this, every employee in the place came charging over to our table and started giving me the business. After a minute of examination, I realized what the problem was. Being an ardent fan of international soccer, I was wearing a Manchester United soccer t-shirt. Man United's colors are red and black. UT was playing the Georgia Bulldogs that day and their colors just happened to be...you guessed it.

So there we are in the Waffle House in downtown Knoxville surrounded by angry employees and every customer in the place is staring over at us giving us dirty looks. It actually got pretty tense for a few moments when I really did think I might be subjected to bodily harm. The funniest guy was the cook, an older gentleman with gray hair, greased and slicked back, clad in a dirty white t-shirt and matching apron with a lit cigarette dangling from his lower lip. I tried to explain that we weren't Bulldog fans. I said "No, no, it's a British soccer team! I'm not even from the south, I'm from New England!". At this the old cook replied, in such a thick accent that I almost couldn't understand him, "New England huh? He's prob'ly a gawd-damned Notre Dame fan". All I could do was look away and try not to laugh, which surely would have meant my demise.

Eventually I went out to the car and changed into a plain white Adidas shirt. We ate our breakfast with many angry, suspecting eyes glued to us. It was very disconcerting. We paid our bill and got the hell outta Dodge as fast as we could. When we met up with Randy's friend Shaun and told him what happened, he laughed and said "Rik, what are you doing, trying to get yourself killed?"

That night we watched sophomore wonder Peyton Manning and the University of Tennessee Volunteers beat the Georgia Bulldogs in overtime. To this day, It remains the only college football game I've ever been to.


Rik

Weekend Highlights in Pictures

Here's a recap of what we did this weekend:

As usual, I get up early and went to the bar to get my coffee and read the Gazetto dello Sport. Soon after returning home, the X Man awoke:


We started the day with a little game of hallway soccer. The X Man cheated and used his hands. Maybe he's going to be a goalie?:


Around lunchtime we headed for the mountains. We had lunch in a little ristorante in Valstagna where the X Man ate most of mama's seafood and spaghetti:



After lunch we hit the river. I headed for the water:




While mama took the X Man for a popsicle (his favorite treat) and to play in the nearby playground:


Alas, no fish were caught so we decided to call it a day and prepared to leave. At least I didn't fall in the river again:


We headed home and I relaxed with a nice bottle of St. Anselmi 2003 Cabernet Franc from the Friuli region. The Cabernet Franc was a microcosm of the weekend itself - not very eventful and busy, yet satisfying with just enough to keep you from getting bored:



Hope everyone else had a good weekend too...

Rik

Flotsum & Jetsum

* I'm so glad the weekend is just about here. I need a couple days off.


* I fell in the river last week while fishing. Trying to get out to a good spot, stepped on a rock, it rolled...and in I went. It must have been quite a funny sight to see.


* Last night I was looking at my senior yearbook from high school. Ah, the memories that came flooding back. I still don't understand how Melissa Parra and Tom Cloos were voted "Best Looking". And I noticed Jen Lavoie's picture. She posed for Playboy a few years after high school (albeit with surgically enhanced...assets). That means I once sat next to a Playboy centerfold in study hall. I rock.


* I finally bought an AFN decoder yesterday so now I'll be able to get no less than 6 American channels at home. A movie channel. A news channel. And the coup de grace, an all sports channel. Never again will I be without the Red Sox score when I wake up.


* Right now I'm watching the TV series "Freaks & Geeks" on DVD. I'm enjoying it so far. But I still haven't found anything to fill the void left when I finished "The Office" a few months ago. I wonder when season 5 of Seinfeld is coming out. And are they ever going to release "Ally McBeal" on DVD?! Bygones...


* On a Julian Date calendar, today's date is 210.


* The X Man has become quite a celebrity around town. Seems everywhere we go, people know him and want to play with him. Many Italians tell us that they can't believe how cute he is. Everytime some music comes on TV, he runs to the TV and starts doing a dance that just has to be seen to be believed. Everyday he does at least two things that make me laugh out loud.


* I'm still thinking about getting some new ink. Just haven't quite made up my mind about what I want.


* The funniest thing I've seen lately happened up at the river last weekend while I was fishing with my Italian friend Fausto. Some annoying kid kept yelling at us and asking how many fish we had caught. Fausto got so annoyed that he stuck out his middle finger at the kid and yelled "Una solo" which means "Only one". I laughed so hard I almost fell in the river (again).


* I think my favorite album title of all time might be "Dookie".


* I love that "Crazy Frog" song that was popular up in Britain. I think I'll try to find the CD down here if I can. It's very catchy. And I still hate Coldplay.


* LIGHTNING BOLT! LIGHTNING BOLT!


* Right now, the two hottest women in the world in my eyes are both named Jessica; Jessica Alba and Jessica Simpson. Coincidence? I think not.


Have a great weekend, see you on Monday (If I don't fall in the river again...).


Rik

The Passion of the Thib

The other day I heard someone talking about how he had a passion for something. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it got me to thinking. To be passionate about something means more than just having a casual interest. Then I started thinking about things that I'm passionate about. The obvious is of course family and God. Those go without saying. But what else? What are the things in my life that I'm passionate about?

I think it would probably be the following:


1) My country. Whatever faults it may or may not have, everything that I have and enjoy is because I was fortunate to be born in such a free and modern country with endless opportunities. No matter where I am in this world, I'll always be an American and I'll always be proud of that fact.




2) Traveling. Seeing other places and experiencing other cultures.




3) My favorite pro sports teams from back home - Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins & Celtics.




4) Fly Fishing. More than just my favorite hobby. I could spend hours at a time on a river and never get bored or tired.





5) Beer. Not just drinking it, but discovering new styles and enjoying beer of the highest quality.




6) Soccer (Football). Been playing and following the game most of my life.




7) Wine. A relatively new interest, but something I have developed quite a passion for. Of course living in Italy, how could I not have?





How about you? What are you passionate about?


Rik

Happy Birthday Mom!

Yes that's right, the wonderful woman who gave the world the wonderful gift of me is having a birthday today. Putting up with me - not to mention my brother and sister - was anything but an easy task and she lived to tell about it. That should tell you something about how tough she is.

Mom is a regular lurker on my blog, so let's everybody wish her a happy birthday now...

Happy birthday mom from me, Virginia and the X Man. We love you!

Rik

Parole, Part II

Well, it's official. I'm being paroled again next month. But this time, it's only for two weeks instead of two months so there probably won't any globetrotting around Europe going on. Virginia and the X Man are going back to the States from August 23 until September 8.

I haven't given much thought what I might do while they're gone this time, but I've got another month to think of a few things. I was thinking perhaps I would finally go check out the Piedmont region and stock up on Barolo. Or maybe spend another weekend in Rome? And then there's always the Venice Pub Crawl as a fallback. But more than likely, I'll end up spending most of my time up in the mountains on the Brenta River.

As always, I'm open to suggestions...


Rik

Humor page is updated

I've added 4 new video clips to the "Humor" page of my website. If you'd like to check them out, click the link below (You may need Windows Media Player to view them). You'll find the new clips at the top under the heading entitled, appropriately enough, "NEW!".

Humor!


Rik

WTF?!

Does anybody really NEED to be warned about this?!





Rik

Two bands I just don't...get.

I don't understand the popularity of Coldplay and The Dave Matthew Band. I've listened to both and I just don't hear anything appealing from either of them.

OK, I'll admit that when Coldplay first came out, I loved - and still love - the song "Yellow". But every single song since then I've hated. I find their music at best, boring and at worst, depressing. But for some reason, liking Coldplay has sort of become the trendy "in" thing now. I just don't get it.

The Dave Matthew Band has been extremely popular for several years now. A while back I even bought one of their CDs thinking it must be good as everyone goes nuts over them. I hated it. Most of their music makes me cringe. So again, like Coldplay, I can't figure out why everyone goes crazy over them, except perhaps that it's just "cool" to be a fan?

OK, OK, I know I probably pissed a lot of people off with this post. So feel free to let me have it. But I still don't like either of them.


Rik

Bella Italia - "A River Runs Through It"

After several weeks, a lot of money, and more than a few headaches, I finally received my Italian fishing license last week and was able to make one of my long held dreams a reality - I finally got to wet a fly on the nearby Brenta River. Those of you who read my blog regularly will recognize the Brenta as the river that flows through scenic Bassano dal Grappa. Although I managed only to land one medium sized brown trout it was an unbelievable experience, which I'm sure will not surprise anyone who knows me well. Since the Brenta is so close, I'm quite sure that I'll be up there almost every weekend until the end of the season in late September. To see some photos from yesterday's excursion, click the link below.

Fly fishing the Brenta River


Rik

New Photos of the X Man Posted

Just posted about a hundred new pictures of the X Man to the website. Click the link below to see them...

New Photos of the X Man


Rik

I've been tagged by...myself.

I noticed a thing on Kitty's Blog about choosing 10 events in history that you would like to go back and witness if you could. I found it interesting and, since nobody ever tags ME, I thought I’d tag myself and come up with 10 of my own. Here goes…

1. The fall of the Berlin Wall. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Germany and been to Berlin twice. Each time I learned more about the Wall and it fascinated me. I’ve seen video of the celebrations and I just can’t even imagine how those people must have felt.

2. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ. As a Christian it would probably be too painful to watch, but perhaps no other event in history has affected my life as much as this one.

3. The debut of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro in Vienna. I’ve always been in love with Mozart’s work. To see the genius conduct one of his operas live for the first time would be unbelievable.

4. The American liberation of Paris, WWII. What a party that must have been. And as an American, I would have been cock of the walk. Voulez vous couchez avec moi? Mais oui!

5. Battle of Britain, WWII. Not to see the destruction of London, but rather to witness first hand how a nation rallied together and became so united in the face of such dire circumstances. We like to remember how the US was so united after September 11, but imagine an entire city being bombed into the Stone Age. And how inspirational Winston Churchill was to his countrymen, regardless of political affiliations.

6. The sinking of the Titanic. As long as I didn’t go down with it of course. I’ve always been sort of fascinated by the whole Titanic story for some reason. I can’t think of many things more interesting than actually seeing it hit the iceberg and slowly go down. Especially if little Leo DiCaprio was on it...

7. Any day in the life of one of my ancestors. I used to love to listen to my grandparents tell stories of days long ago. How unbelievably cool would it be to spend a day talking to, say, your great great grandfather and seeing a little slice of where you came from?

8. D-Day. How could I not choose this one? The sacrifice and bravery of those men will never again be equaled. Ever.

9. The storming of a medieval castle. I just think it would be really cool to watch.

10. October 27th, 2004. I would be back home among all my friends watching the Red Sox finally win the World Series. I’d always planned to go home if the Sox ever made it to the show again and when they finally did, I had to stay in Italy because of a snafu with my wife’s visa. So I got up and watched every game at 3 am. I didn’t cry when I got married. I got a little misty eyed when my son was born. But when Foulke threw the ball to Mientkiewicz and it was finally over, I cried like a baby. My only regret is that I wasn’t home with all my friends to share the moment we had waited all our lives and suffered so much for.



Rik

We Need More Coach Carters

I recently watched the movie “Coach Carter”. Man, was I floored. When looked at simply as a film, it’s nothing more than ordinary. However, when viewed from a social perspective, it’s amazingly eye-opening.

For those who have never heard of it, here’s the premise: a former basketball star and accomplished businessman accepts a job at his old high school to coach the basketball team. The school is located in one of the worst ghetto areas in the state of California. Crime, drugs, and violence are rampant. It is the inner city at its worst. He inherits a team of underachievers who care more about their personal stats and fighting each other than they do winning games. The first thing he does is makes the players sign contracts promising, among other things, to maintain a grade point average of 2.3. He demands discipline. Eventually he turns them into winners and they are one of the hottest teams in the state, going undefeated. However, he soon discovers that most of the players on the team have been failing several classes. Some of them have been skipping classes altogether and the teachers were covering for them because they were basketball fans. He decides to play tough and locks the team out of practice and games until the grades come up.

Here’s where it gets interesting.

There is an immediate uproar from parents, local residents, and even the education board. They all have the attitude that these guys are never going to get anywhere in life because they’re from the inner city, so why not let them have basketball? It’s the one bright spot in their lives after all. Carter says no, that’s the wrong attitude. They’re doomed because of that kind of attitude. We need to make these guys understand that they CAN make something out of themselves if they apply themselves and learn. The parents, residents and education board fight him and vote to resume the season and Carter quits. The players suddenly decide to do it his way and start cracking the books. Eventually the grades come up and they make the state tournament. You can watch the movie for the rest.

What floored me about this movie was that it is a true story. It really happened. You have to keep that in mind as you watch the movie. That’s what separates this movie from all the others like it. Whenever someone makes an inspirational film like this, the temptation is always to dismiss it by saying, “Well, that’s not real life, that stuff only happens in the movies”. But this film IS real life. And it really DID happen. My wife is not from the US and sometimes doesn’t understand different aspects of our society. With that in mind, I told her this as we were watching the movie – if you want to see first hand why most people in the inner cities of America will never get out and are doomed to keep repeating the cycle of being poor and raising a family in the ghetto, watch this movie. Listen to what the parents are saying. Look at the attitudes of the so-called educators. And remember to keep in mind that this really happened. This is the attitude that prevails in the inner city and it’s what’s keeping them down and out. It’s what is preventing them and their children from getting out of there. Forget about politics. Forget about race. Forget about everything else. Watch “Coach Carter” and you’ll understand why young people never escape the inner city unless they make it as a professional athlete or a hip hop artist.

What’s more, try to watch in on DVD if possible and be sure to watch the special feature documentary about the making of the movie. It recounts the real story of Coach Carter, features interviews with the real Carter and his players, and gives an update on where some of the players are now. It makes you shake your head in near disgust to see how some of the players who were destined to a life in the inner city selling drugs, working minimum wage jobs, and going nowhere are now attending college. Some of them are even going on the graduate school. All because one man refused to buy into the victim mentality and convinced them that they can make it by working hard, studying, and staying out of trouble.

If only the inner city had more Coach Carters and fewer Jesse Jacksons and Al Sharptons.


Rik

Funny Ad of the Week

Keep looking at it, it'll come to you eventually...





Rik

Bassano dal Grappa

There's a little town about 15-20 minutes away from us called Bassano dal Grappa. It's not very famous outside of Italy so it's sort of a hidden gem. There's not a lot to do there except to admire the beautiful scenery and perfect juxtaposition of man and nature coexisting so close together. It lies right at the base of Monte Grappa (hence the name) and the Brenta River flows right through the center. Its most famous landmark is the Ponte degli Alpini, the wooden bridge that joins the two sides of the town. Look down from the bridge and you can see giant rainbow trout lazing around, rising for the occasional fly.



Bassano is also famous for Grappa, the distilled spirit otherwise known as firewater. Although it's produced all over northern Italy, Bassano is the birthplace and unofficial home of the drink.

Bassano is one of our favorite little daytrips. Often we'll jump in Old Triple 7 and drive up just to relax, enjoy the view, and have a panini and gelato. We did so yesterday and it was a nice day all around. Very sunny, a clear day to enjoy the view, and the X Man even learned how to say "fish" as he excitedly pointed towards the water everytime a trout would rise. To see some photos from yesterday, click the link below:

Bassano dal Grappa Photos


Rik

Where Are They?

After yesterday’s bombings in London, I’m left with this question in my mind:

“Where are all the protestors?”

Where are the ubiquitous protestors who rail against every alleged act of aggression by the US and the UK, who protest, blaming the US and UK for killing innocent women and children? Where are they? Where were they after September 11? And the bombing in Madrid last year?

Why are they so silent? Why aren’t they protesting against Al Quaeda? Why aren’t they holding rallies around the world at this moment with signs reading “Stop Terrorism!” and posters of Osama Bin Laden with horns drawn on his head like a devil? Why aren’t they spewing their vitriol against the terrorists who find it so easy to kill innocent civilians?

I’ve always found it ironic that in countries where the populace are free to hold protests, the only thing they ever protest against are the very governments that afford them that right.

I wonder why that is?


Rik

Rik's Birthday Photos

It was brought to my attention yesterday that I hadn't posted the birthday photos I'd promised last week. So here are a few...


One of the two bottles of 2000 Barolo I bought for the occasion


Giampietro decants the wine. This allows it to breathe better.



Giampi and I toast my turning 34.



And then Virginia and I do the same.



The X Man tries to get in on the Barolo.



Agnese, Me, Giampietro.


For dinner, we had some tasty steaks, salad fresh from our garden, and Agnese's special zuppa di verdure (vegetable soup). After the meal, Giampietro broke out the cheese - Asiago, Grana Padano, and formaggio di capra (hard cheese made with goat's milk, very tasty). It was a delicious way to celebrate my birthday. The highlight was definitely the wine - the 2000 Barolos are peaking right this year...


Rik

Cinque Terra Photos Posted

Spent the 4th of July holiday in Cinque Terra enjoying sunshine, hiking, beautiful scenery, good food, and even better wine. To see some photos, go here:

Cinque Terra Photos


Rik

June 30, 1971: A day that will live in infamy.

As some of you know, today is my 34th birthday. So, you ask, how do I plan on celebrating? Well, I'll be splurging on a very expensive bottle of either Brunello di Montalcino or Barolo (depending on which offers the better vintage) and we'll be having a nice steak dinner upstairs with Giampietro and Agnese. Nothing fancy, just a nice dinner with the neighbors. And very expensive bottle of wine. I'll try to get some photos and post them tomorrow...



Rik

In Vino Veritas

One of the many things Italy is famous for is its wines. And rightly so – perhaps no other country in the world can boast the sheer quality and variety of styles of Italy’s wines. While certainly not an expert in any sense of the word, I’ve become quite a fan of Italian wine over the past few years. My wine journey started rather auspiciously. While stationed in Germany, I’d immediately noticed how important wine was to the locals. So I dabbled in some of the German wines which I liked right away. In Germany, white wine is king. I lived in the Franconia region of northern Bavaria, which has a storied wine culture. Eventually I discovered the wines from the Rhine River area, which are some of the best Germany has to offer.

When I got to Italy it actually took me a while to discover the wine. The first wine here that captured my interest was Moscato, which is a light, sweet, white ‘frizzante’ (sparkling) wine. Around the same time I was also introduced to Marzemino, which became my first favorite wine. Marzemino is a dessert wine. It’s red, fruity, and frizzante. It’s best served cold, and goes down as smooth as grape juice which means you could easily kill a bottle quickly if you’re not careful.

After a year or so I had become pretty friendly with my upstairs neighbor Giampietro, who I have since discovered to be quite a wine connoisseur. Occasionally he would stop by and bring me a bottle of win or two, always with instructions on how to serve it and what foods to eat with it. However, the one thing that put my interest in wine on the fast track was a place called Vo. Vo is a town in the Euganei Hills, about 45 minutes away from Vicenza. It’s in the heart of the local wine producing Euganei region and features several good wineries. It quickly became a tradition to go there for a couple hours, tasting different wines and ordering various table foods such as meats and cheeses, fresh vegetables, and bread and enjoy some of the wine with friends. And then on the way out, we would stock up on good wine at about 3 euro a bottle. I would always buy a few bottles of Marzemino, but I also starting discovering the more serious dry reds such as Cabernets. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon became my new staples and remain so to this day.

The next wine that I discovered was Valpolicella. This is not considered a “fine wine”, but certainly is one of the better everyday drinking wines. In fact, if you’re in Venice and you order the house or table wine, you’re probably drinking Valpolicella. Eventually I graduated to the higher quality Valpolicella Classico Superiore (more about that later). There are two main people in Italy who are responsible for fanning the flames of my interest in good Italian wine and helping to expand my knowledge and appreciation of wine in general. The first was my neighbor Giampietro. The second is a gentleman named Will Nason. Will is a retired soldier who has been in Italy for many years. His wife is Italian, he speaks the language fluently and he even used to make his own wine. I’ve discovered many good wines thanks to Will’s recommendations and have learned a great deal about production and winemaking in general from him. The first great wines that Will introduced me to were Amarone and Recioto, both from the Valpolicella region just outside Verona. While Recioto is a sweet red wine, Amarone has an entirely different character. It’s rich and full bodied, usually clocking in at around 15% or higher. It’s a great sipping wine and is a perfect compliment to red meats and some cheeses. I mention these two wines because they are two that stand out in the Veneto region where I live.

The next – and logical - step in my wine journey were the dynamic reds produced in the Tuscany region. The ones worth mentioning are the big three – Chianti, Montalcino, and Montepulciano. Chianti is probably the most famous and is extremely varied. Montepulciano is similar to Chianti. There are two main types – Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Rosso di Montepulciano. While still high quality, the lesser grapes are used in the Rosso, which makes a more approachable, less expensive version that can be enjoyed in less time than the Vino Nobile. Montalcino is one of my two favorite Italian wines. As with the Montepulciano, there are tow versions – Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso do Montalcino. Brunello is the higher quality and is considered by many Italians to be Italy’s –if not the world’s – finest red wine. As such it is expensive, even when purchased locally.

Lastly but certainly not least, I discovered the great red wines of the Piedmont region, southwest of Milan. From this region comes Barolo, which is currently my favorite wine. Barolo is a serious full-bodied red wine which usually peaks after 5 years of aging. Like the Montalcino, it can be expensive. There is another wine similar to Barolo called Barbaresco. I’m told that at its peak, a Barbaresco can be just as full bodied and impressive as Barolo but I haven’t been able to discover this myself as I’ve only tried it once. Two other good reds from Piedmont are Barbera d’Alba and Barbera d’Asti.

There are of course many many other very good wines that I’ve discovered in Italy. The ones I’ve mentioned are just some of the highlights of my wine journey in Italy so far.

When buying Italian, there are few things that are helpful to know. The first is the rating on the bottle. Here are the main classifications:

Vino da Tavola – Literally, “table wine”. Considered the bottom of the chart quality wise, but don’t be put off. The table wine in Italy is very good. It’s what the average Italian drinks with their meals.

IGT – “Indicazione Geografica Tipica”. Wines considered a cut above the ordinary table wines.

DOC – “Denominazione di Origine Controllata”. The foundation of Italy’s quality wines. These wines have been produced with certain restrictions imposed by the Italian government such as maximum yields (smaller the yield, better the quality) and minimum alcohol content.

DOCG – “Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita”. The cream of the crop, literally. This is the highest classification of Italian wine. There are few wines in this category and those that are have had their quality verified by tasting commissions.

In addition to the above, there are also a few other words on the label you might see. Knowing what they refer to could mean the difference between buying a good wine and a great wine. Here are some important ones:

Classico – Wines with Classico on the title have been made with grapes from the very heart of the respective region, meaning slightly higher quality.

Riserva – Usually means that the wine has been aged longer.

Superiore – Alcohol content is a little higher. On a red wine, it could also mean that the wine has been aged a bit longer.


You don’t have to be an expert to enjoy a good wine. As I mentioned, I’m far from an expert. But when you’re so close to so many great wines, you can’t help but gain an appreciation for them. Just one more reason why I love living in Bella Italia…

Bella Italia: A Lighter Look

Translation: "Please excuse me but I only have 5 points remaining on my license, I must obey the speed limit"



Don't give up without a fight!



??????



Decisions, decisions...

The Best and Worst of Italy

Before we go any further with our "Bella Italia" series, let's pause and take a look at some of my favorite - and not so favorite - things about Italy...

Favorite City - It's a tie between Venice and Rome. Venice because it's so unique and it's so close that I love going there just to walk around and relax. And Rome because it's so big and historic.

Least Favorite City - Verona. Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying I dislike Verona. I just don't think it's as great a city as many guidebooks. The Arena is really cool, but for what it has to offer, the city is expensive. Still worth a day trip though.

Best City to Eat in - Bologna, without question. Many Italians will even tell you this. It's nickname is "Bologna la Grassa", or "Bologna the Fat". Rome is also good - outside the train station, there's a plethora of Asian and Middle Eastern restaurants. By the way, Bologna is also home to the best gelato in Italy, found at Gianni's Gelateria.

Worst City to Eat in - Venice, again without question. Most people go expecting to get good Italian food, but it's not known in Italy for its cuisine. It's so overrun with tourists that most restaurants thrive on offering the ubiquitous "tourist menu", which is a generic three or four course meal ordered more for the cheap price than the food quality. You can get a good meal there but you will pay and pay handsomely for it. If you go to Venice, avoid any restaurant that has a menu in more than 2 languages.

Best Food - This is an extremely tough call. I've eaten so well here over the past 5 years that it's difficult to pick one food over the rest. But two things stand out in my mind. One is fresh tortellini made with balsamic vinegar that I had in Bologna. And the other is the scaloppini in curry sauce from a restaurant not too far away from our house.

Worst Food - The sports bar in my town serves a lunch everyday and the owner, Danielle is a great cook. One day he had me try something and I couldn't understand what he was saying. So I tried it and as it turned out, it was tripe al parmesan - cow stomach in a parmesan sauce. I almost puked, it was disgusting. But to locals, it's a delicacy.

Best Wine - Italy is a veritable wine lover's paradise. And the best wine I've had in all of Italy is Barolo from the Piedmont region, south of Milan. It's known as the "King of Wines and the Wine of Kings". And it's pricey, so I don't drink much of it. An average bottle will run you at least 20 bucks, and a good one will run you over 30.

Best Restaurant - In all of Italy, my favorite restaurant is Il Castello in Vernazza, Cinque Terra, but the view is what puts it over the top. If you go, be sure to reserve a table very early so you can get a table with a view. Locally, our favorite restaurant is called Al Mulino. Some of the best seafood we've had and not too expensive.

Best Vacation Spot - Cinque Terra. Unfortunately it's been discovered and covered by several travel guides so it's always overcrowded. But it's still gorgeous.

Worst Vacation Spot - San Remo. San Remo is the capital of the Italian Riviera, just over the border from the French Riviera. We found the city dirty, the restaurants overpriced, the beach subpar, and the water was murky and cloudy rather than the azure blue of the rest of the Riviera. Plus someone smashed my car window and stole the wife's handbag.

Worst Thing About Living in Italy - The driving. Driving home every day after work is literally like driving an obstacle course. Italy has the worst and most dangerous drivers I've ever encountered. And I'm starting to drive like them, which is scary.

Best Tourist Attraction - Il Vaticano - The Vatican. You could spend a couple days just touring this place, which is the smallest country in the world. St Peter's and the Vatican Museum (which houses the Sistine Chapel) are the highlights.

Worst Tourist Attraction - The Gondola rides in Venice. I'm sure you've heard me rant about them before so we'll leave it at that.

Best Souvenir - The Popener. It's a bottle opener with a picture of the Pope on it - hence the name. It's like having the Pope himself open your beer. And if you've been following my blog for the past few months, you know how the Popener saved me from a potential ass-raping in Rome.

Best Pub - Yet another tough call. I would say that if I had to pick only pub in Italy to drink at, it would be the Fiddler's Elbow in Venice. They have Guinness and Kilkenny Cream Ale on tap, they have outdoor seating, they have a big screen TV and several smaller ones that show soccer and rugby matches constantly, and best of all, there is a kebab shop right next door. What else do you need?

Best Church/Cathedral - The best interior is St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, but for the best exterior, I'd call it a tie between the Dom in Florence and the Duomo in Milan. Both are fantastic.

Most Emotional Moment - Seeing DaVinci's "Last Supper" in Milan. I know it sounds strange, but here's how it happened; only a select number of tickets are sold each day for viewing it. I was lucky enough to get one. The whole place is pressure locked and you go through a series of doors to get into the hall where it's displayed. Only a few people are allowed in at a time. So I go in, walk up to it, and I just sat there staring at it, taking it all in. I can't explain it, I guess I was taken in by the moment, but I was just struck thinking that this was one of the most famous and beautiful paintings in history and at that moment, there were only a few people in the entire world looking at it. And I was one of them. Leonardo DaVinci's "The Last Supper". The original. You would have been emotional too. OK Eric, I'm waiting for your smart ass comment, don't disappoint me...


Rik

Living in Italy vs. "Living in Italy"

Living in Italy as a member of the military or a civilian working for the military is like living in two different worlds. For those who are intimidated by living in a foreign country, they need not worry. It is possible to live in Italy and not worry about ever having to deal with anything or anybody Italian. This is because you work on a military base that is run by Americans. It’s sort of like a little slice of America right in the middle of another country. On base, you can buy American goods at American prices at an American department store (called the PX). You also have the shoppette, which is sort of like a 7-11. Inside our shoppette, you’ll also find a video rental section and a small bookstore. For your potent potables, there is the Class VI store, also in the shoppette. In the Class VI, you can buy several different types of liquor and all those watered down American beers, as well as a decent selection of local (and European) wine and beer. There is a well stocked library that includes free video rental and public internet access. There is a movie theater that shows movies about a month or two after they come out in the US. There are a couple different physical fitness centers (free of charge) that rival many stateside gyms and fitness clubs. For your dining needs, we have Burger King, Popeye’s, Taco Bell, Baskin Robbins, Charlie’s Subs, and Anthony’s Pizza (and you wonder why Americans are so fat?!). As you read this, consider that our base is one of the smaller ones in Europe. Many of the larger bases have twice as many facilities as we do.

So, as you can see, you can do a tour in Italy without ever having to give up many of the comforts and frivolities that you enjoy back home in the US. Sadly, many Americans that come here do just that.

Not me.

When I arrived in Italy, I wanted to get as far away from the American stuff as possible. I wanted to feel like I was actually living in a foreign country. I wanted to get out, meet the people, learn some of the local language, and see what life in Italy is actually like. So I requested to live “on the economy”. The term “on the economy” is one you hear quite a bit overseas. It basically means outside the base. For example, if you go down to the local mall, you’re shopping “on the economy” instead of on base. If you eat at a local restaurant downtown, you’re eating “on the economy” instead of on base. If you rent a house or apartment from an Italian, you’re living “on the economy” instead of on base. This is exactly what I had in mind when I came to Italy. The beauty of living on the economy is that you are able to experience more of the local culture. And the safety net provided by the government is still in place. The government pays you a living allowance that pays for your rent and your utilities (this does not cover phone and some other bills). The amount of the allowance is based on your rank and how many dependents you have (the government is not in the business of paying you to live in splendor).

Then you have COLA. COLA stands for Cost of Living Allowance and is a great thing. The way it works is that there is a certain cost of living in each area. The cost of living in your area is determined quarterly and is compared to the cost of living in the US. If it is determined to be higher, then you receive a monthly cost of living allowance to offset the difference. Right now, the Euro rate is extremely favorable to the US dollar, so anyone stationed in Europe is receiving unbelievably favorable COLA. Often I talk to people stationed here who rave about how much extra money they’re making in COLA each month. I always respond by telling them that when you factor in the extra you’re paying on the economy, you’re not really making out too much. And I’m always disappointed to hear them come back with “Well, we just don’t ever do anything on the economy – we do all our eating and shopping on base, and we don’t really do any traveling so we’re pocketing the whole thing!” Fine. Great. But why the hell are you even here? Why not just stay in the US if you have interest in seeing and experiencing the beauty of Italy? People like that really make me sad. They’ll leave Italy after their tour never having seen anything. And then complain about how much Europe sucked.


Giampietro, Agnese, some vino buono, and some damn good cheese; The benefits of living on the economy.


As for me, I prefer a life that combines the best of both worlds. I live on the economy. After work, I often go down to the local bar to have an espresso or a glass of wine. Sometimes we have dinner at our upstairs neighbors, Giampietro and Agnese. They have thoroughly embraced me because from the day I moved in; I embraced the local culture and customs of Italy. I made an effort to learn a bit of the language. I was respectful of people who lived around me (In contrast, as I would later discover, to other Americans who had lived there before me. One previous tenant drove a Harley Davidson and would wake up the whole neighborhood with it every morning at 5 am. Another used to crank his stereo up all the way at all hours of the night). Eventually, Giampietro started bring me bottles of wine with recommendations of how to serve it and which foods to accompany it with. Often I would have my morning espresso with them and talk with them about a variety of topics, from religion to politics, to history. Much of my love and knowledge of Italy has been acquired from Giampietro and Agnese. If I had chosen to live on base and never venture out on the economy, I would have missed out on so much. In fact, I probably would have left after one two year tour.

And the point of all this is that I still have access to everything that the base provides so I didn’t have to give up any convenience by choosing to live on the economy. I still use the gym on base everyday after work. I buy all my magazines, books, and CDs on base. I buy some clothes on base and some from stores on the economy. I buy all of my shoes on the economy. Italy has very fashionable shoes so I don’t mind paying a few extra bucks for them. We do almost all of our grocery shopping at the grocery store on base, but we do prefer to buy some groceries on the economy such as fruits and vegetables, pasta, and fresh seafood. One thing I NEVER do is eat at the fast food restaurants on base. I avoid them like the plague. But we have several restaurants around town that we frequent and are always trying new ones. I understand the convenience of eating on base, but whenever possible, I’ll take a fresh Italian meal over some processed, pre-packaged fast food any day.

There’s so much more to living on the economy versus living on base. But hopefully this will give you a pretty good idea of some of the differences between living in Italy and “living in Italy”.


Rik

Bella Italia - Gas Costs HOW Much?!

You may recall that I mentioned in yesterday’s entry how gas in Italy costs upwards of around $5 a gallon. Let’s expound upon that a bit today. In Italy, as with the rest of Europe, you buy gas not by the gallon, but by the liter. There are about 3.785 liters in a gallon and the price of a liter of gas averages a little over a euro. So, factoring in the exchange rate, it works out to around $4.50 - $5.00 a gallon. The main reason why it costs so much more than in the US is that there are extremely high taxes levied on fuel in Italy (as with the rest of Europe).

Now, before you start to feel sorry for us poor Americans who are forced to pay such exorbitant prices for gas…we don’t. For members of the US military (or civilians working for the military) stationed in Europe, they have what we call “gas coupons”. The way these coupons work is that the American exchange service takes an average of what gas in the US costs per gallon, and this is what we are supposed to pay for coupons. The coupons come in books of 100 – 200 liters, and each book is divided into coupons in the amount of 5, 10, or 20 liters. The gas coupons are a rationed item as well. The normal allotment is 300 liters per month. However, if you have a vehicle with an engine over a certain size then you’re allowed 400. For one vehicle, 300 liters is usually more than enough, but it’s a problem for some families who have two cars. Even if both the husband and wife drive their own car, you still only receive 300 liters a month. When you register a car on base, they give you a gas card that you bring to the PX (base department store) to keep on file. When you want to buy coupons, you go to the PX, give them your ID card and they pull your gas card to tell you how many liters you have available that month. If you don’t use the full 300 liters each month, you lose them. In other words, they don’t carry over to the next month and accumulate. On the first of every month, you have 300 available and that’s it. However, you have a year to use them, so even if you don’t need them, you can buy the full 300 liters each month and hold on to them. At the end of the year, you are allowed to sell back whatever coupons you didn’t use for a full refund. It’s a good program.

Getting back to the price, it fluctuates throughout the year. I’m not exactly sure, but I believe they survey the US average quarterly and adjust the price of the coupons accordingly. So the cost may go up or down, depending on how the prices in the US are doing. To give you an example, earlier this year, 100 liters of unleaded coupons cost $71.00. Then, on June 1st, the cost of 100 liters went down to $66.00. They usually announce a price change a few weeks ahead of time so you can plan accordingly. For instance, if they say 100 liters is going up to $70.00, then most people will go buy as much as they can now at $66.00.

Where can you use the gas coupons? Not every gas station accepts them. To the best of my knowledge, the only gas stations in Italy that accept them are Esso and Agip. The ones that accept them have worked out a deal with the US agency that controls them, and must accept them everywhere. So if Agip has agreed, then every Agip in Italy must accept them. The only thing is, you can only use them in Italy. So if you’re driving through Switzerland or Austria, you’d better fill up right before you hit the border. Germany, England, the Netherlands, and Spain all have coupons too, but they’re each only accepted in the respective countries. In other words, you can’t use German coupons in Italy and vice versa.

Two welcome sights to American drivers in Italy

To use them, you pull up to the gas station, pump your gas, and fill out the coupons in whatever amount you used. You have to write the date, your license plate number, and signature on them. This is used to track them in case there is a suspicion of fraud.

Gas coupons, as you can imagine, are a hot commodity here since gas is so expensive. Italy has a major problem with vehicle break-ins and petty theft, and one of the main causes is gas coupons. I can almost guarantee you that if you park your car and have gas coupons in plain sight, your car will get broken into. I keep mine locked up in the glove compartment. It’s common sense – although only 60-70 bucks for Americans, a book of 100 liters is worth over 100 euros (about $130) to an Italian. Many Italians ask me if they can buy some coupons from me, but this is strictly forbidden. If you got caught doing this, it’s considered black marketing and you face severe consequences.

Some of the bigger bases in Europe have gas stations right on them and there is no need for coupons. On our base, there is no gas station, so we rely on them. Many people constantly complain that despite the cheaper cost of the coupons, we’re still getting screwed because we’re paying slightly more than the US average. But as for me, I don’t mind. It’s still better than paying Italian prices, and besides, it’s a small price to pay for the opportunity to live in Bella Italia…


Rik

Bella Italia, Take one...

Today is the first installment on Italy. Or, more specifically, what it’s like to be an American living in Italy.

Let’s begin with a little background. As you may know, I originally came to Italy in May of 2000. I was in the Army at that time and had just completed a two year tour in Germany. During my first year in Germany I had an opportunity to visit a friend from back home who was stationed in Naples, Italy. I spent a week and a half between Naples and Rome and was just absolutely floored by how beautiful it was. So when I got back, I immediately filled out a 4187 request form for a transfer to Italy when my tour in Germany was up. I forgot all about it until several months later while on duty in Kosovo when I found out that I had been approved for Italy. I had to add on an extra year to my enlistment in order to have the requisite two years remaining for a full tour but, although I didn’t like the Army, I did so without reservation. It was, after all, Italy. Bella Italia. And the main reason I had joined the Army in the first place was to explore Europe. I came to Italy full of excitement and expectations of what lay in store for me. And for once, my lofty expectations were not only met, but exceeded. I loved Italy so much that I reenlisted twice just to be able to stay here. It hasn’t always been paradise (September 11, 2001 and its aftermath was a particularly difficult time), but I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I finally separated from the Army this past December but was lucky enough to land a job here as a civilian. Unfortunately, my contract is year to year, so I may have to leave anytime. And so I must do everything I can to enjoy this beautiful land and all it has to offer while I can. Even if I had to leave tomorrow, I’m satisfied that I’ve gotten more than my share out of this place.

Let’s start with where I am. The name of the city I’m located in is Vicenza. It’s pronounced “Vee-chenza” (Please don’t call it “Vin-chenza”, as there is no extra “N” in there. This is sort of a pet peeve of mine, one which my brother delights in exploiting as he knows it drives me up a wall. God bless him). Vicenza is located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Venice and is smack dab in the middle between Verona and Padova. To see where we are on the map, click here . Milan is about a 2 hour drive west of us. Florence is about 3-4 hours south of us, and Rome is about 4-5 hours south.

Vicenza is somewhat of a wealthy city. When I got here, I was told that the Veneto region is the richest region in Italy and that Vicenza is the richest city in the Veneto region. But it’s not flashy wealth. You wouldn’t know it by driving around. Unlike most places I’ve been in Europe, there are quite a few people here who drive SUV’s. SUV’s are not a good idea here for two reasons – 1) Gas is roughly 5 bucks a gallon and 2) The streets in downtown were made hundreds of years ago. Even the smallest of cars have trouble negotiating them. But nonetheless, there are a lot of them around here.

One thing I’ve learned in my time here is to forget about the stereotypical notions you probably have of Italy. Italy is a lot like the US in that every region is different and extremely varied. So whatever stereotypes you have mostly come from one particular region or city and are usually not the norm all over. Italy can almost be considered two countries – North and South, separated right around Rome. The north, in general, is where the majority of the industry and wealth are. The south, in some parts, could almost be compared to a third world country (sorry Adele!). Unemployment is very high in the south. In fact, many people in the north believe that Italy actually should be split in two. They complain that they’re paying all the taxes to basically subsidize the south, who they see as living off government handouts.

The dialects of the Italian language are as varied as its inhabitants as well. In fact, often people from different regions have difficulty understanding each other. When I first arrived in Italy, I was dating a girl that worked in the nearby sports bar. One day she came over and we watched a movie called “Il Postino” which is a fantastically beautiful film that takes place in the south, close to Naples (Napoli). The film is in Italian with English subtitles, but the Neapolitan dialect was so strong that she was having tremendous difficulty understanding it. Such is the Italian language.

You could spend years exploring Italy and still never even scratch the surface. Just when you think you've got things figured out, Italy throws you a curve. I like to describe the country as "organized chaos". It never seems to make any sense, but you just go with the flow and somehow things always work out.

Now that you've got a little background, we'll jump right into what it's like to live here as an American in the next installment of "Bella Italia"...

Rik

The Verdict Is In

I received plenty of feedback regarding my last post. Although there were plenty of good ideas and suggestions made in the comments and emails I received, I would say that the most common theme was to write about some aspect of Italy.

To that end, I've decided to do just that. In the coming days and weeks, I will try to write about Bella Italia as much as I can, exploring different aspects and topics.

Of course, there will still be other non-Italy topics interspersed in there as well, but a wise man once said that you have to give the people what they want. So starting tomorrow, I'll try to do just that.


Rik

Rut

I'm in a blogging rut. It seems I had so much to write about while the wife and kid were away because I was gallivanting around Europe on parole. But now that things are back to normal, I'm having trouble finding things to write about.

So...

Let's try a little experiment. If you're reading this, post a comment and recommend something for me to write about. Anything at all. If I get enough decent suggestions in the next day or two then I'll try to pick the best one and blog about it.

Fire away!


Rik

My Kingdom for a Good Movie

What's happening to the film industry lately? It used to be that when I went to the video section of the shoppette here on base, I could always find at least one movie that I deemed worthy of renting. However, for the past several weeks, everytime I go in, there's just nothing.

Now, in the interest of fairness, we don't have a huge selection of movies to choose from. The video rental section is definitely not Blockbuster. But geez, you'd think there'd be at least one freakin' movie worth renting. Sadly, no.

I would even go so far as to say that in the last 6 months, I've only rented one movie that I absolutely loved - "Sideways". And I loved that one mostly because it was about wine. It seems like every movie that I rent just disappoints me. I even consider turning most of them off halfway through. For example, I had seen the previews for "Are We There Yet?" and it seemed hilarious. So I rented it. It sucked. Every funny part was in the previews. Sometimes I try to find a good independent film that I've never heard of. So I tried out a movie called "Bad Trip". It sucked. I started reading a magazine halfway through. Another big budget one that I couldn't wait for was "Anchorman" with Will Ferrell. I absolutely love Will Ferrell so I thought there's no way I could be disappointed. I was. The only one that has come out in the past couple weeks that I was anxious to see was "Be Cool", the follow up to "Get Shorty". I liked the original and I like Elmore Leonard movies, so I thought it'd be good. It didn't suck, but it wasn't great.

And it's getting worse. In the past couple weeks, there has not been a single movie that made me think "Oh yeah, I've been wanting to see that one". There hasn't even been one that made me think "Well, it looks sort of interesting".

Nothing.

I guess I'll have to stick to renting DVD's of television series that I've missed because I'm overseas. I've hearing good things about "24"...

Rik

Introducing...BEER!

Introducing the newest section of the Rikthib.com website - BEER!

To check it out, click the link below:

Click here for BEER!


Rik

I'm a Dumbass

I just realized that I posted an incorrect link on the previous post from a few days ago regarding the new pictures of the X Man being posted. I have fixed it and the link is now correct.

My apologies for any confusion that my stupidity may have caused...


Rik

(PS, Blogger.com, you still suck.)

"Dear Blogger.com"

Dear Blogger.com,

I have been blogging with you for some time now. A friend recommended Blogger as a good choice to blog with and I took her advice.

After a month or so, I began to have problems with Blogger.com. Often I would author an entry and when I clicked on "Publish Post", it would take a while, then lose connection, and I would lose my entire post. This was unbelievably maddening, as I had spent a fair amount of time and cranial energy crafting my words in such a way so as to keep my audience entertained enough to want to visit regularly. Even more maddening were the times when I would try to "Save as Draft" to avoid this problem and it would occur in the middle of saving, costing me yet another entry. After suffering from this injustice a second time, I got smart (I'm a slow learner you see) and starting authoring my entries on Microsoft Word, then pasting them into my blog. This ensured that my literary efforts were never in vain, as I always had a saved copy on my computer desktop to refer to as a backup in the event that I continue to encounter problems with Blogger.

I was relieved to see that Blogger eventually added a "Recover Post" option, thinking that in the event that I lost my post, I could simply click the "Recover Post" button and my post would be magically, well, recovered.

For some strange reason when writing my entry this morning, I eschewed my normal modus operandi and authored my post directly into my Blogger account. I spent an inordinate amount of time and energy writing, previewing, and rewriting said entry. At the risk of sounding immodest, I hasten to point out that it was one of my better entries, filled with witty anecdotes, clever word plays, and more than a few thoughtful insights. I could not contain my glee as I contentedly clicked the "Publish Post" button, eager to share this post with my adoring public. I'm sure I don't have to tell you what happened next, as you can no doubt deduce from the tone and previous content of this message what happened to the latest edition of my blogging efforts. Alas, it went the way of the Dodo. It is now in cyber-purgatory, never to be heard from again. I even tried the "Recover Post" button, but to no avail. Nothing.

It would be impossible to recreate such a masterpiece of blogging literature from what little resides in my brain. And so, rather than make a feeble attempt at such, I decided that I would instead conjure up whatever creativity remains in the recesses of my mind for the purposes of telling you the following:

You Suck.



Warmest Regards,

Rik Thibodeau

New Photos of the X Man Posted

Click here and scroll down to "June 10, 2005" to see them



Rik

The People in my Neighborhood

This is Antonio. Antonio and his family own and operate Il Ristorante d'Antonio, which is the closest restaurant to our house in Caldogno. Antonio's features good pizza and specializes in seafood. They don't have an extensive pasta menu but what they have is also very good. We eat here often as it's very convenient and the food is good. Antonio's place is on the next street over from us so we can walk there and not have to worry about driving home if I have a little too much wine (yes, it does happen on occasion. I know you're shocked.).

I've been going there for years now and Antonio and I have gotten to be pretty good friends by now. We always end up chatting about calcio (soccer) while I sip my wine and wait for our food to be ready. Like most businesses in Caldogno, Antonio has a picture of he and Roberto Baggio hanging up on his wall. One time I ordered some food for dinner and when I pulled out my credit card to pay, Antonio told me that they don't take credit cards, only cash. I had no cash, so he said "It's no problem, just pay next time you come". Now I ask you, how many restaurants in the US would tell you that?

Should any of you ever come to visit us here, rest assured you will probably be taken to meet Antonio so you can experience his delectable cuisine for yourself (except you, Eric).


Rik

Stupid Things People Say

Yesterday I was out running errands in the morning. Upon returning, I drove up into the small parking lot outside my building and got out of the car. There was a guy standing outside smoking a cigarette watching me pull up. I got out of the car and started walking towards the door and he asked "Hey, is Butch in there?".

Gee, I don't know dumbass, let me use my X-ray vision to tell you since you just saw me drive up.

It's just another of those "Stupid Things People Say"...


Rik

Reasons Why I Love Italy, #598

Rik

WTF?!

Can anyone explain this one to me?!


Rik

Pictures from Virginia and the X Man's Trip Home...

Just got the pictures from the wife and kid's trip to Hong Kong and the Philippines. I've got them divided into 3 pages:

Xavier's First Trip to the Philippines (Pangasinan)

Xavier's First Trip to Hong Kong

More Pictures From Hong Kong


Rik

Rome: The Final Recap

Yes my friends, it's finally over. My parole is up, the wife and kid are home safe and sound, and things are finally back to normal. More about that tomorrow. For now, I know you have all been waiting for the final Rome recap, so here it is...

When we last left our hero (me), he had had a less than thrilling experience in Bella Roma. So it was that I decided to go back for my last weekend of freedom, which just happened to be a 3 day weekend due to the Memorial Day holiday. I couldn’t leave things that way I did with Rome. I had to make things right. Things got off to a rocky start however. I arrived in Rome to a beautiful sunny day and found my hotel but my room wasn’t ready yet. So instead of freshening up, changing, checking the map and formulating my plan of attack, I had to leave my bag and head out with no discernable plan. When you have no plan, the first thing you do is find the nearest pub. Unfortunately, it was not yet lunch time so none were open. We were starting off on the wrong foot already. I lost my patience. We argued. We fought. I said some things I didn’t mean, Rome said some things she didn’t mean. Things got very tense. Finally I told her, “Let’s just sit down and work this out before one of us says or does something we’ll regret.” She agreed. So we sat and talked calmly and eventually we worked things out. I’m happy to say that Rome and I are fine now. In fact, we’re better than ever.

Roma and I, back together again

Eventually the first pub opened up – the Marconi. I had a pint while I checked the map and worked out every possible combination of how to get the most out of the weekend without killing myself. I decided to eschew the Vatican altogether as it would be too crowded. The main thing for Saturday was to watch the US-England friendly in one of Rome’s pubs so everything else was just to kill time until the match. I wandered around most of the afternoon and just enjoyed my renewed relationship with the Eternal City. Around dinnertime I decided to just relax and save some energy so I grabbed a quick kebab and hit the Druid’s Den. There were only a couple other people in there so I ended up just downing pints and chatting with the bartender, an Irish girl with a really cool name; I don’t know how to spell it, but it’s pronounced “Neev”. Eventually the match came on so I grabbed a seat and watched the US play like a bunch of journeymen. At the start of the second half, some guy came in and changed the channel right as the match was being played. I asked him what the hell he was doing and he ignored me, so I paid my tab and left for the Fiddler’s Elbow a couple streets over. This was inexplicably packed with a bunch of Americans. I chatted with a few of them and eventually the US actually pulled back a goal. They ended up losing 2-1, miraculous considering how bad they played. By the time the match ended, the place was crawling with American tourists, many of them college students. I even met a girl from South Boston named Alex – not Alice! Alex. We traded some Boston stories and eventually I took off. I decided to end the first night early and got back to the hotel around 2AM. The next day was rife with sightseeing. I decided to explore the Trastevere area of Rome, something I’d always wanted to do. The Trastevere area is sort of like Rome’s “Bohemian” area. It was quiet, tranquil, and even a bit quaint. On the way I did a detour to the Campidoglio, which offers the best view of the ruins of what used to be the Forum.

The Forum Ruins

You can even walk right down into them if you so choose. The Campidoglio itself is gorgeous, something you shouldn’t miss if you go to Rome (Interesting side note for Europeans – the Campidoglio is represented on Italy’s 50 cent Euro piece). Upon leaving Trastavere, I added Mad Jack’s to my list of Rome Pubs.

The afternoon was spent having lunch right in front of the Pantheon, which is probably my favorite of the Ancient Roman monuments. The view and the cuisine combined to make it the perfect Rome experience:

The view I enjoyed while eating lunch. A classic Rome moment.

After the Pantheon, I’d decided I’d done enough sightseeing and hit the Bulldog Pub, formerly the John Bull Pub. I was distressed to find that the only beers on tap were Slalom Strong (Yuck), Foster’s (Double Yuck), and Beamish (Better). I tried the Beamish and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t as good as a Guinness, but it was better than a Murphy’s, so I decided to stay. I ended up spending the rest of the night there, drinking pints of Beamish, writing out postcards, poring over the map, chatting with the Swedish bartender, and meeting people from all over Europe. English, Irish, Australians, Belgians, it was a veritable melting pot of international culture. At one point, I even got behind the tap.

A new career on my hands?

The final night in Rome ended around 3 AM as I stumbled back to the hotel. I left for home early the next day to prepare for the imminent arrival of my wife and kid. Had to give the house a quick once over and make it look somewhat presentable.

And just like that, my 6 week parole was over. It was a fitting weekend to end on. There were some crazy things that happened, but decorum prevents me from giving details. You’ll just have to use your imagination. I had a good run: 2 Venice Pub Crawls, Bologna, Amsterdam, Geneva, Lausanne, and Rome twice. But alas, the run is over.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.

If you’d like to check out the pics from this trip to Rome, Click Here.

Rik