Just sitting here on the veranda having some fruit for breakfast in my pj's and listening to "40 of the World's Most Beautiful Arias" and it just seems to fit. The church bells in the distance also add to the whole ambience of being in a country known for it's musical heritage. (I'm waxing slightly nostalgic here, not trying to rub it in.)
I countinue to be amazed at not only how calm the Med is here, but in the 12 days there's been virtually no wind. I guess I wasn't expecting that since I was at the shore, I thought that there would be more off shore winds, but it's amazingly calm all the time. The sea isn't flat without waves but no real swells of any magnitude. Just different than like the Pacific where you get constant rollers coming in. Carlo don't surf here.
I've talked with some of you about the abundant choices of English TV here in Tropea, I have three channels all news all the time (BBC World, CNN intl and TV24 from France) everything else is an incredible potpourri of international channels. Here in Italy, they truly have the ala carte satellite system. You buy what you want to watch, probably with a few basics. (There are several God channels of all religions) Lots of Arab, Russian and German channels to be had as well.
Sports in Italy is very big and not just for men. I'm amazed at the amount of women's professional leagues here. They have volleyball, handball, basketball, soccer, indoor soccer, in-line hockey and those are just the winter seasons. Unbelievable how many professional opportunities women have here compared to the States. This is in addition to all the amateur winter sports that are going on now as well. I mean when's the last time you saw cross-country skiing or downhill skiing or speed skating or biathlon in the States when it wasn't a Olympic year? It's no wonder we take so few gold medals, we don't publicize the sports so top athletes don't compete in them. No so here, they're all over the airwaves.
Of course, Saturday is dominated by Soccer. This weekend is the last of the round robins for their leagues. There are 3 professional leagues and they are loved here (duh, AJ). March madness is coming, a different March madness than ours of course. And basketball, there are 5 professional leagues here of varying levels. All those college stars that don't make it in the NBA are here making a living. Speaking of which, I haven't seen any college sports. There must be but just not on the scale as ours. I'll have to ask.
Sunday ritual, Papa's out cleaning up the yard. Instead of a rake he's got a big old witch riding broom that he uses to clean up all the leaves that have fallen out of the fruit and olive trees here. Company is coming on the 18th so he's gotta keep up appearances. I'll have Swedish neighbors for most of my last week here.
Cristian and family are filling up the calendar quickly here. I noticed on his website calendar that the Swedes are paying $474 a week for the 3 bedroom apartment. In the summer it goes for $950 to $1350 a week and July and August are almost completely booked up. Anyone for a real estate investment opportunity?? We can trade off on-site caretaker duties.
Here's a shot from Cristian's website of what this place looks like in August. Quite a change from my crowded beach days, eh? Speaking of beach days, the sun came out this afternoon and the views toward Lamezia Terme cleared up as well.
Being Sunday i decided to have brunch on the patio and while deciding what to eat, Cristian shows up and says that today his grandmother is making hand made pasta would I like some? Duh, dude! As usual I tell him it's not necessary, I was going to cook something up, but how could I pass up homemade pasta.I am easily distracted and convinced.
So i did mention the sun coming out right. Beautiful day. High in the upper 50's, time to break out the shorts.
A good Sunday. I'll close with a pic of my landlord and new friend, Cristian Buttafuoco.
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