Solidarity for my Dutch friends and family

Muse - A band well ahead in the 21st Century

My expectations were great, these guys went beyond them. A mature, multimedia show that probably has not much competition around.

The music was an orgy of sound, a solid barrier with great melodics. Guitar, bass and drums. Awesome. If you have a chance DO NOT MISS Muse.

Seen on 19th June, 2010 at Goffert Park, Nijmegen. The Netherlands.

Concert of the year ??

Getting ready for Muse in Nijmegen.

Normandie, Bretagne, EuroDisney and Genova...and an artistic surprise

Right now I am in Cairo, sitting in the hotel so I have some time to write a few words about the holiday I have spent with the family in the course of the last two weeks. Despite of the weather (quite bad and certainly not expected during the second week in Italy) we had a great vacation.
It started off at Colleville-sur-Mer but probably better known as Omaha Beach (D-day). This was really impressive. Just thinking about all those hero's that without any personal interest came to die in Europe to fight Hitler. The following days we have visited St. Malo, the coast around Cap Frehel, Dinard (beautiful), Cancale (the world most famous oysters), Dinan (where we have slept) and Mount St. Michel (a must-see). A culinary note: we had excellent food and sitting at Sourcouf on the Cancale's boulevard was huge.

After Bretagne we drove to Paris with one single aim during one single afternoon. Go with the kids on the Tour Eiffel. It took a long (cold) time in quite a stressing queue but we managed to get to the top.

The next two days we spend at Eurodisney. We had a lot of fun and the kids went crazy. We left France passing the Mont Blanc tunnel we entered Italy where we totally surprised my parents who thought that we were having our holiday in the USA.

After one week in Italy we finally drove home in less than 12 hours (1180 km.), not bad.

Oh, today on the plane I sat next to Ziya, we had a pleasant discussion. Check him on Youtube and if you have the chance go to see his performance.

To Spring - William Blake (1783)

O thou with dewy locks, who lookest down
Through the clear windows of the morning, turn
Thine angel eyes upon our western isle,
Which in full choir hails thy approach, O Spring!

The hills tell one another, and the listening
Valleys hear; all our longing eyes are turn’d
Up to thy bright pavilions: issue forth
And let thy holy feet visit our clime!

Come o’er the eastern hills, and let our winds
Kiss thy perfumèd garments; let us taste
Thy morn and evening breath; scatter thy pearls
Upon our lovesick land that mourns for thee.

O deck her forth with thy fair fingers; pour
Thy soft kisses on her bosom; and put
Thy golden crown upon her languish’d head,
Whose modest tresses are bound up for thee.

Cordial, Oss

Hmmmm, hmmmmm, hmmmmm. Restaurant Cordial in Oss, The Netherlands. One of the top restaurant of the Low Countries. Tremendous cuisine. Three toppers: the crab amuse, the deer and the Canadian Vidal Icewine (oh so good).

Dubai...Dubuy....Dubye-bye

This week my work took me to Dubai. I was always quite skeptical about this city but I must say that it is really stunning, the city of the future....perfect beatiful streets, incredible buildings, lights and glamour. Burj Khalifa is really, really huge. I had also the luck to enter and stay at one of the villa's at Palm Jumeirah.

Belgrade and the Date Mussel

Despite the snow the visit to Serbia reserved a great surprise. The date mussel. Fishing this mollusc has been prohibited in Europe for many years (in Italy since 1988). Apparently there are no restrictions in Serbia where the date mussel comes from Montenegro. The soup at restaurant Bevanda was amazing and granted a jump back in time of 20 years.

The thin line

Gliding on the edge between joy and desperation, black and white, future and no future. Today we have been there but we have grown stronger.

New year, new trip, new country: Croatia

For the first time in my life I have been in Croatia. Every year we discuss home if we should go to Croatia and we end up somewhere else. Yesterday I landed in Zagreb but honestly I saw ZERO of the city. Last night I travel over to Dubrovnik on the Dalmatian coast. This is a beatiful medieval costal town, surronded by terrific walls built on dramatic cliffs. The weather was superb. The road from the airport to the hotel just wonderful. The sea, the islands off the coast, the mountains in the back, the stone houses with red-tiled roofs. All of it not spoiled yet even if in the high season it might be different. Oh, I forgot the most important thing, the people. Very nice and easy-going.

Haiti - Remember

I have googled Haiti to see how many hits there were last year.
Result: 389.000.000
I have googled Haiti to see how many hits there were in the last 24 hours.
Result: 220.000.000

Nobody ever cared about them, let's pray that we will care about them NOW.

Make a donation to help them.

Luca Collami @ Ristorante Baldin - Genoa

During our last visit to Genoa we enjoyed some classical Italian food revisited in modern style. On a rainy day we had lunch served by chef Luca Collami awarded this year with a Michelin star. Chapeau.

2009 going, going, gone.

2009 is history. Roughly 12 hours to go. A year with ups and downs as always. Last night watched "Brothers" a good way to say farewell. Welcome 2010 and bring us health, joy and happiness.

A travelling working year

2009 will be the year of the travel. Concluded with three in a row: Prague, Cairo and Kiev.

Happy that the holiday season is coming up.

Candy - Paolo Nutini

What a song and the trembling voice of Paolo makes it just so delicate. A top talent without any doubt who is able to set a diamond in the long list of juiceless songs of this moment.

I lost a part of me......

For the first time in my life I am not 100% original. One of my wisdom tooth is gone !!!

Riga and the Antichrist

Three great days in Riga. It was good, good fun to be in Latvia with our friends Claudia and Kenneth. We enjoyed everything: the food, the architecture, the dry (no rain) weather, the beach, the cocktails, the flights, the hotel, the ladies :-), the Lebanese, the movies....yes the movies.
The Antichrist will surely stay in our memories. A shocking movie certainly the last 30 minutes.

Sofia..Utopia...

A troublesome day. After landing in Prague and having the first meeting there I headed for the second part of the journey: Destination Sofia.....but Boeing did not think so. Luckily on the ground they found some problems at the plane so that we switched to another one...2 hours later......Landed in Sofia I have been ripped off by a taxi driver.....

Places I have been

Elisa, Marianna, Stefania, Marco

Back from the summer holiday where we had a lot of experiences and saw lots of places I cannot do anything else than dedicate this space to the people mentioned in the title.

Sometimes life can surprise you. You think you know your friends but still they can astonish you as Marco and his wonderful family did. They let us feel as king, queen, prince and princess in an incredible way.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you to the 4 of you.

Hot weather in Bratislava

At 22h00 the temperature was still of 27 degree Celsius. Strolling around it feels like being on a Mediterranean summer holiday location. All restaurants fully packed and beautiful surroundings.

And then came the time that Luca hit the road again

Last Friday we honoured Luca's decision to move again. Luca once moved from Italy to Holland and now he will be flying over the ocean: Destination Brazil. There he will join his wife and little daughter. This was a good opportunity to celebrate at Carlo's CookStudio in Den Bosch.

Manlio, Erik, Luca, Giovanni, Carlo, Marco, Carlo, Claudio, Giuseppe, Little Samuel, "George Matteo Clooney" and myself.

It was a truly pleasant evening with seafood and Manlio's white wines (the Soave was top).

Michael Jackson

He was not my idol, neither my hero. However there are many many songs I like and he was an incredible showman. One of a kind, I would say. Universally successfull but it always looked like he was leading an unhappy life. God bless him.

Balla Bella, balla ballerina

I thank God, Allah, Buddha or just the fate because today I saw my little girl dancing.

Long Live Gisele (Bundchen)

Dolphins, seals, warlrus and so on

Today we had a wonderful sunny family day out in Harderwijk.

Cairo - Culture shock

WOW. Three days but it feels like three months. What a roller coaster drive it was. I could start from the Pyramids and the Sphinx but what really hit me was the chaos, or as I want to call it, the "Linear Chaos", yes because Egyptians experience it as Total Order. I see chaos as a curved, spaghetti-alike kind of plot but they bend it so far that it becomes straight again, the "Linear Chaos" and they just live with it. For an European, even a South European like me, an odd experience.

Al Hussein Mosque, another stunning 10 minutes of a culture so different from ours. I will never forget it.

The Taxi Drive, felt each second of it as being the possible last one of my life (when trying to wear the belt, the driver told me not to do it or my shirt could get dirty !!!!).

Khan El Khalili. The Bizarre Bazar.

Milito, Milito, Milito game over sul Derby, impazzisce Marassi

Tomorrow

I turn 42.
Somehow I feel it today. It was a hard day at work with quotations for Cairo Airport and Wroclaw Airport plus a couple of meetings. Additionally we had to put all the furniture aside to allow the painting of the house tomorrow.

On the other side I know that in one week time we will fly over to Italy to RELAX.

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Today I have managed to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine. This is the only salt mine worldwide functioning from the Middle Ages until today. It is quite amazing with several sculpture left behind through the centuries. These works of art have been initiated by the miners themselves and more recently this job has been taken over by artists. This is a UNESCO protected site and one of a kind.

Preghiera per l'Abruzzo, Italia. Aprile 2009

Pochi minuti di riflessione su un'altra tragedia che ci zittisce, ci fa guardare gli schermi come in trance, ci fa ascoltare la radio con il pianto nel cuore. Una parte dell'Italia è in ginocchio e tutti noi siamo in ginocchio con loro, e per loro. Fiumi di parole (le mie tra le altre) saranno scritti che mai eguaglieranno i fiumi di lacrime che tantissima gente versa e dovrà versare. Si sentono testimonianze incredibili di dolore, eroismo, paura, coraggio, forza, tenerezza.

La nostra impotenza esplode in tutta la sua nudità, guardando le fotografie vedo un enorme timore negli occhi della gente che mai e poi mai riuscirà più ad essere quella di due giorni fa. Sono sempre gli occhi quelli che cerco perchè non mentono, a volte una bocca sconvolta da un urlo o sfigurata da una smorfia mi fa deviare ma gli occhi alla fine mi raccontano tutto, mi raccontano il momento. Incredulo anche mio figlio di dieci anni che ieri dopo averne parlato si è trovato accanto a me a guardare il telegiornale ed ha capito solo allora l'ampiezza e la crudezza di quanto era successo.

Io non credo ma la preghiera è un qualcosa che mi aiuta, una preghiera che per me non è una filastrocca imparata da bambino, un testo imposto ma semplicemente un momento di riflessione, una pausa, queste poche righe. Per capire. Se mi leggete per favore pregate, come volete.

Lisbon - Nice to meet you

Good evening. Yesterday me and wife came back from a long weekend in Lisbon. We had 4 marvellous days full of different experiences.

The Weather: it was sunny all the time.
The City: very surprising and exciting (surely the Alfama hood at night....)
The Food: Casa de Linhares, Casa do Alentejo, Restaurante Via Graca. All of them with something to remember.
The Monuments: Well, the cloister of the Jeronimos Monastery in Belem left us speechless.
The Oddities: the Santa Justa lift
The Hotel: Olissippo Castelo
The Sport: up and down the hills
The People: Politeness
The Kiss: An old lady gave me one

So if you get bored, take a plane a fly to Portugal.

Warsaw calls Kabul

I was sitting at the 37th floor of the Marriott Hotel in Warsaw calling Kabul Airport. I realized how crazy that situation was, absurd actually.

116-year-young Genoa CFC

Tiziano Ferro - The greatest gift

Pablo Picasso

Just to dedicate this message to a true genius of our time.

Aquarium

After a few dead fishes, it looks like now we have found some stability within the population of our aquarium. Difficult business. You think, you buy one and put some fishes into it, you feed them and you are ready. NOOOOOO!. Much more complex.

Back from Kiev

Just too short to get a good idea of the city I slept in Hotel Dnipro. Built in 1964 it shows its years and far tooooooooo expensive for the delivered quality. Bought last Tiziano Ferro's CD at EUR 6 (original)!!!! Dinner in the Buddha Bar. The place looks extremely trendy. Have a look at http://www.buddhabar.com.ua/eng/ the choice: Spicy Tuna Tartar with Avocado and Pink Grapefruit and Curry of Lamb and Mango Chutney surely the Tuna was good.
Oh just in time also to get a taxi accident.

Fabrizio De André dieci anni dopo.

A dieci anni dalla sua morte un grazie a Fabrizio De André per le musiche e i testi che ci ha lasciato.



Via del Campo
Via del Campo c'è una graziosa
gli occhi grandi color di foglia
tutta notte sta sulla soglia
vende a tutti la stessa rosa.

Via del Campo c'è una bambina
con le labbra color rugiada
gli occhi grigi come la strada
nascon fiori dove cammina.

Via del Campo c'è una puttana
gli occhi grandi color di foglia
se di amarla ti vien la voglia
basta prenderla per la mano

e ti sembra di andar lontano
lei ti guarda con un sorriso
non credevi che il paradiso
fosse solo lì al primo piano.

Via del Campo ci va un illuso
a pregarla di maritare
a vederla salir le scale
fino a quando il balcone ha chiuso.

Ama e ridi se amor risponde
piangi forte se non ti sente
dai diamanti non nasce niente
dal letame nascono i fior
dai diamanti non nasce niente
dal letame nascono i fior.

Today I started to run again

.......as they say: "Just do it".

Another one has gone

A few hours and 2008 is history while on the other side of the world 2009 is already present time.

Good moments and bad moments have signed the last 365 days. I hope you all will have a great year ahead.

Back from Vienna

It was truly "touch and go" but I had the chance to see some beautiful things: the Dome (twin to the one in Cologne, only one tower in Vienna though), the Graben and its wonderful palaces, the Schonbrunn Palace from a distance.
Last but not least if you get there try the "Aviator" of the Weingut Keringer winery. Outstanding red. We had a bottle in the "Mark Twain Room" at the Griechenbeisl (picture) an establishment that dates back to 1447 !!!! (www.griechenbeisl.at)

Sampdoria - GENOA 0-1

I am happy like a child. My dedicated trip to Genoa resulted in a oh-so-wished victory of my team.
It was top fun to enjoy the match with The Doctor and see the other side of town kneel down at the end of the game.

Charlotte Roche - Wetlands

Reading the book. What to say? Dunno. Personally I found Bukowski much more fun.

Buon Compleanno Lidia

Cooking trip

The sky is the limit. Tonight's menu is:
- Sweet potato and chorizo soup
- Chicken kurma
- Chocolate cake with dates, strawberry chutney

Took a looooooong time but loved it.

Ravioli

Today I made ravioli.....for the first time in my life.....peculiare for a 41-year-old Italian.
Filling according to Jamie Oliver's suggestions: parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, basil, sundried tomatoes, Parma ham, mortadella (my own idea).
It was good but a lot of work to prepare the dough. Next time possibly experience will speed up the process.

Amazing Bruges

Today we came back from a weekend in Bruges, a truly captivating Flemish pearl. If you are around, do not miss it. The city shows a brilliant large historical centre, canals, unbeaten chocolate tradition, nice restaurants and so on.

Sailing with Ernest

What a wonderful afternoon last Saturday. The boat, the weather, the drinks, the food. Thank you "amis" for the beautiful day.

Montenegro - Crna gora

My work took me to an incredible place, Montenegro. A land of mountains and sea where nature is still nature without being disturbed by human made crazy ideas. This is the way it is so far but construction works are very active along the beautiful coast.

I will treasure the old part of Budva, the bay of Kotor with the incredible little village of Perast, the smile of the people, the beautiful peaks, the view of Sveti Stefan from the hills.....and the dreadfully slow trucks and tractors !!!!

Budapest Airport.........

..........that´s the place where I stranded and the place I am right now. Due to "technical problems" the inbound flight from Amsterdam to Budapest was delayed and so I have missed my connection to Podgorica....my waiting time to the next flight is 10 hours......long hours.

Diego Alberto Milito - El Principe de Bernal

Nothing else to say. People out there know what I mean.

Bar Rafaeli

To my men readers.
I thought it was about time to post a girl again.
She is very popular right now, quite peculiar from Israel

Violet Hill - Coldplay

This songs just KICKS ASS. The beat is fascinating and I love the crescendo.
I need it tonight and I dedicate this to Elisa.



Was a long and dark December
From the rooftops I remember
There was snow
White snow

Clearly I remember
From the windows they were watching
While we froze
Down below

When the future's architectured
By a carnival of idiots on show
You'd better lie low

If you love me
Won't you let me know?

Was a long and dark December
When the banks became cathedrals
And the fog
Became God

Priests clutched onto bibles
Hollowed out to fit their rifles
And the cross was held aloft

Bury me in honor
When I'm dead and hit the ground
A love back home unfolds

If you love me
Won't you let me know?

I don't want to be a soldier
Who the captain of some sinking ship
Would stow, far below

So if you love me
Why'd you let me go?

I took my love down to Violet Hill
There we sat in snow
All that time she was silent still

So if you love me
Won't you let me know?

If you love me,
Won't you let me know?

A te - Jovanotti

Emotional summary of the last three weeks.

Again back, unfortunately, from holiday. Genoa, St.Tropez, Genoa to shortly summarize. You could expect to hear highlights about the St.Tropez glamour or the Mediterannean lifestyle and weather but that's not the case. What did we take back in our memory suitcase? My daughter turning 5, the face of my son receving Gormiti's, Francesco Valle who sings Ligabue at the small football field of the S. Eugenio church in Crevari, my father and his friend "Maestro Franco Albanese" who astonished me with an amazing performance of Genoese songs, the cruise ships that leaves the harbour in Genoa and recall the images of one of Fellini's most famous movie, Tonino Carotone and Magnifico & Turbolenza who play as support act to Manu Chao.


Three weeks worth living.

Summertime

Hi folks, it is again that time of the year when we gear up and leave Holland to head mostly south. Tomorrow we'll pack the car and drive to Italy (1 week), France (1 week) and Italy (1 week).

Done that we'll be back and online.

Take good care of yourself and enjoy life.

Let me entertain you....me, myself and I

After years of writing I have decided it was about time to show my face to the world.
..and I AM NOT the one in the backround.

159 - The Magic Number

Some time ago I wrote about it, now I drive it. Just pure pleasure. I love it.

I am in the mood to leave an empty page. Fill it in with your thoughts.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Turkey - Club Voyage Torba

Hi folks.
We are back from a spring break. Destination Turkey and more precisely Torba (nearby Bodrum). It will not go in the book as the best vacation ever mostly due to the weather. Out of the 9 days we had 3 bad ones and at night it was rather chill due to the wind. Apart from this we had a good stay at Club Voyage Torba, we enjoyed strolling around in Bodrum and the sweetness dripping baklava's were just PERFECT.

Greetings from Prague

This is a very fast one.
Greetings from the lobby of Hotel U Prince (www.hoteluprince.cz).

Tremendous weather today.

Into the Wild - Sean Penn

If you want to think about life, have a good look at this movie. For me this is a true masterpiece and I believe Penn's first one as director. The story of a graduated smart guy who decides to leave everything to go to Alaska. During his Kerouac's alike On the Road experience he meets several friends: old guy, hippies, Danish couple, young girl and so on. Experiences that will help him to find the meaning of life (and of being happy) while out Into The Wild.

This said, listen good to Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) soundtrack. Amazing.

Tallinn - Estonia

What a fantastic city. I am totally surprised. It is unspoiled, no big shops in the Old Town, no globalization chains on Toompea Hill. Medieval, cobblestones, Russian churches, a pharmacy dating back at least to 1422 and so on. A truly jump back in the past. Visit this town NOW before it is too late to admire its spirit.
I am also lodging in a beautiful hotel in the Old Town, Hotel Telegraaf (good 2-nights stay offer through booking.com). Tonight however the pool was not accessible due to maintenance !!
I had some truly awesome food at Restaurant Ö (http://www.restoran-o.ee/).

A place to come back on a summer day.

Shot rings out in the Memphis sky

Martin Luther King
(15-1-1929 4-4-1968)

"I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."²This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, From every mountainside, let freedom ring! And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.But not only that:Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.From every mountainside, let freedom ring.And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:Free at last! Free at last!Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Auschwitz 1 - Children shoes display

Children footsteps at the end of the corridor,
no laughs or cry of joy, only silence.

Awareness of their faith, empty looks staring ahead.
Standing, waiting in a queue. Their last day.



Dusty shoes are left behind, images of what should have never been.
Tears wet my face.
I am alive, bear the memories.

Francis Bacon at Palazzo Reale - Milan

If you happen to be in Milan, be aware that until June 29th there will be the possibility to admire the works of Sir Francis Bacon.
I believe that Sir Bacon has been one of the greatest artist of the 20th century.
For more information check: http://www.francisbacon.it/
Enjoy.

"Fugazza" & "Faina"

Funny thing Internet. Just surf a bit and you discover that two tremendously typical things of your hometown (Genoa, Italy) are just to be found at the other side of the world and spelled in Genoese.

So I discovered that in Buenos Aires you can eat "Fugazza" (focaccia in Italy) and "Faina" (farinata in Italy). This is not so crazy if you think that the Genoese founded the Boca in the XIX century but funny anyhow to see how the dialect words place their roots in the Pampa country. One more reason to go there someday.

By the way the best focaccia in Genoa can be eaten at Priano (Voltri). The best farinata at Vexima (also in Voltri).

Eduardo - Arsenal

My best wishes of a quick recovery to this youngster.

Quadranga: 2008 new beachwear fashion ???

If you ask me, YES. This might be cracking business. Look out guys !!! Danger on the beach.

Praga - Praha - Prague - Praag

This week my work brought me to the Czech Republic and more precisely to Prague. I must say that I am really impressed by the beauty of this city. I heard many people say what a nice looking place this is but I was extremely surprised. I think that the Czech people should be proud of having such a nice capital. The Old Town, Charles Bridge, the Lesser Quarter, The Castle....the beer.

Lucho Figueroa

I am happy for Lucho. Soy feliz por Lucho. Sono contento per Lucho. Ik ben blij voor Lucho.

Lithuania - Vilnius & Kaunas

East, east, east. Lands of contrast again. Two new airport terminals built this year in Kaunas and Vilnius but outside the "big cities" it looks like the '50s. The Old Town of Vilnius is magnificent, absolutely beautiful. Kaunas will check next time. "Restaurant La Provence" offers amazing food and the wine list is very rich......Lithuanian Airlines rocks.............

Gormiti - An Italian story

Back from Italy I want to write a couple of lines about an incredible hype: the Gormiti.

This is absolutely huge. During the Xmas period it is estimated that 30 million pieces have been sold. Basically there is no home in Italy (where kids are, but not only) without one of these little monsters.

So you are informed. If you get there you know what this is all about.

Things we leave behind

This is the view from my parents' house. The Mediterranean is king. It is so peaceful to look at this picture. In this case the sky (and the sea) is really the limit.

I took this picture without further thinking but now I see it I realize that this is an important picture for me.
It strikes me also the fact that it seems that all the colours are outside and the inside seems to be black and white.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

Porto Praga East Warsaw

The right side of Warsaw has always been seen as a "dangerous" place to be but.....the times are changing. I decided to go out there for dinner (by taxi just to be on the safe side). The place is Porto Praga (in the Praga neighbourhood). It took them 2 years to make it as it is but it was worth it.

Started with a perfect Mojito.

Black Tiger shrimps in a blend of ginger, mango and chilli.

Squid and shrimps in ginger and garlic sauce, sliced peppers and fried rice.

Finished off with an excellent Illy espresso. Try this place if you happen to be in Warsaw.

Mr. Springsteen, thank you.

Bruce, if someday you will read this line I just want to thank you for last night emotions.

Thank you for being just the same throughout the years despite of the fame and the money. You have taught us to run.

LAST TO DIE

We took the highway till the road went black

We'd marked, Truth or Consequences on our map

A voice drifted up from the radio

And I thought of a voice from long ago

Who'll be the last to die for a mistake

The last to die for a mistake

Whose blood will spill, whose heart will break

Who'll be the last to die, for a mistake

Kids asleep in the backseat

We're just counting the miles, you and me

We don't measure the blood we've drawn anymore

We just stack the bodies outside the door

Who'll be the last to die for a mistake

The last to die for a mistake

Whose blood will spill, whose heart will break

Who'll be the last to die, for a mistake

The wise men were all fools, what to do

The sun sets in flames as the city burns

Another day gone down as the night turnsAnd I hold you here in my heart

As things fall apart

A downtown window flushed with light

Faces of the dead at five

Our martyr's silent eyes

Petition the drivers as we pass by

Who'll be the last to die for a mistake

The last to die for a mistake

Whose blood will spill, whose heart will break

Who'll be the last to die

Who'll be the last to die for a mistake

The last to die for a mistake

Will Darlin' tyrants and kings fall to the same fate

Strung up at your city gates

Who'll be the last to die for a mistake

NO MORE WARS

Born to run - The Boss is in town (Arnhem, Gelredome)

The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive
Everybody's out on the run tonight but there's no place left to hide
Together Wendy we can live with the sadness
I'll love you with all the madness in my soul
h-Oh, Someday girl I don't know when we're gonna get to that place
Where we really wanna go and we'll walk in the sun
But till then tramps like us baby we were born to run

Springsteen..........No............."Osteria"

Well yesterday we were supposed to drive to Arnhem to attend a Boss' concert but.....Bruce got sick and postponed his concert to today (hopefully !!!!).

What to do? Kids sleeping at friends (thanks Lidia and Marco) so decided to go for a bite.

We ended up in little St. Oedenrode and had dinner at "Osteria". Apart from having Mr. Cas Spijkers next to us (a well-know Dutch chef) I only want to mention the Spinach and Ricotta filled Ravioli with duck sauce. AMAZINGLY GOOD

Capitolo 1 - Il viaggio

L'orologio del campanile di Crevari segnava le cinque e otto minuti ed eravamo gia' all'imbrunire. Una giornata interamente spazzata dalla tramontana, pungente ma non ancora fredda. Sotto di me la chiesa, tetti di ardesia, palme, ulivi e limoni. Davanti a me il mare, un gozzo in lontananza ed un cielo sfumato di blu e rosa. Quella sera avevo la Liguria ai miei piedi.

Genova, superba e pigra, era adagiata a sinistra. Distesa come un serpente ad avvolgere le anse create dal mare e dall'uomo. Ritmicamente la lanterna con il suo fascio di luce scandiva il lento divenire del tempo. Chiusi gli occhi ed iniziai a sognare..........


"il mare ormai si stava calmando, dopo 3 giorni di tempesta che avevano trasformato l'ultima parte del viaggio in una vera e propria punizione. A bordo nessuno faceva piu' caso alla situazione precaria che si era creata da quando si era salpati da Genova. Era il giugno del 1923, il viaggio inaugurale di questo piroscafo varato a Glasgow 8 mesi prima.



Il "Conte Verde" aveva puntato la prua su Buenos Aires e gia' tra la foschia del mattino s'intravvedeva il profilo della citta'. Alessandro non riusciva piu' a staccare gli occhi dai quei contorni confusi, la testa gli girava, la gioia e l'impazienza stavano prendendo il soppravento".

Norman Mailer

31-1-1923 10-11-2007

Grisham

Yep, you say, "The Broker" one of Grisham's novels, so what? This is not about the book but.....The story is mostly based in Bologna a beautiful Italian town and home of some of the best food products of the country.

At a certain point of the novel Grisham, who lived in Bologna for quite a while to improve his Italian, mentions a restaurant. Well I had my dinner there last night. The name of the resturant is "Franco Rossi" and the food is excellent.

I had a wonderful homemade pasta with Parma ham, some delicious Pienza cheese with fig jam and onion compote and rounded up with an almond ice cream covered with hot chocolate (and a nice glass of Pantelleria wine). All of this for €37. Good and affordable.

Rugby: A class of its own

I really need to spend a couple of words about this "art" called sport. Lately I saw a couple of matches played during the World Cup in France. Amazing. The truly spirit of a pure competition is springing out of the field. Used and annoyed by football actors I was surprised to see how such a hard sport as rugby can be played. Chapeau.

Back from the UK

Just hit and go. Went yesterday, back today. But what a good feeling old Britain left. The weather was magnificent, the hotel soooo British (Ramada Newton Park), the food in Nottingham (World Services Restaurant just a few yards from the Castle) was first class so was the Pouilly.
Dinner with two Italian customers and Corrado (my colleague). Pleasant evening. Today visited the Argos Distribution Center very well led by Paul.

Snow Patrol

You're All I Have Lyrics

Wining and dining in..................Poland

If you are going to Poland and think: "Oh my God, what shall I eat over there?"Well, you can try these ones.

Restaurant Rubikon in Warsaw (ul. Wrobla 3/5 in Mokotow), see picture.
Restaurant Monopol in Katowice (ul. Dworcowa 5).

Enjoy your meal.......and your wine