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

24 hours Milan

Work brought me one more time to Italy. Milan. Arrival on 20/8/07 at Malpensa airport flying in from Amsterdam.

Weather: purely crap

First encounter at the airport: Mr. Fabio Cappello (Football trainer)

First thing done: Picked up Avis car

Drove all the way down to Milan (roughly 50 km.) looking for the hotel. Nice minimalistic. Have a look at www.watttredicihotel.it

At 22h30 I managed to get a table at "Al pont de ferr" a nice restaurant in the glamorous Navigli area (see cheese plateau). From there back to the hotel, felt asleep singing "...sognami se nevica, sognami sono nuvola....".

The day after early wake up call to prepare the upcoming meeting. End of fun.

Summer holiday 2007...

....not really according to expectations.



After 3 days in Italy we are told that Isabella has chicken pox.......holy........this means roughly one week out of the sun and a couple of sleepless nights. We were meant to go to Sardinia by boat but Isabella's condition did not allow it, so we had to cancel the trip. This translates in: doctor visits, insurance phone calls, travel agency etc. etc.

What now? Two weeks after finding out the pox the family drove to St. Tropez (France). We spent a very nice week over there among the luxury boats and fast cars. Then we went back to Genoa to celebrate Bella's birthday at the "Castagnina".
On Sunday 29th after having left Jamie behind in Italy with Granpa & Granma, we drive back home...........we are supposed to drive back home.......because after about 180 km. the car breaks down and after three attempts of the Swiss car help we end up in a hotel in Vezia waiting for the morning after. On Monday the car is fixed (a broken sensor) and we finally reach The Netherlands in the night.

Pearl Jam live in Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Breath-taking concert last night.
It was just awesome. Really good. Pearl Jam was a wave of energy, the sound was great and the weather blessed. This was my b-day present from my bro-in-law. Thank you AJ, it was fun.

Pizza and China

Last night there was a Little Italy kind of reunion in the University city of Nijmegen. Old PB's decided to see each other once more for a pizza bite. Rigo, Miss L and myself. The pizza was consumed at Donatello's, it was not bad but the Italian on the menu was sheer crap. Afterwards we went to the "De Compagnie" in the same town for a beer/Martini.

It was good fun and the top of the evening was the Chinese adventure of Rigo. He has been in Shanghai, Chanchai, Chenchei, Chunchoi, Choichoi, HoiHoi and so on.

Walibi

What a funny day at Walibi Belgium last Saturday. It was absolutely a pleasant day, spent with Jamie, Max and Dick.
The "Flashback" got us really wet, helped by the falling rain. I found out one thing: Mexican are faster than Belgian. Gosh, it took them ages to make an hamburger.

1893 Genoa Cricket and Football Club

Adrenaline !!!!
The oldest Italian football club is back where it belongs. SERIE A.
It was worth a flight. What a game, what a party. The town upside down.

Still living the dream.

FORZA GENOA

GENOA 1893: Primi a nascere, ultimi a morire (First born, last dead)

Sorry guys, this is in Italian. It is about my football team and the passion of his fans. The oldest team of Italy described by some old players. Even if you cannot understand possibly the images will give you some feelings anyhow.


Genoa_Primi_a_nascere.avi

Is the future of football in China?

I am really worried about the future of our beloved sport. These guys (girls) look dangerous !!!