George Rebane

Arrived this morning in Rome two hours late because of the Icelandic ash cloud.  Europe’s skies are finally open, and all the airplanes are now repositioning so that airports are chaotic.  We’ve slept about four hours in the last thirty-six, and this powerful body is not as powerful as it used to be.  Jo Ann had a full schedule planned for the afternoon which I attempted to shorten.  No joy.  The Borghese Galleria and Museum with its fine marbles and paintings got our full attention after an Italian taxi ride got our juices flowing again.

After that we made it back to our hotel which is located in the center of one of the world’s most wallet sucking prone neighborhoods in the world.  A lawyer with the EU, whom we met at Dulles in WashDC, warned me about that.  Jo Ann just sat there and smiled.  She’s been planning this little assault for the last four months at least.  I looked at the hotel through Google Earth, and I couldn’t see anything threatening,  but the ground level scenery said it all – Prada, Gucci, Ferragamo, Bulgari, … – this is their home turf.

Our friends arriving from Hong Kong are delayed because of the ash, but the ladies have some serious retail therapy planned for Friday.  The picture was taken about two blocks from the hotel on a typical central Rome street.  I’m about three (maybe four) sheets the wind after we finished probably the best lasagna we have ever eaten. Tired and hungry and a glass or two of great Italian wine will do it to me every time.  Memo to file – we should kidnap one of their cooks and set them up on Broad Street.