Our new villa - a house with a name!

I always love reading the novels where houses have a name. Even if they are humble cottages, it seems like having a name gives the house character and it lives beyond the current residents. Our new villa is called "Villa Battista", named after the father of the our landlady. It was built for him and after he passed away several years ago, the daughter inherited it and wants to keep it in the family to eventually pass along to her children. In the meantime, we will live there and respect it as if it were our own.

It has felt like this day would never come! Not sure what the Lord's plan is with the delays and the false starts but at last this feels "right" and is truly a blessing. Our sea shipment is due to arrive and be delivered to the house on Wednesday, 2/1.

The house is so pretty that photos don't do it justice. It is built in the turn of the 20th century architecture but is really very modern, built in 1993 all the amenities you would expect.

The kitchen is called "American Style" -- I guess because of the island cook top and wrap around counter space. Certainly there are more cupboards here than we had in Everett!

The google address

Even after the move this week, we will have a few things left to do: closets, window treatments, and light fixtures still to acquire but since there are some of these already there, it is not an urgent thing to get them before we move in.

The stair lift is on order. Unfortunately it has a 50 day lead time, so I will have to decide howI can minimize my stair usage for the next month and a half, while we wait. Johnnie is so anxious to move in, that I will probably sleep downstairs on the sofa or a hide-a-bed so we can go ahead and get the stair lift installed. Here is what the lift will look like:

The relatives are not included; furnish your own family

Showering will be my challenge in the temporary sleeping arrangement since all the showers are upstairs as well as the closets. There is a half bath downstairs.

Johnnie already has his list of flowers and vegetables he wants to plant, and has been google searching for raised beds. We saw a couple very unique raised beds in Rome that were made from a lightweight material almost like landscape fabric. That appeals to us since we don't know about the sun and seasons here, so if we do need to move it around, this design would be very portable.  We have wire frame window boxes all around the balcony of the house on the second floor. I am going to guess that these probably cover 30 feet or more of balcony rail, so Johnnie is delighted with the prospect of filling those with planter boxes and flowers.

I am keen on the herb garden I want to start in the winter garden and putting a nice water fountain of some kind in there. The challenge of decorating the villa, setting up the various electronic devices (TV, satellite, internet, computers, printers, sling box, tivo and the rest) is ahead of me as well. Plus I am excited to have a home office and a separate sewing/design center which will be my creative "zone". The beautiful fabrics here are calling my name every time I walk by!

By the time I blog again next week, I will have photos of the move and maybe the "after" pics of Johnnie and Jenny on the mountain. Ciao!

Strikes, gas lines and pink traffic lights

The last two weeks have been interesting and very busy. I went to Grottaglie on business trips both weeks. It is in the arch of the boot, about 4 hrs. each way from Napoli. The assembly plant for Alenia is in Grottaglie and that is where the Dreamlifter comes to pick up the completed sections of the fuselage for transport to the US to final assembly.

A bit about the Grottaglie Alenia plant

Video of Alenia assembly of 787 and more about Grottaglie
(This video is in Italian and about 8 min. long but still worth it; it has some really nice photos and you will understand enough)

Monday, Jan. 19, I head out early, traveling with one of my business associates. Our trip down is uneventful and we end up putting in a very long day. By the time we head to the hotel, it is getting late and we are hungry and tired. The hotel has my reservation but not his, and they are booked, so we end up going to another town to find a hotel that has rooms for both of us.

I have stayed in the second hotel before and it is fine except for rather limited on street parking. After cruising the block a couple times, we end up about 3 blocks away in a questionable spot. Crossing our fingers I will get no ticket, we check in. My room turns out to have a lovely sitting room and kitchenette on the first floor, and bedroom and bathroom in the loft. This loft is accessible only by steep, winding and very narrow spiral stairs. Well,  I debated trying it just because I was so tired and ready to be done but with my knees, decided I could kill myself in the middle of the night! So back to registration.

The only room they have left at the hotel is the two bedroom-two bath suite on the 5th floor which is twice as expensive. At this point, I don't care and will pay it. Fortunately a quick call to the manager verifies that he will just charge me the regular rate. Go to the room, a quick unpack and then find some dinner.

At this point we are both bushed and just go down the block a short way for a delicious meal at a trattoria there. We ordered antipasti misti and they brought out a huge assortment of meats, cheeses, seafood, vegetables, and various small appetizers. It was totally yummy. We wish now we had not already ordered pasta. By the time the pasta shows up, neither of us can eat more than a few bites. Next time, split the antipasti and split the pasta.

Back to Napoli the next day.

On Monday, Jan. 23, back to Grottaglie again, this time planning to spend three nights there and return on Thursday. The trucks were beginning to gather along the roadside for the strike. I had not listened to any news but my associate knew there was a strike building. By Monday evening, the reports are roads blockaded throughout southern Italy. The protest is about fuel tax increases coupled with the plan to issue additional licenses for independent haulers (and for taxis as well) which will then create a glut in the market and drive down wages. For a population of people that are already heavily taxed, this is just too much. Rumors are that the taxis, busses and trains may join them by later in the week.

By Tuesday, gas lines are forming and many stations are out of gas. The trucking strike is starting to affect the groceries as well. I am glad that I fueled about half way to Grottaglie so I have about 3/4 tank left. We are staying in Martina Franca, about 25 km from Grottaglie. But at this point I have plenty of gas to get back and forth. Delicious meal at the hotel, ordered the antipasti for two and no pasta. Still too much food. These Italians do antipasti right! (Another blog coming on antipasti)

Tuesday night we have a delicious meal of pizza at a local restaurant.

Sagitario Ristorante, Martina Franca, with my business associate

 Wednesday morning we wake up to snow in Martina Franca, which is 1500 - 2000 ft. up. The road is still warm enough it is not sticking but we are glad we brought coats! Another long day at work and back up the mountain in the evening. We determined when the gas gage is at half, we will head back so we have enough fuel to get home. People are carpooling to conserve gas, and riding public transportation where possible.

On the way back to the hotel, both of us tired and a little punchy, we come across a traffic light that is pink. I said "Bruce, what does that mean? Do I stop, slow down, or what?" We laughed and then it turned red, then green and we went on. Still not sure if we were hallucinating after too many long hours of work, or what!

Thursday, we head back to Napoli, deciding not to risk any more trips up and down the mountain. We heard on the news that the government is invoking the law which allows for strikes of only three days; longer than that and they start making arrests and confiscating trucks. By the time we got north to the A14 west of Bari, we start seeing some stations that have diesel. We stop at the Esso and wait about 20 min. to fill our tank.

My A3 Audi

Gas lines reminds me of the 1970's

Line is about 1 km long by the time we leave

Funny but as we drove west, we saw several stations open and no wait. We are also seeing some trucks on the road and a convoy of fuel trucks being escorted by polizzia. The "crisis" is over although it will be a few days for the stations to all open up and things to return to normal. Mostly the shortages and then closings were caused by panic since everyone filled their tank whether they needed to or not. The shelves in the groceries are empty also, since the panic spread to food as well.

Some rumors still saying Friday will be a general strike, but the sentiment we are feeling here is that people are done with it and ready to get on with life.

Too much adventure for one 48 hr. period!

The NewVilla Secret Password
Since we got the keys a few days ago, we decided Sunday to drive out and take a few things with us including some cleaning supplies, drinks for the frig and some summer weight clothes we don't need right now. We stopped at the Ipercoop in Avellino to get paper towels, toilet paper, and some additional cleaners. By the time we got here, I was looking forward to testing out the new bathroom! Low and behold, we can't get the key to unlock the door.

After almost a half hour of trying to unlock the front door, I gave up and went to call my girlfriend who had opened it for me a few days ago. Discovered  my Blackberry was dead, and of course, Johnnie never has his cell phone. So, put the Blackberry on the car charger and wait a few more minutes until I have enough charge to make a call. I call my girlfriend and she tells me how she unlocks the door. We try that, no luck. Finally I break down and call the landlord. By this time we are pretty sure they lock is broken and we don't want to break off the key in the lock by forcing it too hard.

A few more minutes wait and the landlord comes. By this time I am looking longingly at the bushes trying to decide which is the most private. She hops out of the car, and opens the door on the first try! Talk about embarrassment! I am sure she is thinking "These Americans can't even unlock the door!"

The offending key

You do have to turn the key really hard and it fees like you will break it. So now Johnnie is on a mission with WD40 next time we go over!

Hitchcock's Latest "The Napoli Elevator Ride"
So I will tell you one of my worst nightmares is being stuck in an elevator, even worse if it is crowded with people. I studiously avoided elevators until a few years ago when bad knees necessitated using them. So here goes, almost my worst nightmare!

Our elevator is the type that has three doors that open different directions depending on what floor you are on. Our palazzo takes up an entire city block, so there are many businesses as well as other apartments within the palazzo. Our elevator we share with the bank, a tailor and people with apartments on other floors. So this elevator is a bit funky at the best of times, it occasionally drops a few inches when it reaches the top, occasionally doesn't go at all, or sometimes stops at the wrongs floor. Usually you push the button again and it resets itself and goes.

Yesterday, on the way to work in the morning it would not let me out into the courtyard; it kept opening to the bank. That early the bank is not open and I can see alarms inside the bank, so I  know better than to even take one step out there. Fortunately, it will go back up to the 3rd floor where our apartment is. So after a few tries down and up again, I just give up and come back to the apartment.

Johnnie walks down the stairs to the ground floor to try and call the elevator down to the courtyard. Now I have to tell you, these are the original stairs in the 1200 AD palazzo. They are narrow, steep, spiral stairs inside a turret tower with no handrails and there is no way I am going down those stairs unless it is life or death. He tries calling the elevator and that doesn't work. So, first I call the landlord. No answer. Then I look up on the computer how to say "The elevator is broken. Please call a repairman" and call the portierre to report the problem. Someone else answers and I just hope they give him the message.

With computer at home, I settle down to work virtual until the elevator gets fixed. After a couple hours the portierre comes up to report it is fixed. I am in the middle of some stuff so I figure I'll finish before packing up to head to work. Next thing we know, it is not fixed. Someone else is stuck in the elevator (thankfully it is not me! I am so claustrophobic).

Meanwhile the landlord calls and makes a shopping date with Johnnie to help us buy appliances. We find out from her our poor housekeeper had the same thing happen to her last Saturday when she left. The elevator stopped at the bank and wouldn't go up or down. So she got out at the bank and it closed behind her and wouldn't open again. She triggered the alarms in the bank and then sat for a hour waiting until the police came. They tried to arrest her, crying and distraught because she didn't have any ID or papers with her. They finally got it straightened out but poor Valentina, I am not sure she will ever come back!

Finally late in the afternoon, we got the sign that the elevator was fixed. By that time there was no point in me driving to work so I finished working at home. Later I went out with Johnnie to pay for the appliances he found, and when we got back, the elevator wouldn't work again! The landlord just happened to be there, she called the portierre to come help and he was able to actually go into the bank and do something from that side to make it shut and open the other way. Mama mia!

Going to work tomorrow I am going to call the portierre when I get on the elevator and Johnnie is going to ride with me to make sure I get there. I also found out there is another elevator on the top floor but I have to go through someone else's apartment to get there. That is good to know that there is another route besides the medieval stairs.

You Look Like a Credit Card Thief!
If life doesn't have enough adventure already, we had one more hurdle to complete our 48 hr. adventure. After Johnnie chose washer, dryer, tv and microwave for us, I needed to go over and pay with my corporate credit card. I had already been warned by others that the card won't allow big charges to go through, so I called them in advance to let them know I am making large purchases in the new couple weeks. They said, just fine, thanks for letting us know. So of course, when we get there, they refuse the charge (2280 Euro -- over my $2000 US limit on my card, they say). So I say, "No that is a mistake, run it again". Then the card gets blocked. So, standing in line at the cash register in front of God and half of Napoli, I am calling the credit card company, not very happy with them. They unblock the card and inform me this is my company that puts the $2000 block on "miscellaneous" charges. So I will deal with the Boeing people tomorrow. Would be nice if someone told me this but alas, that would be too much to expect! So after a few minutes, they unlock the card and we split the charge into two pieces and go merrily on our way. So the logic is, I can spend $10000 as long as I do it in $2000 increments. Amazing the thinking of the accountants and bean counters that make up these goofy rules!

Of course, to finish the evening, we get lost coming back. Or should I say Suzie II is totally lost in this part of Napoli but we find our way out and all is well.

End of the 48 hr. adventure. It is all part of the journey and even now we are laughing about our experiences.

At the Doctor - sorry no photos for this one!

The Situation
Most of you know that I have a couple bad knees that will eventually be replaced but for several years I have been getting fluid shots every 6 months to keep the range of motion going and postpone the day when surgery is needed.

Now in Italy starting 6 months and it is time for my routine fluid shots. Everyone in the US assured me this is not a problem; these shots are known world-wide and have been in use since the mid-1990's.

A contacted our International SOS service which is contracted to provide the ex-pats with a variety of medical referrals and services while abroad. My request was to find an English-speaking orthopedic dr. with experience doing these shots. A very nice nurse in the Paris office is working with me on this request. In spite of the fact that Naples has over a million people, there are no orthopedic drs. officially listed as speaking English. So she searches some more and finds a doctor near the US Army base who says he speaks English.

My first visit - Italian Public Healthcare - Yikes!
The first challenge is, all the signs are in Italian! Of course they are, but, it is a continuing barrier that confounds us at every turn. No one in the lobby or reception speaks English. So I fumble around trying to figure out what to do. Watching other people we finally figure out the system.


My appointment for 9am turns out to not be an appointment at all; this is a hospital clinic where you take a number to see the receptionist. I arrive at 8:30 and I am number 60, now serving 27! So after an hour wait, the receptionist takes my 100 Euro and sends me around the corner to wait in another room full of people. There are four exam rooms and easily 50 or more people waiting. I wait outside exam room 4 with a handwritten slip of paper that says I am number 8.

So I already know that in Italy, don't be polite and wait our turn. It is not in the culture and I will be there all week. So, when the assistant pokes his head out the door, I wave my piece of paper at him and say appointment at 9am. He takes my piece of paper and quickly closes the door, shaking his head. After about another hour of waiting, I would be tempted to leave but they have my 100 Euro!

Finally the dr. finally sees me. Turns out his "English" is not much better than my Italian, and he is lazy to try and communicate. I explain what I want, he lifts and bends my legs a couple times and after about 2 min. of total time, sends me off to get an X-ray.

Off to xray, only I find out I have to go back to reception, pay another 36 Euro (by the way -- the cheapest X-ray I have ever had!) and then go back and queue at Radiology. Another hour wait. Finally get my X-ray and the tech says to come back Wed. "No" (in my best emotional Italian attitude) "Oggi, il Medico dice Oggi" (No the Dr. says today). So he says, exasperated, 10 minutes. So after 45 minutes, I finally get my Xray and go trudging back to the doctor's exam room.

Twice as many people in the waiting area now and no visible system for figuring out who is next. So as soon as the assistant pokes his head out the door, I hop up and go over waving my X-ray. He shakes his head and says Thursday. Now, I understand that but pretend not to, and say insistently Oggi (today) and wave my Xray at him. He shakes his head and shuts the door saying Thursday morning.

I was furious and of course, disappointed in this experience. After almost 5 hours I am 136 Euro poorer and no closer to getting my shots than before. Plus, I have lost over a half day of work for nothing! Yikes.
So I dial my nurse contact in Paris and tell her the ordeal. She is very apologetic but really, not her fault. All they can do is go with the information they have. So she promises to find me someone else.

My Second Visit - Still Italian Public Healthcare?
Four days later I took my X-ray in hand and headed to another clinic in the north part of Napoli, very close to our house. I was a bit late getting there and, at first, I was concerned because it appears to be yet another hospital clinic. But this time, there is no wait at reception, and only about 5 people in the waiting area. I wait maybe 30 min. to see the Dr. Once again, his English is not much better than my Italian (which is to say, about like a 5 year old speaks) however, he is very patient, and wants to communicate. What a change of attitude from the first doctor!

With our limited language skills, we draw lots of pictures, do charades and he looks over my Xray and medical history. (The first doctor never even asked for a medical history!) Fortunately, medical terms are universal so he can understand the medications I take and the procedures I have had. He has me walk around, stand on my toes, stand on my heels, bend and contort in as many different directions as I can. He looks at the Xray and shakes his head. I can "hear" him silently thinking "Mama Mia".

He seemed very thorough, very good, and tells me essentially what my Dr. in Everett had said. I can do the fluid shots for now, but in two or three years time I will need replacements. He wants me to lose more weight (of course I know that as well) and come back in a week and he'll start my shots! Yea!

Interesting thing in Italy, he gives me the prescription for the fluid medicine, I go to the Farmacia and get it and bring back at my next appointment. I am trying to ask him about payment and he just shakes his head, and says "No preocupes". (Don't worry). Ok, so I am not worrying and leave a happy camper.

Next week, I start my shots. As soon as I am done with the shots and the knees are back in shape, off to Pompeii and Vesuvio! Look forward to the next blog.

Flamenco in Barcelona

Once again our trip advisor/organizer, Elisabetta, did an excellent job of selecting THE Flamenco Tablao to visit. (There are many available of course, but quality varies.) This one is called Tablao de Carmen, named for the famous Flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya. She has a "rags to riches" story and is probably the single most influential person in the development and renown of Flamenco.

More about the Tablao and Carmen

We thoroughly enjoyed the dinner and show. This particular Tablao is located inside Poble de Espanyola which is a replica of a Spanish village, with different areas of the village representing the different regions of Spain. It is a tourist venue however our guide recommended it since all the shops are owned and operated by artisans -- no "made in China" junk sold -- so if you want authentic pottery, leather, etc., this is a good place to shop. We didn't go early enough to really enjoy the Poble, so will do that next trip.

Poble de Espanyola

Entrance to Poble Espanolya

Classic architecture of the Spanish village

 Tablao de Carmen

Our first taste of Sangria

So we learned that Flamenco is music, song and dance fused together with story-telling. It is very emotional, and the intensity of the dancer's, singer's and musician's focus is obvious. There are various Palos--musicals styles within Flamenco--but it appears that the combinations actually performed maybe mixed based on the moment in time.

One of the dancers

Here is a short video of one of the dancers. Very hard to capture the spirit of the moment in video, and of course I have someone in front of me whose head is in most of the video. Sigh!