oddities, observations, & ?'s...#10
Gondolas and water taxis were our transportation for 48 hours.
Our first night in Venice, a water taxi ferried a group of us to a local restaurant where we had a terrific dinner and a lot of laughs with other Globus Tour members.
I wasn't overly fond of the taxi experience because the cabins were about five and a half feet high and required lots of bending to get in and out and I managed to scrape my bald pate going and coming.
HUH? What's up with that?
Earlier that same day, most of the tour members had signed up for a gondola ride that lasted about 30 minutes. A singing gondolier stood in the back of the vessel and serenaded us as we meandered several intersecting canals. Just as in the movies, the crooner was a baritone.
The last day of our tour, Enzo, a local guide, led us through Basilica di San Marco, which was built in the 9th Century. Various opinions from our group gave the Basilica pretty high marks and some judged it to be the most beautiful and ornate structure we saw in Italy, excluding St. Peter's in Rome.
The tour continued and we walked across the Bridge of Sighs which crosses the Rio di Palazzo Canal. The Bridge of Sighs connects the Doge (dah-j)Palace with the first prison built in Italy.
The name of the palace came from Venetians of the time who said they could hear the prisoners sigh for the last time before entering their destiny.
The Doge Palace housed a succession of Dukes, who were the highest official of the Republic of Venice and were in power from the 8th to the 18th century.
Once the tour concluded, we had three hours of free time. Regina and I separated from the group and explored on our own. We walked the length and width of the famed St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) where we found shops, stores, galleries and ristorantes.
The two of us spent a couple hours walking along cobblestone and brick sidewalks. There were no streets, just interconnecting walking paths.
Our first lunch with panini sandwiches in Assisi was so memorable, we decided to try to repeat the experience and found the perfect sidewalk cafe on Piazza San Marco, Ristorante Al Colombo.
I cannot recall seeing a vacant storefront in all of Venice.
The next morning, we were bussed to the airport in time to catch our flight to Munich. The airport in Munich is the cleanest public space I have ever seen. It was amazing.
It took a trip to Italy for me to understand the difference between a church, cathedral, and, basilica. I had never thought of it before then.
The seven days in Italy were memorable. If I had to name my favorite site, it would have to be The Colosseum. Regina said the Vatican was her first choice.
Other observations...
What took congress so long to expunge New York Congressman George Santos?
I didn't vote for Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear the first time around, but, I did my part last November to get him re-elected. He appears to have character, humility, compassion, and intelligence. I predict Mr. Beshear will run for Mitch McConnell's senate seat.
A new baseball season is coming soon and I am still trying to figure out how the New York Yankees collapsed last season.
The Kentucky Derby is just around the corner (first Saturday in May). It is not too early to plan on attending one of several major events the week prior to the 150th Run for the Roses.
Three bicycle rides (Tour de Lou) of 20 and 35 miles, and a Metric Century (62.1 miles) are offered. A steamboat race, parade, balloon race, an air show, and, the nation's largest annual fireworks display are just some of the scheduled events this year. Kentucky Derby Festival.com has all the answers.
Remembering a botched interview. I was an air personality for WHAS Radio in 1978. Derby Week finally came and I was assigned to ride on the Belle of Louisville during The Great Steamboat Race.
It was my first experience on the Belle and I had been looking forward to it. My job was to interview guests aboard the steamboat including actor, Gary Sandy (WKRP Cincinnati).
Mr. Sandy and I were standing on the stern of the Belle on the first floor. Beautiful women surrounded the actor as they waited for a picture opportunity, but, I managed to isolate him for a five minute interview. Soon after I had him standing alone, I heard the director say in my earpiece, Coming to you in 10 seconds Steve...
I quickly checked my remote broadcast unit and all systems said, GO.
Was it irony or was it fate that the instant my mic became live, the boat's calliope and steam whistle started blaring and blasting producing an unbelievably loud cacophony of sound? I thought for sure both noises could be heard the length of the Ohio River and my guest and I were standing right in the center of the decibels. I panicked and didn't know what to do, so, I went on with the interview.
Later, I found out our one on one chat was cut off by the director five seconds into the piece and he had moved on to another reporter and celebrity who were aboard the Delta Queen.
I was embarrassed, but, Andy Travis offered to buy me a beer before The Belle of Louisville docked, so, it was all good with him. I even fantasied he understood how bad things can happen during live interviews since he played the part of a radio program director in his successful TV show.
I can't explain this phenomenon, but, it is really cool. I was looking at my blog analytics this morning (February 16, 2024) and 261 people from France read several of my previous posts yesterday! I have never had anything like that happen. Each post averages one or two readers in Europe, but, never more than that, let alone 261!
HUH? What's up with that?
Coming up: another POS; a job$ somebody's gotta do; oddities, observations, & ?'s...#11, and; you will meet Judge Judy.
And, finally. A landmark birthday passed for me a couple months ago.
The occasion caused me to reflect on a long broadcast career and other memories. Among the moments remembered, I was thinking of all the people I had the good fortune to interview, and, some of the ones I missed.
A few of the people I wish I had had the opportunity for a sit down are: Ronald Reagan, Mickey Mantle, Margaret Thatcher, Charles Curalt, Oprah, Elvis, and, CBS commentator, Andy Rooney.
I have mentioned this quote before, but, in light of my special day last November, it bears repeating. It was Andy Rooney who said, Everybody wants to grow old, but, nobody wants to be old.
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