Thursday, January 17 and Friday, January 18, 2019
Friday started extremely early as a 2:45 a.m wake up call was necessary to get us out of Casa Contreras by 3:55 a.m. for our drive to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
My flight did not leave until 8:15 a.m. but with the U.S. Government shutdown still on going affecting LAX's TSA workers, I wanted to get there early in case the security check-in lines were going slowly.
I was headed back to Varese, Italia
for another season of Skorpions football
The 2018 Skorpions
As I mentioned yesterday,
this was not my first EuroBall rodeo
These two have been the source of a lot
of great memories in 2017 and 2018
Skorpions Weather
at Thursday night's practice
Sorry that I missed it as I was in transit all day.
First leg of my two part flight
to Milano
It took us about an hour to drive to LAX in light traffic.
Once there, the line to check-in at the United Airlines desk was non-existent and thus simple.
Saying goodbye to Laurie for three months was not so simple.
Thank goodness for the invention of FaceTime!
Also, thank you Laurie for going with me to LAX at such an ungodly hour.
As for the TSA line, I breezed through it as well in about five minutes. My fears, it turns out, were unfounded.
Lots of leg and hip room in
United's economy class seats
YAHOO!
Unfortunately, after pushing away from the gate on time, we sat on the tarmac for one hour and ten minutes!
After watching the comedy movie The Death of Stalin, I watched the first seven episodes of the zany TV series Brockmire to help pass the time on my flight to Newark, New Jersey.
Even though we arrived late into Newark, fortunately my original two hour and 20 minute layover still gave me plenty of time to catch my second flight to Milano.
Did I have enough time to eat one final something uniquely American in the airport before takeoff?
But what if I did have the time?
Cibo is Italian for food
Yes, I still had time to eat
Notorious P-I-G
BBQ would be a great last meal
on USA soil
But they were out of all meats saving for pulled chicken.
No sale.
Next door was a Cheesesteak stand that made me a fabulous pepper cheesesteak with bleu cheese and sautéed mushrooms.
Heaven!
After wolfing down the cheesesteak, I got a break on my second flight. I scored another comfortable aisle seat with an empty middle seat!
Again we pushed off on time only to wait, this time 45 minutes, on the tarmac. We were still early enough to beat a fast approaching, severe Winter snowstorm that was due to strangle the eastern seaboard at any moment.
After watching the on-board movie The Grand Budapest Hotel starring my old travel partner F. Murray Abraham, I continued my binge watching of Brockmire.
Two flights, 16 episodes covering
all of Seasons 1 & 2
Season 2 got a bit dark to say the least.
When we finally arrived in Milano, the first sign I saw was for tourism in . . .
. . . SICILY!
But no, I was at Milano's
Malpensa Airport
The Italian passport check was both fast and efficient.
This is Italy, right?
I was greeted by the
Skorpions' Welcoming Committee
composed of Enzo, Dario, Capo and Pietro
Dario and Capo escorted me to my home for the next six months . .
. . . the Villa Skorpions II
in Varese built in 1510
After being let into the Villa Skorpion II by my next door neighbor and Skorpions do everything person, Santa Barbara Nardi, and saying both Grazie and Arriverderci to Dario and Capo, I started to unpack my things.
About 45 minutes later, Nicolas Principi stopped by to both pick up his new cleats and shirts that I brought to him. To say Grazie to me, he opted to take me out to lunch in beautiful downtown Varese on a gorgeous day.
One of old Varese's pedestrian
only streets
The old church square
was still standing I saw
Our original ristorante choice
was closed due to a festa
All that any pureblooded Italian needs to close up shop and head to a party is the slimmest of excuses.
Instead we dined here
Nicolas Principi
Our three sampler gnocchi plates were
FABULOUS!
A walk around Varese was
needed after all that gnocchi
GRAZIE NICOLAS!
After a much needed two hour nap and more unpacking, I was invited to dinner next door at the home of the Nardi's, Giorgio, Santa Barbara, Federica and Raffa.
Head Chef Giorgio and his
daughter/Sous Chef Federica
RAFFA!
Giorgio putting the finishing
touches on his inspired
Spaghetti a la Carbonera
To help me improve on my language skills, I insisted that we all speak in La Bella Lingua, Italiano as much as possible which they were more than happy to do including teaching me about four or five Italian tongue twister phrases during a simply delightful dining experience.
The food and adult beverages were excellent but the people who literally broke bread with me were better.
Day One in Italia was a good one to be sure!
Tired and a bit jet lagged, it is almost 11:00 p.m., I going to bed!
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