Doctors, World Cup games etc...

Today I will go to St. Vincent's Hospital to find out what needs to be done about my stupid gallstones.

Yesterday I went to the Bon Secours Hospital to see a 3rd or 4th (I don't even know anymore at this stage) Neurologist, about my condition. This was requested by the company where I work. They need to ensure I work in the right conditions for law purposes, blah-blah. According to that neuro (who's got the tackiest hairdo I ever saw in my entire life - something out of a 70's B movie, really bad), there's nothing to be done about fatigue. Unless I start a fitness regime, which may help. I already took all possible tablets for that and they did not really work, so, last resource would be joining a gym. Not that it's a bad thing. It is a very good thing, I think. As far as I feel up to it and force myself a bit. These days, I actually feel up to virtually nothing, I must admit.

Yesterday we watch the match Brazil X Croatia. It was boring. Not that I care about football to start with. There was a stupid Brazilian player called Adriano that made a foul (sp?) against the Croatian captain. That Adriano is a good-for-nothing little muppet, it seems. But the cute Káká scored the goal.

Look, I feel very divided with these games. I have friends in Croatia. As I have friends in Japan. So, I feel a bit awkward! At least, if Brazil doesn't win, the countries of my friends will. And that's very good too. So, either the Croatians or the Blue Samurai - that's just fine with me! Not to mention Italy, of course, which I love especially after being there and being so well received. But I don't know if they will be playing each other and when. I know nothing about these games, duuuuuhhhh...

Mt. Vesuvius

The thing that mostly impressed me during this trip to Italy was being so close to Mt. Vesuvius. It is one of the most dangerous volcanoes of the world and its last eruptive cycle lasted from 1913 to 1944. Right now, it seems to be having a "quiet time". Thanks to the gods.

The image on the right I got from the Discovery website and their documentary "Pompeii: The Last Day". Worth checking it for more details on the history of the site.

I have selected it because I think the image does capture very well what the image of the volcano conveyed to me while driving through Naples. Three words, simply: beautiful, imposing, intimidating.

You drive through it to/from the Aiport on the way to Amalfi. All you can see is the volcano, quitely watching the towns at its foothills. And it's a bit of a shock. It's still active, of course, and there is a whole world living underneath its shadow, towns and people, life just going on. Brava gente, I would say. Of course people cannot think about what may or may not happen there. I think it's touching and courageous at the same time. It makes me admire them even more.

I remember the Vesuvius from my chilhood: watching pictures from Pompeii and Ercolano. I could never forget the photographs of those bodies, like macabre pictures taken at the moment of their (apparently) painful, agonising deaths. Actually, these people were enveloped in some few seconds, dying instantaneously from either the heat and/or gas poisoning. I remember there was a picture of a dog laying dead. And several people. I could never forget that. However those were not actual bodies, of course, but plaster casts made by pouring the plaster into the hollows left by the actual bodies (now long decomposed of course). At any rate, it was shocking to have those images captured somehow.

But there is a fun way to remember Mt. Vesuvius too. And that's the crazy witch duck Magica DeSpell! I had great fun reading the Disney magazines and Magica and Donald Duck's adventures were my favourites. Magica is a "sexy" duck villainess (a bit like Sophia Loren maybe) who tirelessly tries to steal Uncle Scrooge's "first dime". Guess where she lives? Righto! In the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius! Although sometimes she spends time in her house at Ducksburg, closer to Scrooge's, of course... Her name in Portuguese is "Maga Patalógica", and her inseparable friend was Mad Madam Mim ("Madame Min"). As far as I can remember, she wanted to get the dime and throw it into the Vesuvius for some crazy, magical purpose, a bit like a twisted version of Frodo and the One Ring! (Or maybe I am just mixing things, he he!). Of course, while driving in that region, I thought of her too! Not only the serious stuff...

In Dublin + pics from Amalfi and Ravello...

(This picture here is me playing silly in one of the countless covered alleyways of Amalfi...)

We arrived yesterday, after a pretty uneventful journey. It's good to be back. But I miss the place a lot, I mean, I miss Italy. It's not only because of the wonderful places, but people also make me feel very at home. There is something in the Italian way that is very, very similar to Brasil. probably due to the strong Italian immigration there. It makes me feel comfortable: the accent, the language, the gestures... Not that I speak Italian, no, far from that. I don't. I just can make myself understood and can understand everything when people talk to me. However it is a pity that I cannot express myself that easily, I mean, as easilly as I can understand them.

Below is another picture of me in the Bartolo shop, in Amalfi. The owner is a gem, Mrs. Pinto. I bought that top, which was love at first sight, and also a skirt, an embroidered coat, a necklace with jade stones and glass beads and a little tapestry bag. Prices were quite good too. Mrs. Pinto gave me a lovely elf-green silk scarf as a gift!

And, finally, the pictures below were taken in the Ravello gardens...

That's all for today! I will write a bit more tomorrow...

Arrivederci Amalfi...

Aaaw! This is our last day in Amalfi, unfortunately. No more time for a boat trip, but I want to stay and relax. Sitting at the Il Protontino café and having gelatti and caprese salads... And having a laugh with Patrizia, the best waitress in the world!

I am so relaxed that I could even play Pokémon Link without getting bored. I mean, it is a great game, but lately I was not in a mood for Nintendo games. But this time... Just relaxed, and I managed to do great and link lots of Pokémon, as well as getting lots of extra prizes.

But this is just a quick post, for I will only be able to post tomorrow or the day after, when I arrive to Ireland.

I want to come back here, and stay for 2 weeks or so. I love this place, and people are just amazing. This is my second visit to Italy. First time was in 1989 and I stayed in the North, near Parma, in Busseto where Verdi was born. It was amazing too. And I feel glad that it is close to Ireland and I can come back at any time!

Ciao, Amalfi! Arrivederci! I will miss you,

XXX,

a.

Sick in Amalfi!

Yes, as usual, I got sick. Headcold, as expected. I had a bad cough attack at the Wedding yesterday, and today I stayed in bed for most of the day. But then I woke up and went with Mark to join Audrey, David and everybody at a lovely pizzeria on the beach. It was fun. I had a Limoncello after the meal, and it was just great, my first Limoncello in Amalfi! We have only 4 days left here, but I sure want to come back, when I get healthier, and not as wrecked as I have been feeling lately.

The wedding was lovely, the little church/chapel is in an old convent dating back to the XIIth century, the church of St. Anthony. As for the convent it seems that St. Francis of Assissi himself has founded it, when he came to Amalfi in pilgrimage to visit S. Andrea's tomb, here in the cathedral. Nowadays it's been converted into a Hotel, the Luna.

S. Andrea (St. Andrew) is the patron saint of Amalfi and it seems that most guys here are called "Andrea", which is a man's name alright. I am an odd exception, and when the locals learn my name, they always say: "Like the Saint!"... Mark says I must get a bit confused when I hear someone yelling "Andrea", for that happens quite often here. But I don't get confused though, of course! And you know something, I think I am in the right place and should maybe pay a visit to S. Andrea's tomb. In the end, he is my protector, it seems, and somehow I feel quite connected to this town, since I got here.

By the way, the photograph above was taken by Mark when he was wandering around yesterday. This town is like a maze, full of covered alleyways and stairs all over the ground and the hills. This photograph was taken from one of those alleys. I think it captures well the atmosphere of the place.

And the one below we took yesterday, from the "Torre Sarracena" facing the convent, at sunset. The wedding banquet took place there, and it was a fantastic spot, very romantic with such a wonderful view... It's a town where you just want to relax and enjoy the views. You become completely unable to make any plans, such is the beauty the place, amazing!

Amalfi: love it!!!

We are in Amalfi! This must be one of the most wonderful places in this already wonderful world! I have been feeling great in general, as I didn't feel for some months now. Weather is perfect: not too hot, not too cold. Mark is driving through the windy, narrow roads on the Coast as a pro. Landscape leaves you breathless... That's paradise. Like being in an old Italian painting. A miniature. Or an old sepia photograph brought by Italian immigrants from a land of dreams.

Foodwise is wonderful too. Fresh green olives, lots of Caprese salad, amazing "gelati", coffee of all kinds, "pastiera di grano", and of course nice welcoming people everywhere. What else could we ask for? Even when it rains, everything looks and feels gorgeous. My favourite spot so far: Ravello, up in the mountains, with beautiful gardens and ralaxing atmosphere.

I even bought a perfume there: "Aqua di Ravello". It will make me think of that place when back to Ireland. A nice smell of lemons, grass and sand.

For some pictures of what we've seen so far, please go to Mark's blog... I will post more later on, if not while we are here, when we come back for sure. The internet at the hotel is way too slow (no cable, unfortunately!).

Buona sera!

a.

The power of silk...

Aaaaaahhh... I got this kimono on EBay some weeks ago. It is lovely and so soft. The Seller is amazing: Japanese Antiques. Very helpful and friendly.

I wish I could use kimono when going out, but people may probably think I am going to a costume party. I will be wearing it at home, but probably need to shorten it a bit, or wear with some high-heeled sandals (or geta maybe?).

This type of kimono is a called an iro-muji. Iro-muji are kimono in solid colour, with no patterns, except in some cases a mon (ie, family crest) stenciled or embroidered in the back. This type of kimono can be worn on both formal and informal occasions, however if a mon is present it becomes more of a formal outfit. Mine is in rinzu silk, with textured pattern woven into the fabric - waves, in this case. It's a dusky rose colour, very pretty, and it is lined - the lining being in silk as well. It is also a mon-less iro-muji.

The picture I took from the seller's auction page on EBay. I still haven't had time to take any myself. I have other kimono to get pictures from: my red pre-WWII with urushi (lacquer) leaves, my nenneko (travelling kimono for carrying babies in the back!), and the haori (kimono coat) I am receiving this week.

The haori I also bought from Japanese Antiques, especially for my friend Audrey's wedding, in Sorrento next week. I will use it over a silk dress, and will post some pics later on hopefully. I also got a black silk haori with mon, in transparent soft rinzu, and that was very, very cheap, also from the same seller. Lovely!

For more information on mon please go to the amazing Japanese Emblem Library website. You can spend hours looking at those wonderful patterns, seriously! It's such a fantastic reference. Well-done!

A maid's life isn't all a sea of roses de arimasu!

As I was saying on a previous post, when Keroro arrives to Earth (Pokopen) he is found by Fuyuki Hinata and starts living with the family. There, Natsumi Hinata assigns him to all domestic chores - that were up to her until then, since Aki (the Mother) works 24/7 as a manga publisher. He agrees, of course, in exchange for staying in the house.

In the first episode of the series, which I received yesterday, he gets acquainted to a vacuum cleaner. He loves it and gets so excited and so amazed with the appliance, that he ends vaccum-cleaning Natsumi's skirt, much to her justifiable fury, of course.

That reminded of myself some years ago. We got that vaccum cleaner and, before I started working, I used to stay in the house, cleaning. One day I vaccum-cleaned a toilet roll. En entire one. Inadvertedly, of course. And I was so perplexed that I was unable to switch the thing off. I was just staring as the roll was quickly swallowed by the greedy, crazed device. Paper and, most impressively, cardboard roll.

Needless to say Keroro was as well startled and could not manage to press the button to switch it off. Natsumi-chan was in a rage, of course, and could not stop calling him, "stupid frog". Yelling at him, that is... I so much identify with Keroro... We are very much alike, he he!

(See, a maid's life is not easy).

My Dad (just a little tribute...)

If my Dad was still alive he would turn 103 today, May 19th. I took the above picture some months before he passed away. My Mom and him. I love the way they look there, although they both seem to silently acknowledge that there was not much time left. I wish he was still around. I am sure now we would have lots of things to talk about.

I miss you.

Mark and the sealion...

Just love this picture. Mark in the Lisbon Zoo being kissed by a sealion! Look at his/her moustaches... It bet it was a wee bit itchy, but I would just love to be kissed by one! Closest I got to that was to help removing a paper cup from a dolphin's mouth in Miami Seaquarium. It was great... A dolphin's skin must be the softest thing in the whole nature! And they know how to behave when they need help... Aaaaaaawwww...