Monday

Molte persone vanno a Rimini per divertirsi - Many people go to Rimini to have fun.


Bank entrata - entrance

Quite awhile back I wrote about banks and what it takes to enter and leave one. I didn't have a photo to show it, but now I do, so I will review for those who did not read the earlier blog entry.

There is a very low, almost nonexistent bank robbery rate in Italy. To enter a bank you must put most of your belongings in a locker. No cameras, metal objects, umbrellas, guns, etc. Once you are ready to go in, you push a button at the entrance and wait for the sliding door to open into the xray machine. You enter and wait for a green or red light. Green light and open door means you can go in. Red light means you must exit and try again. It sounds like a hassle, but overall you become accustomed to it and its really doesn't take all that long. To get out of the bank, you do the same thing, but in reverse order.

Had a great chat with Pam, a canoeing friend from days long ago. She was just in Italy back in May. I'm trying to convince her that she should come back and visit northern Italy while she has an option for a free place to stay.

I miss good Mexican food. We have a restaurant called Mexicali that we think is pretty good, but its not great. I would be so happy to just find some good salsa. If any readers have a good salsa recipe you would be willing to share, please email it to me. I miss good salsa.

Brandon and I went for a 13km bike ride through Parco di Monza this afternoon. Brandon loves to ride. We stopped and skipped rocks in the Lambro River, then cut through the Autodromo to watch some Porshe's practicing. We even rode our bikes on the old banked track.


Brandon by the Lambro River in Parco di Monza.


Brandon climbed to the top of the banked turn on the old Autodromo track. It is steeper than it looks.


Banking on the old Autodromo track.


Brandon cruising down the old Autodromo track.

I also worked on our August road trip. Two glitches so far: 1) hotels are expensive in Switzerland, and 2) it looks like the Coldplay concert is sold out. Hmmm.

I made chicken with proscuitto and parmesan and risotto for dinner, along with some red wine.

Katrina called me just as I was finishing dinner. She was calling from the parking garage. She opened our garage and found a green Ford Fiesta wagon parked inside. Who's car is this and how did it get in our garage?? We don't know what to do or who to talk to? The doorman is gone for the day. We don't really know Italian well enough to write a good note. We decided to leave it alone until morning and see who might be missing a car.


This is our garage. That is a green Ford Fiesta wagon. We drive a silver Fiat Idea. Who's car is this in our garage and how did it get in there????