HAPPY BIRTHDAY

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OCT 29

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KENNY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

So, now I can get that SS that everyone has been talking about.  I am not worried, 'cause if them Republicans get back in, they will give amnesty to all the illegal immigrants just like they did when their idle Ronald Raygun ran the place.  And most of them illegals pay SS that they will never collect but I will. Rich people are not going to be without some one to cut their grass or feed their inhertants, no matter what they say.

Ok, back to me now.

Off we go saying goodbye to Criele and headed south.  This is were I am supposed to say we went to the airport and caught a flight to Pairs.  But, since my French buddies were telling the government what we thought of them, it was causing me problems as a free riding airline passenger, so we changed our destination to the Almafie coast.  As much as I prefer the non-autostrada route, this was when they are really handy.  Autostrada route is less than 8 hours drive. Non-autostrada route 17 hours. So we made it a little of both traveling through the many, many tunnels and over many, many bridges.

the high bridge is one of the many on the autostrada

you have to pay to ride. cash or card

We stopped in the little town of Porto Santo Stefono for my birthday celebration.  Vicki got us the best room in town. Well second best. Best was just outside of town and 350 eur; second best was Pension Week End at 60 eur with breakfast. We went down to the docks to make sure my dinner was going to be fresh and walked around this very small port town.  First part of the celebration was at a waterside bar. For some dumb reason I ordered a margarita and Vicki a presco.  We set there watching the sun light disappear lamenting that ordering the margarita was probably a mistake. When it arrived with a cherry and a slice of orange I knew it was a mistake.  Ah, how easily we let imagines set our minds.  In this case the imagine was wrong.  It was with out a doubt as good a marguerita that I have ever had! And they did not skimp on the tequila.

 pension week end

 luigi, you think we can catch it

 i like these signs

 my birthday buds

 a damn good marg'

my fresh catch

We did another walking loop around town waiting for the restaurant to open at 7:30. We went into the Trattirua Lo Sfizice about 7:45 and as usually, no one was there and they really were not ready to serve yet. So, Raphael served us a bottle of their best chanti, it is my birthday you know, for $15.  We sipped wine and looked at the menu.  Vicki went to bathroom and Rahpael said it was time to order. So, I ordered one fried calamari and one pasta mixto marina to share. He asked if I wanted a salad, french fries, or , and I did not hear this one, spinach. It is my birthday so I ordered french fries.  If I paid attention and listened I would have ordered the spinach as it is great in Italy.  Vicki passed Raphael coming from the bathroom and he said "he ordered chips instead of salad, but I am going to bring you half and half."

After desert,  we ordered coffee and grappa. They bring you the whole bottle and you pour Things had slowed down and we now had time to talk to Raphael.  He crewed on a 50 foot Magnum speed boat for many years for the Analisi family, owners of Fait.  He had gone to Miami for final inspection and delivery in the early 80's.  He said he had never been so scared in a city.  We told him we lived there about the same time and felt the same way. After good conversation, a great meal and one to many shots of grappa courtisy of Raphael, we wondered back to the Pension Week End and fell into bed.

 the mixed seafood thingy

 oh no, don't let her pour!!

raphael, me and "chef"