HIKING TRIP IN THE ALPS

... everything did happen at 7.15 AM on Saturday December 1st 1923 ... the GLENO dam (diga del Gleno, this is its name) broke and almost 400 people (the exact number is unknown) living in the villages in the valley underneath the dam died ...... today the horrible disaster is still in the memory of the people ... but probably very few people have direct memory of that horrible morning ... what is left of the dam is still there and it is the destination of hiking day trips ... I did it last Sunday with my brother, his girlfriend and other friends ... really a nice hike ... although a little bit too short ... I had this memory of the same hike when I was a kid ... and I was pretty sure it was at least 3 hours ... but it ended up in less than 1 hour hike ... anyways ... here PIANEZZA ... the village starting point of the hike ...... and here some pictures of the dam ... or what is left of it ... still wrapped in the morning fog ... it made it even more sad ...... and here some other pictures of the hiking ... overall it was really a very nice day ... so strange to write about a nice hiking in such a tragic location ... in a way I found it sad ... at the same time ... it is nice to see that where there was death now there is new life ... and people remember it ... anyways ... these are some of the animals wandering in the area of the dam ...... this is the group of friends I went with ... if you are curious ... PAOLO ... my brother ... is the one on the left ...... and this is me ... with my new hiking shoes ... I bought them for my Patagonia trip I will do in 2 weeks ... but I found out that they are probably slightly too big ... funny ... I bought them because the previous one were slightly too small ... ehehehe ...

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A GOOD FRIEND

... Hello!? ... Hey ... it is me ... Andrea ... today I am coming to Milan to see your white ass ... let's meet there in the Central Train Station ... You mean you are coming from Swizerland just to see me!?! ... Of course, I am coming for you ... come on ... get up ... I just check you have a train leaving Bergamo at 10.54 ... I will be there at 12.30 ... you will have to wait for me just 30 minutes ... mmm ... OK ... see you later ... I can't believe this ... this is exactly what happen to me last Saturday ... when my friend Andrea ... woked me up ... and I felt soooo touched ... a friend ... coming from Switzerland ... more than 3 hours train ... just to visit me ... we went to visit an other common friend ... and I felt sooooo special ... something I didn't expect ... a surprise ... a gift ... a true blessing ... so we met in Milan and we went to this other common friend ... an other Andrea ... the 3rd Andrea of the day ... ehehehe ... who was busy feeding his little son Pietro ...... we had a wonderful time ... some really great food ...... and probably a little bit too much of wine ... not the best choice for my sick stomach ... but apparently it didn't make things much worse ... ... really a wonderful day ... yep ... there is nothing like a good friend ... and Andrea is definitely a wonderful friend ... yep ... I am really a lucky guy ... ehehehe ... :H

MILAN SIGHTSEEING

... I don't love MILAN ... I spent there 5-6 years as a university student ... and the grey colors ... the smog ... the cars parked on the pedestrian paths ... the fog ... the people always in a rush and without a smile ... made me sick ... but I have to say that visit it as a tourist isn't that bad ... of course I didn't catch this bus o visit the city ... but in a way I did really when around like a japanese tourist taking pictures ...

... but I spent half a day as a tourist ... taking pics ... and visiting churches ... there are a lot of art masterpieces in Milan ... and if you are not in a rush ... you have he chance to enjoy them ... here some of them ... Milan main attraction is the DUOMO (the dome) ...... an incredible mix of styles ... built over 5 centuries ... the result is unique ... a mix of gothic, reinassance and baroque style ... on top of that there is a the GOLDEN MADONNINA (Mary, Jesus mom) ... the tallest point in Milan ... no building is taller than that ... and and even Leonardo da Vinci ... was in a way involved in it ... because Milan doesn't have any river ... he was asked to design a network of water canals which was eventually used also to move to Milan the white marble necessary to build the dome ... if you have the chance go to visit it now ... they are in the last phases of its renovation ... and the white marble cleaned is simply wonderful ... and you can also visit the church rooftop ... which is pretty cool ... especially in a day with blue sky ... here some pictures ...

... here some other random art masterpieces I had the chance to see ... I spent in Milan only half a day ... but I have to say ... that this time I liked it ... I hope you will have as well the chance to visit it ... but don't spend in Milan more than 1 day ... go to BERGAMO ... my city ... it is only 25 miles away ... and to me it is much more pretty ... ehehe ... :o ...

ALE and THE PERFECT PICTURE

... Ale & Max are friends ... and they are really lovely ... and this is a picture we took last nite ... to remember the nice evening together ...... Ale was used to study with me at the university ... we spent so much time to study together ... in the same public libraries ... really nice memories ... and last night they had been sooooooooo nice ... they invited me to sleep in their new apartment place in MILAN ... because today I had to be early morning in the US CONSULATE in MILAN to have the new US VISA STAMP on the passport ... really nice ... and Ale is also the person who took one of my favorite pictures ever ... actually ... my favorite picture ever ... here it is ...... it was last year in Manhattan Beach ... when she came to visit me in LA and other friends living closeby ... in the picture ... Seba, myself and Jake (my former roomie) on the beach before an early morning surfing ... I love this picture ... to me it has something special ... it means a lot to me ... friendship ... sport ... outdoor ... fun ... surf ... I just love it ... thanks for everything Ale ... and you too Max ... I love to have such good friends ... and have fun in VENICE in the weekend ...

DEDICATED TO CELINE

... this is a picture I took today in Via Montenapoleone (the heart of the fashion ditrict) in Milan ... and it is dedicated to my friend CELINE ...... not sure if she is reading it ... what is really important ... is what I felt today ... I did turn my head right ... I saw this name ... just a name ... 6 letters ... one after the other ... and I felt happy ... the name ... reminded me the smile of a good friend ... and our small backpacking adventures ... and made me smile as well ... in the middle of a grey Milan street (I kinda hate the grey Milan streets) ... mmmm ... isn't that nice ... mmmm ... probably just childish ... I know ... but I love to smile ... and I love to share it ... and I love to remember good friends ... :D

A NIGHT ON THE SINK

... this is not the way I expected to spend one of my nights here in ITALY ... but it did happen ... I am pretty sure it was food poisoning ... some crappy pizza I got at dinner yesterday... but my doctor told me that I had a food poisoning or it is a case of flu ... bottom line ... I think I will have to eat light for few days now ... what a pity ... in the meantime ... last nite ... I spend some good time with some ofmy old friends ... really nice to see them again ... after such a long time ...

... and my feeling is that nothing really changed since I left ... not sure if it is a good or a bad thing ... probably good ...

ITALIAN GELATO

... this is me ... when two days ago ... I finally had the chance to eat my first Italian ice cream (GELATO) ... actually it was a AFFOGATO ... means cream Ice cream with a espresso on top of it ...... it wasn't the best ever ... bu it was definately YUMMY ... :D

I AM IN ITALY

... so ... I am back to ITALY ... more precisely in BERGAMO ... my home town ... 25miles from MILANO ... BERAGAMO is really a beatiful place ... especially the old part of the town ... all surrrounded by 4km long 1400 Venician walls ... simply gorgeous ... this is a section of the wall ...... and this is the simbol of the VENICIAN REPUBLIC ... a winged lion holding a book ...... here myself going around with an old bicycle ... it is an old BIANCHI from 1930 ... still perfect to ride ...... here l am in front of the city art museum ...... and here other pics ... of some of the buildings in the old city ... this is an old church converted in a section of the city university ... really pretty ...

... this is the public library ... one of the nicest building in town ... really really nice ... you should see it inside ... marvelous ...

... this is ... PORTA SAN GIACOMO ... in english is ... St. James door ... one of the 4 gates to enter the old town ... all white marble ... and here as well ... you can see also the Venice symbol ... the lion with the wings holding the book ...

... this is one street in the old town ... I like this picture ... with the sunset ... lighting one of the city towers ...... I will stay here for 2 weeks ... until September 23rd ... enjoying my family ... friends ... food ... wine ... and the weather ... really a mild fall so far ... I will update you soon ... had to go to the bank now ... it is closing in 1 hour ...

SAME SAME

... SAME SAME ... BUT DIFFERENT ... this is the favorite quote of the backpackers in Thailand ... it is very true forme when I am trying to do something ... always the same ... I am never on time ... I am always behind the schedule I create ... ehehehe ... today it did happen again ... I tried to do too many things ... work ... shopping ... bank ... barber ... friends ... check credit history ... buy ticket to Chile ... buy gifts ... and now ... I am still here ... at midnight ... with my luggage not ready ... uploading music on the iPod ... afraid that I forgot something important ... :O ... and tomorrow morning 7.30AM ... I have a 10K run in Manhattan Beach ... I want to go surfing with Oliver at 9AM ... and ... at 3.30PM I have my flight to Milan, Italy ... ehehehe .... I hope I will get on time at the LAX ...

FUNNELING BEER

... so ... now that I finally found a way to upload videos from YOUTUBE ... it is time to upload some video I did ... this is pretty old ... but probably is the only decent one I have ... ehehehe ... it is from the bday party ... we had in our place last June 10th ... 4 months ago ... actually this was the pre-party in the afternoon ... LEIF is the cameraman ... YANN is holding the funnel ... JASON is the referee ... and I am drinking ... ehehe ... unfortunately once uploaded ... the video and the audio have a delay of 2 seconds ... not sure why ... I hope you will enjoy it anyways ...

... BTW ... that was my first funneling ever ... we don't do this stuff in Italy ... but I have to admit ... it is pretty funny ... kind of breezing your forehead all that cold beer in a shot ... but you can easily survive ... or atleast I did survive ... :o

GOODBYE DINNER

... since few weeks Tuesday seems to be the party day ... yesterday night was at our place ... pretty easy but cool actually ... I did prepare some pasta ... Leif prepared a salad ... Silkie, Andrea and Oliver prepared the dessert ... everybody bring some wine ... and surprise suprise ... nobody got drunk ...... it was my way to say goodbye to some of my friends here in LA ... Saturday I have my flight to Milan ... honestly ... I can't wait ... I want to see my friends and get some serious fun with them ... hug my parents ... go hiking my my brother ... and a lot of other things ... mmmmm ... I can't wait ... :O ... and after that I should go almost directly to Chile and Argentina for 4 weeks ... hiking in Patagonia ... Cape Horn ... Whales ... glaciers ... penguins ... mmmm ... and all that sh*t that makes me happy ... ehehehehe ... I am still Xing my fingers for that trip ... it depends if my VISA STAMP in Italy won't have any delay ... anyways ... if everything will go in the right way ... I should be out of LA until the end of November ... in a way I am superhappy because it is vacation ... trip ... adventure ... backpacking ... walking the Earth ... new countries ... in a way I am also a little bit sad to leave this beatiful paradise ... :D

ICH LERNE DEUTSCH

... so ... from today ... I am doing this experiment ... I am trying to learn some German ... exchanging emails with a friend ... she is teaching me some sentences, on my request, in German ... I do the the same in Italian ... of course the communication language is English ... so ... today I learned ... Ich lerne Deutsch ... which should mean ... I am learning German ... and ... Mir geht's heute total gut ... which should mean ... Today I am really happy ... ehehehe ... let's see where I will end up with this experiment ... :D

DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?!?

... now ... be sure to have your loudspeakers on ... so ... this is dedicated to all my German friends around the world ... I love you all ...

... and of course it is dedicated also to all the people who is struggling with the English ... and to myself ... who after 4 years living in this country ... I don't know yet the difference between a MATCH and a GAME ... so ... the story goes like this ... Sunday I am on the porch chit chating with Leif and Yann ... Jason is inside with a group of friends watching football (i.e. American Football) on TV ... he steps out of the house to smoke a cigarette ... so ... I ask him ... "How is the match?" ... he looks at me like I just asked the weirdest question ever ... "The match!?! ... What match?!?" ... I try again ... nothing ... after an other couple of useless repetitions ... he looks at me and with wide eyes open tells me ... "aaaahhhh .... you mean the game!?!?!" ... of course ... the game ... fortunately for me ... I don't work neither in an airport Control Tower ... nor ... in a Coast Guard Radar Station ... ehehehe ... :O

OLIVER IN THE SURF CLUB

... this is today when Oliver ... signing in the SURF CLUB ... he is now officially a member of the club ...... so it went like this ... my weekend was surprise suprise ... alcohol free ... after Tuesday drama ... I decided to quit for a while ... I need really to be sure to take seriously the preparation for the marathon ... and avoid to destroy my liver ... so ... I didn't drink ... I did ride my bycicle ... I went running ... and after some weeks I went surfing ... surfing was fun ... I went out with Oliver this morning ... Oliver just landed 2 weeks ago from Germany ... he is a colleague of a friend and he will live and work here in LA for the next 6 months ... so I thought he had to live his california dream and a way to d it was to start surfing as soon as possible ... so I borrowed him one of my boards and one of my wetsuits ... and we went out ... a little bit late ... the best waves were gone ... but it was nice ... so welcome to the club Oliver ... and whrn I will back from my vacation in Italy and hopefully in Chile (Xing my fingers for this) ... we will continue ... surfing is really something more than a sport ... and the best way to enjoy it ... is to share this blessing with friends ... so welcome into the club my friend ... :D