Doing the 3 Step- Nashville, Austria and Italia

Three weeks of traveling solo, enjoying each phase and event as it happened.  Living in the NOW is the way to go! I so love traveling!

This trip started with a 3-day excursion to Nashville, Tennessee to celebrate my grandson’s 4^th birthday. 

Then jetting off to Vienna for the annual Society of Flight Test Engineers European symposium.   Upon arrival, I was asked to lead the presentation judging, which is an excellent way to stay focused and expand my knowledge.  The learning never stops!

 

talk was, “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci in Flight Test ” It was based on the book of the same name.  It appeared to be well received and appreciated, which was somewhat of a relief, having spent the better part of 3 months writing it.  And then three months of labor distilled down to a 22-minute talk.  I hope I can present it again.  More of my thoughts about this amazing SFTE symposium are here. Engaging with new and old colleagues and learning is so enjoyable and keeps my mind engaged.  I am looking forward to continuing to serve SFTE, hopefully as the next president. Vienna is the home of Mozart and Beethoven.  I went to a famous local market along the Danube to sample Austrian food.  I was surprised to see it was almost exclusively Mediterranean food and vendors.  But no matter it was some of the best falafels and hummus I had ever eaten.  I wonder how medieval Crusaders would feel? The pièce de resistance was flying a Diamond aircraft around Austria! Piloting seems so easy at least in VMC in these slow aircraft.  If money was not a factor, would I own a plane and fly myself or just travel more? It would need to be a faster jet, pressurized, and all the bells for IFR flying.  

Having heard about the amazing Croatian beaches, I wanted to visit Split, Croatia before heading to Italy, but the logistics were unfeasible to make my rendezvous with friends in Arona.  Next year!  Instead, on the last day of the symposium I booked a flight to Milano on Austrian Air, not knowing where I was going to go upon arrival.  (Note to self - no need to buy rental car insurance if one uses a credit card that covers CDW, like USAA! And defer on a big car upgrade if headed to places with narrow roads) Leaving the airport, I took a picture of my favorite plaque that lies on the exit, that defines my sojourning life. 

Plaque Exiting Malpensa Airport

Still undecided on where to go, I went to a local grocery store to buy a favorite cheese, olives, pastries, and fruit.  While enjoying these delicacies I debated between the Ligurian coast and the northern Italian lakes.  I decided to first visit the sights of the Isle at Lago D’Orta. My colleague Russ and I visited there briefly 9 years ago to see what is billed as the finest (and most expensive) restaurant in northern Italy. 

Lago D'Orta

It was there we met a 40-year-old celebrating his birthday, who used his $1,000,000 hedge fund bonus to buy a Porsche Spyder.  Time flies. Yes!  After strolling around until 8 PM,  I found a hotel right off the peninsula (L’Approdo- The Landing) and enjoyed my first of many amazing Italia dinners.  The next morning, I sat out at the hotel’s very peaceful landing enjoying the vistas and feeling the tranquility. Then in the macchina (car) drove down to my first visit to Genoa to see the sites and visit with a new acquaintance,  Miriam from the symposium. While blazing down the autostrada found the perfect B&B downtown with free parking, which is like gold in this city (or any other Italian city).  The architecture of the Genoa city center is breathtaking accented by the sculptures of Bruno Catalano, which seem to defy gravity.  Dinner in a back alley near the city center with my new colleague was a delight.  Miriam and I are separated by some years. I see my younger self in her. An aspiring Flight Test Engineer, guitarist, and nature and art lover. Studious, hardworking, and brilliant, who wants to be a pilot and attend TPS with challenges to overcome. Hopes, dreams, and longings that I can relate to. I hope we meet again.

The next day I headed to the seashore south of Genoa driving narrow curved roads that were not made for the too big upgrade rental car I was given (even though I tried to defer).   At the recommendation of Miriam, I stopped in the seaside village of Camogli and found a place famous for Ligurian focaccia.  After which I headed to Lago Maggiore to visit Andrea and Barbara in Lesa and enjoy another indescribably delicious dinner. They took me to a fantastic ristorante called Rapanello.  The owner brought out a suggested freshly caught fish called rhumba  (the name is based on its geometric shape).  They baked it and then fileted it at our table, serving it only with a strong olive oil and salt. The cultural differences go on. We ate an entire fish, with octopus, mussels, and an excellent white Moscato.  The food in Italia is so buona (delizioso) !  Andrea, Barbara, and I had another long enjoyable evening talking, about family, politics relationships, and health.  I treasure their friendship The next morning I headed to Arona.  Arona was delightfully the same with one sad exception.  I discovered they had closed the forest path to the Rocco (castle) with a sign that said closed because the trail was too treacherous.  Did somebody fall?  The one, these days too often ruins it for the many.  Damm lawyers!  Hotel Giardino put me up in their finest (3-star) room.  I feel like a prodigal son. Letizia, now a geriatrics doc, brought her just-retired cardiac surgeon father (Claudio) to Aldo’s (the local favorite) for dinner with me.  Claudio now writes dystopian Sci-Fi and plays video games!?  Neither of them was aware of the longevity research and deferred to the standard Mediterranean diet with exercise as all one can do.  We agreed to make me a litmus test when I return. While doing laundry at the local Arona laundromat, I had a profound conversation with the young manager, a wanna-be actor, who had an astounding library of philosophy books on bookshelves in the laundromat!  He astounded me with his knowledge. The ignorance of American culture seems so apparent.  

Claudio & Letizia

Filosofia di Laundry

My old friend Odelis and I reconnected.  She is still working 7 days a week.  And by working as a waitress for 25 years, raised 4 boys, and built a beautiful retirement home in the Dominican Republic.  Hard work and frugality can still pay off even in a country like Italia.  Odi still makes the best crème caramel. She wraps her Christian faith around her like a blanket and believes it all gets better in the next life.  Prosperity theology at work. My dear friend Matteo and I had a long lunch in the Arona piazza.  Matteo is wise beyond his years even though 35 years my junior I marvel at his insights.  His thought of the day was that “hormones drive desire and life experience is like a Kalman filter” was dead on!  The takeaway is even multiple intimate relationships don’t bring happiness or contentment. 

Patience, simplicity, and compassion remain the keys as Lao Tzu said long ago. 

The 3^rd day in Arona was rainy.  I enjoyed this opportunity to chill.  I sat on my balcony reflecting while overlooking Lago Maggiore listening to Italian opera (listen to video attachment).  Later I walked a mile to the gym to work out and see my old friend, the owner Luca.  This was in part to justify my gelato “fix”. 

My old yoga instructor, Carla invited me to a yoga session in Borgomanero.  It was held in an incense-scented room with beautiful painted walls surrounding us.  Quiet and calming. After the yoga session Carla and Pierre-Luca took me to yet another fabulous local favorite called La Rampolina II,  It sits on a mountain overlooking Isola Bella (the beautiful island) on Lago Maggiore.  It is astounding that the small local Italian restaurants can prepare and serve unique culinary delights that outshine any big city restaurant in the U.S.

And then too soon my European vacation was over. I could have stayed longer…. Saw only half of my friends.  But family awaits in Virginia.  Arrivederci Italy, I will ritorno a presto!  Next time for longer and hopefully with a guitar. 

As for now? On to Dulles airport, I had the privilege of flying business class on my first Airbus 380 from London to Washington D.C.  The A380 is an enormous double-decker that carries 480 people.  5 classes of service, large bathrooms.  Spiral staircases are like a luxury cruise ship.  Fine cuisine.  The upgrade was unexpected and so delightful! It likely won’t happen often if ever.  Reflecting on this, I updated my 7^th practice regarding letting go of attachments to remember to experience every pleasure like an unexpected airline upgrade or dinner with a beautiful new friend.  Enjoy unexpected pleasures fully, but don’t look back and pine for more to avoid the enormous pitfalls of attachment.  

Airbus A380. An airborne luxury cruise ship