On 6/24/13 9:41 AM, Eisboch wrote:


"F.O.A.D." wrote in message
m...



We've been to many destinations in the Caribbean, including both parts
of Saint Martin, and we've been to Saint Barthélemy, too, in fact, on
the same trip. For many reasons, we prefer the Med and the Greek isles,
though I would enjoy a trip to Cuba. Love Cuban food, music, and
hopefully, once the Castro brothers are dead, the country can get with it.

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We are not exactly world travellers but have spent extensive time living
outside the US. I had one brief excursion to southeast Asia in 1969
that only lasted 6 weeks, and spent a little over a week in China (PRC)
in 1986 but we lived in Italy for over two years and in Puerto Rico
for about the same. Loved Italy. Puerto Rico? Not so much.

Had an interesting series of emails last December with a guy in Italy. I
was Christmas shopping on eBay and came across some custom made, very
beautiful pens that were made in a factory in Italy, not far from where
we had lived. Thought it would make a good gift for Mrs.E, so I
ordered one.

I was surprised to receive a personal email from the factory owner
thanking me for the order. One email exchange led to another and I
told him about our living not far from him, how our daughter was born
there and how much we had enjoyed his country back in the early 70's. He
responded with an invitation to visit again and he would make
arrangements for us to stay at a villa he owned, free of charge. He
was also very honest and talked about how much Italy has changed since
the 70's and how we probably wouldn't enjoy it like we did back then. It
was tempting, but I hate air travel and I'd rather retain the good
memories that we have.

I don't like air travel very much, either. We've been to Italy but only
for a few weeks. I'd love to live there for a while. There's so much
art, history and historical buildings and music that interest us.

When I was growing up in New Haven, we had a family friend who worked
for Sikorsky in Stratford. He was an engineer. Sikorsky got a huge
contract from the Italian government for copters. He went over there to
help set up their maintenance facilities, and spent three years in
Italy. He banked his salary in the states and lived off of a generous
per diem Sikorsky provided, and the Italian government provided him with
a villa and just about everything else his family needed.

My wife and I want to spend a month in Ireland sometime soon, she to
meet up with relatives, and me to spend some time with an old author
friend of mine who lives on Lough Owel and who keeps tempting me with
photos and stories about trout fishing.