The Italian Alps

I looked out of the window yesterday morning at 35,000 feet and saw mountains sticking their frozen toes out of the clouds. I landed last night and, as the plane bounced up and then down again before coming to a stop, a few people clapped their appreciation. I thought people were still clapping, but when I looked around everyone had stopped. It was just the sand and dust of West Africa against the outside of the plane.

The vacation was wonderful. On the AirFrance flight I watched Enchanted. Great movie. Venice is the most interesting place I've ever seen. Well, Big Bend might be more interesting, or Cedar Cove. But it was fantastic. The food was great. The espresso was better than great. The lack of jetlag was great. As was the metro in Rome. Use it if you're there! My family is choice. We went without arguing for about a day and a half, which is a day and a half longer than any other reunion we've ever had. Italian eyedrops are better than French eyedrops. Florence is beautiful. The Sistine Chapel is astounding. The best Italians are the best, the worst Italians are the worst. I just checked my mail and got a card from Sandy Monzingo. There was a stamp on the envelope that said missent to myanmar. This letter somehow left Texas, got mixed up east of the subcontinent, and then found its way to Burkina Faso. Tough cookie. It reminds me of Pinnochio.

I'll put up pictures tomorrow. I have my memory card but there isn't a memory card slot on this computer and my camera cord is hidden away in Kampti. Sorry. But some previews: black and white pictures of Katie feeding San Marco birds are the best. Pictures of the Colosseum are a close second. The other 800 hundred pictures I took tie for a respectable third.

I'll write more tomorrow. All my best, Clay