From: Joe and Cass Leone [mailto:leone@xxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 2:04 AM
To: Warren Bee
Subject: Re: Hey Stranger....
On Nov 13, 2007, at 7:39 AM, Warren Bee wrote:I know you are back in
the homeland. fill me in on the trip when you get a chance.
WB
Hey 'Killah Bee'. Left on Sept 28, flew to Heathrow, then on to
Buda-Pesht. Spent a couple days there and onto the Viking Pride. 68
locks and around 20 towns on the way to Amsterdam. Some high points:
1.. Buda-Pesht. Around 2 million people. ALL scurring around like
mice....I LOVED it.
2.. Bratislava. Around 1/2 million people. Got to meet the U.S.
ambassador to Slovakia. Dude names Rudy Vallee (but I'm allowed to
call him 'skip'). Nice kid..a little pre-maturely balding. There was
a great jazz fest going on.
3.. Nurenburg. Around 1/2 million people. Stood EXACTLY where Hitler
stood...Didn't feel anything? Went to the courtroom where the trials
were held. Stood where Himler stood...didn't feel anything there
either.
4.. Prague. About 2 million people. Spent a couple days. LOVED it.
5.. Cologne. About 1 million people. Loved it.
6.. Amsterdam. About 1 million people. Mama Cass thought it was a pee
hole. I LOVED it. Went looking for a place to rent for next summer.
lol
Vienna. About 2 million people. Last time I was there was 1952 (I was
10). It was about 30% bombed out back then but I remember how
beautiful what WAS there was. The big Ferris Wheel is still there and
all the buildings that I remembered as being huge but talked myself
into thinking that the only reason I thought so was because I was
only 10...actually A R E huge. My jaw was down on the ground. It just
might be the prettiest city on earth.
One night in Vienna, about half the passengers went to an Andre Rieu
type waltz concert. I stayed aboard and sat in with the band (a
keyboard, guitar, and backup tracks). They played the 2 1/2 hours for
the passengers who stayed aboard and I did around 44 minutes.
In Buda-Pesht, two gypsies came aboard. One played violin and the
other something like a steel guitar but you hit the strings with
these little sticks tipped with banana shaped felt pads. I don't know
what you call it but it sure was nice...like a zither. We tried to
come up with something we all could do and settled on the 'Trisch-
Trasch' (by Strauss).
Played just about every night for the 3 weeks. Was gone a total of 4
weeks (what with the days added on for Buda, Prague, & Amster). Got a
boat and cruised the canals of Amster. Didn't get paid or anything,
but had a lot of fun. After the Captain's Dinner (the last night
aboard) they had a talent show. I wasn't entered but played a few
numbers (by request) at the end.
The cruising season is over and first of the year the Hungarian guys
from the band offered me to come back to Garmisch for ski season. I
can stay with them at the Jolly Hotel, and they guaranteed me 6
weeks. Don't think I can make it though.
When I went to finalize my bar and dinner wine tab (several hundred
dollars), I found that it was 'Cancelled out'. So, there IS a God.
travelin jo-jo
=
!DSPAM:5614,473eed8b30181403015401!