Random Thoughts: Holiday season is interesting
"Buon giorno." If my dictionary is right that is "good day" in Italian. I feel like I have just been to Italy. Recently I found the diary I kept on a trip there and a big box of souvenirs. It's wonderful to live it all over again. I wish I had made more complete notes.
It had been over 70 years since I made that trip. I went with a couple of friends. She was a schoolgirl friend and he was the head of the Kansas Turnpike Authority. Their convention was to be in Rome, Italy. They had room for me, so I grabbed the chance.
It was my first time to fly in a large commercial plane, so I was a white knuckle traveler for a while. They served wonderful, complete meals on the plane. How times have changed!
Our first stop was Gander, Newfoundland. I guess it was for refueling. What a cold, windy, bleak place. Next was Shannon, Ireland. We were there on a Sunday for about two hours. I was really thrilled to be there. Then it was straight to Rome. We could look down on the red tiled roofs as we flew over London.
In Rome, we were guests of the Italian Bridge and Turnpike people. They really rolled out the red carpet. There were banquets, garden parties, and tours. We went to Florence and saw the wonderful art work, then to Milan. My friend was a musician and we went to the LaScala opera house where a concert was being played. We had to do "standing room" in one of the high balconies. We didn't care that we were squashed in like sardines — we were there!
Of course there was lots more to our trip. Maybe I'll write more some other time. It was wonderful.
Arrivederci!
— NORMA HANNAFORD
