Bags

Because of a previous sore back, I broke with tradition and gave up my back pack for a rolling suitcase. Actually it a Eagle Creek HC2 Duffel 25, which means its 25 inches long and therefore must be checked - normally we carry on.
Pros... lots of room, easy to pull around, no anxiety dealing with overhead storage space on the plane. Cons... lots of room so I tended to overpack, clickity-clack - now I'm one of those jackoffs pulling their suitcase down the cobblestone alley in Europe.
The bag did come back unscathed. I think I'm converted. Hope I won't be excommunicated from the Rick Steves religious community.

Home

Stayed in a killer hotel in Malpensa called the Villa Malpensa. The only problem was that we had to leave at 05:00 to catch the 06:20 to Amsterdam. Then Amsterdam to Portland. It went ok.
Nice to be home.

Bolzano & beyond

We have been in Bolzano (Bozen in German) for three nights. We head to Milan tomorrow morning. Took a bus up into the mountains today... had lunch in Castlerotto. This is Italy, but feels like Germany. So, if you like Rosti and schneitzel, then this is your place. Mostly German spoken... everything is in two languages. Food is pretty good. Got a couple of jugs for our Sat evening hoedown in the hotel room... Gerwertiz and Proseco, with bread, cheese and salami. its cheap and after awhile, one gets rather tired of eating out.
Its Kold here 10C... which is about 50. Not bad for walking, if the sun is out. Rather cold if you are in the shade, sitting still.
No. 1 son, Jeff, flew out of PDX to Guam yesterday. PDX to LAX (2.5 hours), LAX to Tokyo (12 hours), 5 hour layover in Tokyo, 3.5 hours to Guam. He gets in at 02:00 Sunday morning. Jeez, I thot my trip home from here would be a bitch... not even close!
Thats it for awhile.
P