The Lowdown

I've been away for a while; running errands and getting things set-up around here in Italy. Things move at a different pace here, and there's no cut-and-dry method of taking care of anything. That being said, I finally bought and am the proud owner of an '87 Mini! Ain't she a beaut?



It's pretty much exactly like driving a go-cart, but with enough speed to get you along in the Italian traffic. I'm a big fan. I also finalized my other car purchase: the BMW wagon. It's much more practical, but still a good car.

I've spent the week here going through the orientation that the army has for new arrivals to Italy. It's been a great little education in about four days. We've took a couple small outings into Vicenza and our Italian instructor showed us some of the finer points of public transportation.

We made a stop at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza. It's the world's oldest indoor theater, built around 1580. That's wicked old! Here's a picture from inside:



That's the stage. The buildings in the background are made in a forced perspective to give the appearance that the set extends back further than it actually does. There's also a system of mirrors and lenses that were used to give the appearance of dawn, day, and dusk with the candle-light that they once used to light the stage. Pretty incredible.

That's all I have time for now, but stay tuned for my next installment: the Hotdog Warrior!