Follow Up to the Balloon Trip Across the Ocean

Regular readers of my blog, both of you, will remember the story I related back in June about the balloon trip across the ocean. To refresh your memory, click here:

http://joeganci.blogspot.com/2007/07/balloon-trip-across-ocean.html

As I knew I'd be coming back to Italy this week, I let the school know and they insisted that I come visit them to spend lunch with the kids and dinner with the parents and administrators. I'm going next week on Friday! Last week I sent a request to many of my friends asking them if they could provide some messages to the children of Modena who had sent the balloons. 62 of you responded and I compiled them, printed them, and will bring a bound copy to the kids next week. You can be one of the first to see the messages, though, by clicking below. If I do this again and you didn't contribute last time, consider doing it next time. It only takes a few minutes and it's a way to reach out your hands to another part of the world.

http://www.joeganci.com/Modena/ModenaNoContacts.pdf

Vienna...Vienna...

I just arrived in Vienna (Austria, not Virginia) where I have a six-hour layover before flying to Milan, Italy, to visit family. I've settled into a coffee bar called Ikarus, recharging myself by drinking cappuccini while I recharge my laptop whose battery I drained on the flight over. I'm surrounded by smokers so my clothing is going to stink later but living a few hours less of life is a small price to pay for having a powered laptop and free wireless access. Besides, those hours will come at the very end of my life when I probably won't be feeling all that good, anyway.

Even though I have a six-hour layover, I was advised not to try to go into town and back because it really isn't enough time. I'd like to see Vienna, but I guess today is not the day.

This is the first airport I've seen that had an adult bookstore that advertises adult toys, videos, etc. If only the dollar wasn't so weak right now (haha)...

It's snowing outside, first snow I've seen this year. The guy sitting next to me on the plane, who appeared to Middle Eastern (the guy, not the plane), looked delighted to see snow. It may have been a long time since he'd seen it. The airport is playing American Christmas music. Is it really that time of year already? Apparently here it is.

Strange, a lot of German-speaking people around here. :-)