Grumpy,

Sounds like the "frito misto" I saw in Venice about 25 years ago (memories
misty too).  Didn't order it 'cause it looked like they just netted it from
the canal out back, then threw it right into a pan full of oil.  And the
vino wouldn't make it any more palatable.  Aside from that, I loved the food
all over the rest of the boot.  Ditto your impression of Trafalgar.

Bruce (misses those month-long treks across Europe) Popkin

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Trelstad, Derek [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, January 14, 2000 6:19 PM
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: Washington scaffoldment
>
> One of my fondest memories of a long trip to Rome a decade ago was a lunch
> I
> had in an unmarked cafe -- precise location temporary inaccessible in gray
> (not Gray) matter. Consisted of whole fish -- about a dozen -- lightly and
> delicately fried accompanied by a glass or two of red wine (vintage,
> vinter,
> unknown). Despite my consipuously 'Murican travelling companions, who
> sneered at the fixed pupils of the fish staring at them, I achieved a
> moment
> or two free of the unshakeable tourist stigma. Of course, being tall,
> rather
> fair, and blue-eyed I was still irretrievably "strange" (as the Italians
> are
> so fond of saying).
>
> On a less successful trip, I did manage to find myself fleeing Trafalgar
> Square when I realized the tourists -- certainly dumber than pigeons --
> were
> feeding their lunches to avian rats, who were then crapping on them from
> the
> trees above.
>
> So, I stay in New York, scowl at tourists shuffling along the sidewalks,
> pretend I didn't grow up hundreds of miles away, and sometimes wish I were
> somewhere else.
>
> Sign me,
>
> Grumpy Old Man
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Donald B. White [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, January 14, 2000 12:55 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Washington scaffoldment
>
>
> To say nothing of the possibilities for ivy growth.
>
> Tourists are dumber than pigeons. (I've lived in tourist-attractive towns
> most of my life, the contempt just creeps in--when I travel I try to
> resemble a tourist as little as possible, not always with success.) Might
> need barbed wire. Although the plan might be for the tourists to be
> allowed
> to climb this thing. Possibilities for retroactive population control. How
> about:
>
> "Bungee Jump Minneapolis!"
>
> --Le Tour Eiffel