Thursday, January 17, 2008
Arrivederci Milano!
I'm on my way home. I leave for the airport in 30 minutes. Milan to Frankfurt. Frankfurt to Denver. Denver to Salt Lake City. I arrive at 7 pm. I'm excited to see everyone. Have a wonderful day! See you tonight!!!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Vive Milano!
January 16, 2008
Quite a day….let me start with my flight from London to Milano. The guy next to me and the guy in the row in front of me almost got in a fight over overhead space. The Brit kept say “don’t touch my things.” And the Italian kept saying, “don toucha me!” Seriously, I thought one of them was going to pop the other one. Got to my hotel around 11 pm. Went to bed at midnight. Woke up at 3 a.m. Dang. Back to sleep about 40 minutes before I had to get up.
Met with our partner Bizmatica in the morning doing some marketing planning. Then we drove a couple hours to Genova (birthplace of Christopher Columbus) and met with a cruise line customer prospect. Back to the hotel (now 6 p.m.) and will wait to have dinner with our partner at 8:30 – the Italians usually eat at about 9 p.m.
Interesting things…it rained all day. Genova is a port city, so we went up through the mountains filled with snow, then down to the port. Cool hotel. Very little. The shower is about 2 feet square. Italy is so filled with character – the architecture, the people (I think every other person could be a model). Lot’s of motor scooters. I sleep in a twin bed (far cry from my London palace). The drive to Genova let me see a lot of little towns. They are so cool. The countryside is so neat! Oh, I ordered hot chocolate (everyone else was having coffee) – it is like a melted Hershey bar. Super think and rich. Wow!
Tomorrow I have a press conference and a customer meeting. Then the next morning I head to the airport and head home. Right now, I think I’m going to go for a run in the streets of Milano!
I love you all!!!!! (no pics to add due to my internet connection). Maybe later.
Quite a day….let me start with my flight from London to Milano. The guy next to me and the guy in the row in front of me almost got in a fight over overhead space. The Brit kept say “don’t touch my things.” And the Italian kept saying, “don toucha me!” Seriously, I thought one of them was going to pop the other one. Got to my hotel around 11 pm. Went to bed at midnight. Woke up at 3 a.m. Dang. Back to sleep about 40 minutes before I had to get up.
Met with our partner Bizmatica in the morning doing some marketing planning. Then we drove a couple hours to Genova (birthplace of Christopher Columbus) and met with a cruise line customer prospect. Back to the hotel (now 6 p.m.) and will wait to have dinner with our partner at 8:30 – the Italians usually eat at about 9 p.m.
Interesting things…it rained all day. Genova is a port city, so we went up through the mountains filled with snow, then down to the port. Cool hotel. Very little. The shower is about 2 feet square. Italy is so filled with character – the architecture, the people (I think every other person could be a model). Lot’s of motor scooters. I sleep in a twin bed (far cry from my London palace). The drive to Genova let me see a lot of little towns. They are so cool. The countryside is so neat! Oh, I ordered hot chocolate (everyone else was having coffee) – it is like a melted Hershey bar. Super think and rich. Wow!
Tomorrow I have a press conference and a customer meeting. Then the next morning I head to the airport and head home. Right now, I think I’m going to go for a run in the streets of Milano!
I love you all!!!!! (no pics to add due to my internet connection). Maybe later.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Italy!
January 15, 2008
Just wanted you to know that I arrived safe in "The Old Country." More later. Love, Dad
Just wanted you to know that I arrived safe in "The Old Country." More later. Love, Dad
Monday, January 14, 2008
Day Two in London Town
January 14, 2008
First I need to tell you about church yesterday. I got to the Hyde Park chapel in time for the last meeting (Priesthood) of the regular family ward. After that I stayed and attended the Portuguese/Spanish combo ward for Sacrament meeting. I've been to it before, but it always makes me laugh, because some one will give the opening prayer in Spanish, then the song will be in Portuguese, then the talks will alternate between Spanish and Portuguese. I got to speak to several Brasilaros, but I need some refresher course or something. I was struggling. Once I left to go back to the hotel, and had to stop and tell myself, "okay you can quit thinking in Portuguese now."
Today we had three press/analyst meeting in London. We were meeting the people from our PR agency at the hotel. They were late and called and told us that they were delayed by the queens horses. Literally, the road they traveled went past Buckingham Palace and the queen's horses had traffic stopped. Later in our cab ride I saw the horses on the street as we drove past the palace. All three meetings wet well. The first was with a guy with a bad hair piece who was offended by the fact that I hadn't read his magazine (yikes). Overall, they were fine. Tonight I went to the West End and had fish and chips (very traditional English meal) for dinner. Back in the hotel hoping that I sleep as well tonight as I did last night. Tomorrow it's more press meeting and a 5:50 pm flight to Milan. See a couple new pictures below! I love you all.
First I need to tell you about church yesterday. I got to the Hyde Park chapel in time for the last meeting (Priesthood) of the regular family ward. After that I stayed and attended the Portuguese/Spanish combo ward for Sacrament meeting. I've been to it before, but it always makes me laugh, because some one will give the opening prayer in Spanish, then the song will be in Portuguese, then the talks will alternate between Spanish and Portuguese. I got to speak to several Brasilaros, but I need some refresher course or something. I was struggling. Once I left to go back to the hotel, and had to stop and tell myself, "okay you can quit thinking in Portuguese now."
Today we had three press/analyst meeting in London. We were meeting the people from our PR agency at the hotel. They were late and called and told us that they were delayed by the queens horses. Literally, the road they traveled went past Buckingham Palace and the queen's horses had traffic stopped. Later in our cab ride I saw the horses on the street as we drove past the palace. All three meetings wet well. The first was with a guy with a bad hair piece who was offended by the fact that I hadn't read his magazine (yikes). Overall, they were fine. Tonight I went to the West End and had fish and chips (very traditional English meal) for dinner. Back in the hotel hoping that I sleep as well tonight as I did last night. Tomorrow it's more press meeting and a 5:50 pm flight to Milan. See a couple new pictures below! I love you all.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
A Werewolf in London...
January 13, 2008: I arrived in London safely. Three noteworthy stories to tell on my first day.
1. My luggage didn't get lost! This might not be noteworthy to some, but to me, with my experience...this is a big deal:-)
2. I'm in Chicago getting ready to board my flight. They call seating group one. I reach into my bag, get out my passport and boarding pass and head for the screener. He takes my items, looks at me, looks at my passport, looks at my boarding pass, initials my boarding pass and send me to the gate. I hand the lady my boarding pass, she puts it in the machine and it kicks it back out (same thing happened to the guy in front of me). She tears off the stub and hands it to me. I'm walking down the jet bridge, glance down to look at my seat number on the stub. "Hey, this says Frankfurt. Dang, I have to connect through Frankfurt! Wait a minute. This says October 8th!" I then realize that I'd grabbed a leftover old boarding pass. I look in my bag and there is my London boarding pass. Great security, huh? I tell the flight attendant who goes back out to the desk while I get settled. She comes back and says, "You're fine. That's a bit concerning, don't you think?" (those Brits end their statements with a question A LOT.
3. I get to Heathrow about 5:30 am, go through passport control, catch the Heathrow Express train to Paddington station and walk half a block to the hotel. There is a bit of confusion checking me in, but all looks to be in order. I get on the lift (I'm so British) to the fifth floor and start looking for the way to room 590. But the signs saw 590 Grand Western Suite. I get to my room and discover that this is a room built for a rock star! It has three floor, a spiral staircase (32 stairs - I counted them for you), an office with 20 ft ceilings, an entry, and a private deck that is twice as big as our sunroom. WOW! Seriously, this must be reserved for Presidents and rock stars (of which I am neither). All I can think is that the hotel was full and they needed to find a room for me. I wish you guys were here with me.
1. My luggage didn't get lost! This might not be noteworthy to some, but to me, with my experience...this is a big deal:-)
2. I'm in Chicago getting ready to board my flight. They call seating group one. I reach into my bag, get out my passport and boarding pass and head for the screener. He takes my items, looks at me, looks at my passport, looks at my boarding pass, initials my boarding pass and send me to the gate. I hand the lady my boarding pass, she puts it in the machine and it kicks it back out (same thing happened to the guy in front of me). She tears off the stub and hands it to me. I'm walking down the jet bridge, glance down to look at my seat number on the stub. "Hey, this says Frankfurt. Dang, I have to connect through Frankfurt! Wait a minute. This says October 8th!" I then realize that I'd grabbed a leftover old boarding pass. I look in my bag and there is my London boarding pass. Great security, huh? I tell the flight attendant who goes back out to the desk while I get settled. She comes back and says, "You're fine. That's a bit concerning, don't you think?" (those Brits end their statements with a question A LOT.
3. I get to Heathrow about 5:30 am, go through passport control, catch the Heathrow Express train to Paddington station and walk half a block to the hotel. There is a bit of confusion checking me in, but all looks to be in order. I get on the lift (I'm so British) to the fifth floor and start looking for the way to room 590. But the signs saw 590 Grand Western Suite. I get to my room and discover that this is a room built for a rock star! It has three floor, a spiral staircase (32 stairs - I counted them for you), an office with 20 ft ceilings, an entry, and a private deck that is twice as big as our sunroom. WOW! Seriously, this must be reserved for Presidents and rock stars (of which I am neither). All I can think is that the hotel was full and they needed to find a room for me. I wish you guys were here with me.
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