Almost Home, Away I go

As I said two entries from now, I left Chicago in a blinding snow storm, and was headed eventually to Palermo. One would think I would be smart enough to just go home at that point, but oh no. Instead, I had my wonderful friend Angelo pick me up at the airport, and take me to his house. As I got in around noon, he was able to leave work early and take me to his apartment, where he made the most wonderful spaghetti with tomato and ricotta sauce. Oh, was it good. Then he quietly left the apartment, and let me sleep for a while. I was to go over to his parents shop, meet him there after work, and have dinner with him. The next morning he would take me to the train station, and I would take the train to the airport, and off on my next adventure.
Above is a picture of Angelo in his apartment. I caught up with Franci later, and took a picture of her along with Alessio, but he was busy playing soccer inside her tummy at the time, so I have decided not to publish that picture. At any rate, I got to spend some time with Angelo's parents, and then Angelo and Franci took me to her parent's house, where we had dinner, starting with the most incredible ceci bean soup in chicken broth I have ever had. Such good cooks these folks are, and I had really missed the authentic flavors of Sicily.

But as I said, off to the airport went I the next morning, taking a low cost flight to Cologne. I stayed overnight in the hotel there, and then took an early morning flight to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, to see Fran and my blog buddy Joan. She had wanted us to come to Israel to see the country since we first were in touch with her, and continued the invitations after Fran died.

I should have gotten a hint of what I was to be in for when she gave me careful instructions as to what I should say at the passport control in Israel. I should have gotten another hint when, after checking in for the flight and going through security, stopping at a bar for a cup of coffee, and buying a bottle of water to drink on the flight, I had to go through another, special, more careful security to get into the guarded waiting room for the flight to Israel. They wanted to confiscate my water bottle, but I told them I had just bought it after going through the first security, and because it was still cold, they seemed to believe me and let me keep it. Not only did we go through the metal detector, but each of us was wanded, and about half of the bags were searched. What fun lay ahead.