Or; what happens next: What happens if we get lost in Miami. Check out the boats. They are all very nice. Everyone has their own theories about the Triangle. How do I sleep in such a small cabin with the Prof and 5 suitcases? It is a nightmare just thinking about it.
February 10th.
Wake up Prof, we are in America and it is 8 o’clock. Camera slung round the neck and a $5 breakfast. Today we are free so we decide to go to the beach. Maiorca, shall we go? Yes, we need two taxies, but, where is the beach? We are being driven so fast that we lose sight of Maiorca. Up, down, red and green lights, but we cannot see Maiorca. We arrive. There is a beautiful enormous beach. We get out of the taxi; but the very high waves and rough sea, mean that we can’t go for a swim, damn! It starts to rain and I get a little angry, so we start to take photographs of Pelicans on the pier, they are tearing at the raw flesh of a barracuda. What does one do in this weather?
The taxi driver is Brazilian and he has an Italian wife. We talk. He works in a nightclub and his wife is a singer.
We want to stay here in Miami, but we have to go to the Triangle. But there is still no sign of Maiorca. Do you want to go back asks the taxi driver. No, we’ll stay. But the City is so big, it is impossible to get there on foot. Don’t worry; we will face that problem after lunch, bye.
We discover a small place to eat on the pier where a negro woman laughs heartily at what we are trying to say, but are unable to say. The dogfish arrives but it could easily have been a shark for all we knew. Great choice Prof! It was a lovely, hearty fish meal for $6 and 85 cents.
Goodbye.
We take the bus back to the hotel. But is it the correct road? Well, according to the map in my hand it is, says Prof. But do you know how to read it? Here we are you see; now here we should turn right ... then it is the next crossroad further ahead. Are you sure they gave us the right instructions? We should never have listened to them. Kilometers and kilometers go by, the city is enormous. After more than an hour I see a skyscraper which seems to me to be one I saw this morning. Here we are I say. Are you sure? Yes. We get off. Excellent, we are just a few steps from our hotel.
I phone Italy and typically of course, I dial the wrong number; my hello is greeted by a flabbergasted Genoese woman. I am finally able to talk to my wife. Things in Italy are not good! But I’ve only just left? I know, but you know, at times, miracles... it is late afternoon now.
We call a taxi and we go to Miamarina where our boats are moored. At the jetty we meet the rest of the expedition; film producers, writers, directors, engineers and lawyers, twenty people in all plus Captain Kuk, an American who they have taken on together with his boat. Engineer Biagini, from Bologna (a Bolognese) who is very nice, Lawyer Berti, who is very nice, Doctor Tirelli who is very nice. They are the three who, together with Fogar, dreamt up this expedition. They are all very nice. We visit the yacht "Adventure 2°" it is very beautiful, but I prefer to keep my feet on land. On the 12th, with this boat, and with that of Captain Kuk, the "Passagemaker", we will leave for the Bahamas. . Handshakes and slaps on the back, you are obliged to step on board. Are we all on the same a boat, no? In the evening Livio Biagini acts as host and invites us to supper in a posh place; we start talking and we start to get to know each other better. I have done this and that. I have a theory, this is my theory about the Triangle; we will see, we will see. But meanwhile, the table where we are gathered is so small and there isn't enough room to move your elbows. From the dish to the mouth the journey taken by the fork becomes difficult. Finally our evening is over. My dear Americans, it is only10 o’clock!
Did you hear what they said Prof? The rotor arm of a petrol engine has a clearance of just a fraction of a millimeter. Think about it, the planes which fly over the Triangle, a fault in the magnetic field and puff; the engines block and it is head first into the depth of the Atlantic. They are lost forever. What about boats? How do you explain the fact that they disappear too, even though they have a diesel engine? Well, we’ll have to wait and see.
Are you staying near here they ask? Yes, so we say goodnight and thank you, and see you tomorrow. I’m thirsty says Prof, shall we have a drink? Goodnight.
February 11th.
We all get up early in the morning. We pack our bags and leave the hotel, it is a pity because I like it so much, and I could have got used to it. Tonight we will sleep on the boat because early in the morning of the 12th, we will set out on our adventure aboard ‘Adventure 2’.
The same taxi takes us from the hotel to Miamarina. We get out and board the boat. The tiny cabin in the stern is for the Prof and me and five suitcases. I’m really worried about tonight, how can I move if there is only space enough for the Prof, and I know he will take it all? I’ll think about it later. We just leave our suitcases in the cabin. Then, the Prof, Maiorca and family and Mangiali decide to go to the Seaquarium, which is about 20 kilometres away, so I decide to join them. How can you go to Miami and not visit the marine circus, it’s like going to Florence and not visiting the ‘Uffizi’.
We arrive having crossed Miami, with all the streets twisting and turning, going up and down, from side to side, like a merry-go-round. We see road signs pointing to the exit from all directions; without stopping you just throw a few cents into a basket at the side of the road and then continue along these enormous roads built for enormous cars. We pay $5 per head to enter Seaquarium, it is enormous and, so they say, wonderful! Now I’m not so enthusiastic; the sun is strong and beating on my head.
I have only one thought; I need a hat, a cap, even a knotted handkerchief, anything, just to cover my head. It is a thought that will worry me for the rest of the day.
We talk from time to time. We pass from show to show, from one amphitheatre to another where they make dolphins do stupid things. But they make no impression on me; they leave me indifferent to their antics. However, the kids are having a great time. The Prof and Gianni take loads of pictures. Then on to another show in another amphitheatre where there are more dolphins. They, the dolphins, swim with attractive young girls. The Americans from Minnesota, Arkansas, Texas and Virginia all smile through their teeth, the whole world is happy. These ‘showmen’ make enormous whales jump through hoops in a tiny pool; it is so sad to see. Then these strong young men reward them with enormous buckets of fish.
I keep thinking about a hat, where can I find one. I am dead tired. But unfortunately we keep going from one pool to another. Now I begin to drag myself. It’s 2 pm and I’m really hungry. But we have to see the shows. At last, lunchtime comes. Self service.
Always the same stuff. Coke. Come on, eat something. Great lunch they say, are they being sarcastic I ask myself, I am not sure, I think it is terrible stuff. Pints of ice cold water run through our dry throats. I can’t stand these Americans with all their ice I say, and I repeat that it is an obsession with them. The Prof scolds me saying that I’m never happy with what I have. They like ice. And, after all, aren’t you on holiday? Well yes, I say, maybe. The kids laugh and have fun listening to our banter. I pay and off we go. Another stroll in the gardens, other fish to see. Sharks swimming on the surface with their dorsal fins stained with blood, caused by scrapping against the side of pillars supporting the bridges, which are used by the pedestrians who are walking too and fro to get a closer view. The sharks swimming in the deep pose no harm, but the white ones on the surface are sufficiently threatening and make the audience rather nervous. In fact, there are warning notice on the walls and grills telling people that if they fall in they are dead! You don’t need to understand English to get the message! At last I find something I like: two iguanas lying in the sun and two crocodiles, their eyes shut, waiting for their prey. If your shadow covers them, they lazily open one eye. Let’s go. More dolphins, and then a visit to the pool which is on three levels. There are beautiful groupers swimming by, pregnant and sleepy and very close to your nose which you have glued to the glass panes. Giant turtles pass by in absolute silence, together with white sea-bream as big as frying pans, moonfish, parrot fish and many others I do not know and don’t want to know as, after all, I’m not interested, I couldn’t care less. But please, can we go now? There is nothing left to see, and besides, somebody is telling us it is closing time. We walk towards the exit. By the entrance gate I discover a nice little shop where they sell souvenirs and of course some hats too. I buy one, but if only I had seen it when we went in! We take two taxis back to Miamarina and we all meet again on the boat.
At last something to eat on the support boat, a nice big dish of spaghetti that Piero Malinverni puts under our noses. We happily eat, and then Prof and I try to get the instruments ready, we are going to use them tomorrow morning as soon as we are out of the port. But, as the boat is full of suitcases and boxes, it is not easy to find what we are looking for. Not only do we have to move the suitcases, but also all everyone who is blocking the corridors; the pilothouse is full of people talking, moving, eating, drinking, opening the fridge, cleaning, dirtying, smoking, going up and down.
Eventually we manage to gather all the instruments, and then Prof and I, who are sleeping on the other boat, say goodnight to the troupe and leave. You first, no wait, it’s better if I go in first, then you follow, but be careful, bow your head, don’t shut the door, leave the hatch open too. Just a moment, I want to squat down on the loo. Now for a few minutes I have the whole cabin just for me, and I can even stretch out my legs. Then I draw them up again, as Prof comes in. The flush doesn’t work, he says. Well, I don’t need it. I think about the terrible night waiting for me and I am not happy. I put some wax in my ears; I swallow a sleeping pill and make myself comfortable. Goodnight. Will I sleep or remain awake? Listen, Prof says, if I snore and I annoy you, wake me. Well, I say, it would be better if you didn’t go to bed! Sleep and at least one of us will have some rest! My God, it is going to be awful, but tonight will be over soon.
February 10th.
Wake up Prof, we are in America and it is 8 o’clock. Camera slung round the neck and a $5 breakfast. Today we are free so we decide to go to the beach. Maiorca, shall we go? Yes, we need two taxies, but, where is the beach? We are being driven so fast that we lose sight of Maiorca. Up, down, red and green lights, but we cannot see Maiorca. We arrive. There is a beautiful enormous beach. We get out of the taxi; but the very high waves and rough sea, mean that we can’t go for a swim, damn! It starts to rain and I get a little angry, so we start to take photographs of Pelicans on the pier, they are tearing at the raw flesh of a barracuda. What does one do in this weather?
The taxi driver is Brazilian and he has an Italian wife. We talk. He works in a nightclub and his wife is a singer.
We want to stay here in Miami, but we have to go to the Triangle. But there is still no sign of Maiorca. Do you want to go back asks the taxi driver. No, we’ll stay. But the City is so big, it is impossible to get there on foot. Don’t worry; we will face that problem after lunch, bye.
We discover a small place to eat on the pier where a negro woman laughs heartily at what we are trying to say, but are unable to say. The dogfish arrives but it could easily have been a shark for all we knew. Great choice Prof! It was a lovely, hearty fish meal for $6 and 85 cents.
Goodbye.
We take the bus back to the hotel. But is it the correct road? Well, according to the map in my hand it is, says Prof. But do you know how to read it? Here we are you see; now here we should turn right ... then it is the next crossroad further ahead. Are you sure they gave us the right instructions? We should never have listened to them. Kilometers and kilometers go by, the city is enormous. After more than an hour I see a skyscraper which seems to me to be one I saw this morning. Here we are I say. Are you sure? Yes. We get off. Excellent, we are just a few steps from our hotel.
I phone Italy and typically of course, I dial the wrong number; my hello is greeted by a flabbergasted Genoese woman. I am finally able to talk to my wife. Things in Italy are not good! But I’ve only just left? I know, but you know, at times, miracles... it is late afternoon now.
We call a taxi and we go to Miamarina where our boats are moored. At the jetty we meet the rest of the expedition; film producers, writers, directors, engineers and lawyers, twenty people in all plus Captain Kuk, an American who they have taken on together with his boat. Engineer Biagini, from Bologna (a Bolognese) who is very nice, Lawyer Berti, who is very nice, Doctor Tirelli who is very nice. They are the three who, together with Fogar, dreamt up this expedition. They are all very nice. We visit the yacht "Adventure 2°" it is very beautiful, but I prefer to keep my feet on land. On the 12th, with this boat, and with that of Captain Kuk, the "Passagemaker", we will leave for the Bahamas. . Handshakes and slaps on the back, you are obliged to step on board. Are we all on the same a boat, no? In the evening Livio Biagini acts as host and invites us to supper in a posh place; we start talking and we start to get to know each other better. I have done this and that. I have a theory, this is my theory about the Triangle; we will see, we will see. But meanwhile, the table where we are gathered is so small and there isn't enough room to move your elbows. From the dish to the mouth the journey taken by the fork becomes difficult. Finally our evening is over. My dear Americans, it is only10 o’clock!
Did you hear what they said Prof? The rotor arm of a petrol engine has a clearance of just a fraction of a millimeter. Think about it, the planes which fly over the Triangle, a fault in the magnetic field and puff; the engines block and it is head first into the depth of the Atlantic. They are lost forever. What about boats? How do you explain the fact that they disappear too, even though they have a diesel engine? Well, we’ll have to wait and see.
Are you staying near here they ask? Yes, so we say goodnight and thank you, and see you tomorrow. I’m thirsty says Prof, shall we have a drink? Goodnight.
February 11th.
We all get up early in the morning. We pack our bags and leave the hotel, it is a pity because I like it so much, and I could have got used to it. Tonight we will sleep on the boat because early in the morning of the 12th, we will set out on our adventure aboard ‘Adventure 2’.
The same taxi takes us from the hotel to Miamarina. We get out and board the boat. The tiny cabin in the stern is for the Prof and me and five suitcases. I’m really worried about tonight, how can I move if there is only space enough for the Prof, and I know he will take it all? I’ll think about it later. We just leave our suitcases in the cabin. Then, the Prof, Maiorca and family and Mangiali decide to go to the Seaquarium, which is about 20 kilometres away, so I decide to join them. How can you go to Miami and not visit the marine circus, it’s like going to Florence and not visiting the ‘Uffizi’.
We arrive having crossed Miami, with all the streets twisting and turning, going up and down, from side to side, like a merry-go-round. We see road signs pointing to the exit from all directions; without stopping you just throw a few cents into a basket at the side of the road and then continue along these enormous roads built for enormous cars. We pay $5 per head to enter Seaquarium, it is enormous and, so they say, wonderful! Now I’m not so enthusiastic; the sun is strong and beating on my head.
I have only one thought; I need a hat, a cap, even a knotted handkerchief, anything, just to cover my head. It is a thought that will worry me for the rest of the day.
We talk from time to time. We pass from show to show, from one amphitheatre to another where they make dolphins do stupid things. But they make no impression on me; they leave me indifferent to their antics. However, the kids are having a great time. The Prof and Gianni take loads of pictures. Then on to another show in another amphitheatre where there are more dolphins. They, the dolphins, swim with attractive young girls. The Americans from Minnesota, Arkansas, Texas and Virginia all smile through their teeth, the whole world is happy. These ‘showmen’ make enormous whales jump through hoops in a tiny pool; it is so sad to see. Then these strong young men reward them with enormous buckets of fish.
I keep thinking about a hat, where can I find one. I am dead tired. But unfortunately we keep going from one pool to another. Now I begin to drag myself. It’s 2 pm and I’m really hungry. But we have to see the shows. At last, lunchtime comes. Self service.
Always the same stuff. Coke. Come on, eat something. Great lunch they say, are they being sarcastic I ask myself, I am not sure, I think it is terrible stuff. Pints of ice cold water run through our dry throats. I can’t stand these Americans with all their ice I say, and I repeat that it is an obsession with them. The Prof scolds me saying that I’m never happy with what I have. They like ice. And, after all, aren’t you on holiday? Well yes, I say, maybe. The kids laugh and have fun listening to our banter. I pay and off we go. Another stroll in the gardens, other fish to see. Sharks swimming on the surface with their dorsal fins stained with blood, caused by scrapping against the side of pillars supporting the bridges, which are used by the pedestrians who are walking too and fro to get a closer view. The sharks swimming in the deep pose no harm, but the white ones on the surface are sufficiently threatening and make the audience rather nervous. In fact, there are warning notice on the walls and grills telling people that if they fall in they are dead! You don’t need to understand English to get the message! At last I find something I like: two iguanas lying in the sun and two crocodiles, their eyes shut, waiting for their prey. If your shadow covers them, they lazily open one eye. Let’s go. More dolphins, and then a visit to the pool which is on three levels. There are beautiful groupers swimming by, pregnant and sleepy and very close to your nose which you have glued to the glass panes. Giant turtles pass by in absolute silence, together with white sea-bream as big as frying pans, moonfish, parrot fish and many others I do not know and don’t want to know as, after all, I’m not interested, I couldn’t care less. But please, can we go now? There is nothing left to see, and besides, somebody is telling us it is closing time. We walk towards the exit. By the entrance gate I discover a nice little shop where they sell souvenirs and of course some hats too. I buy one, but if only I had seen it when we went in! We take two taxis back to Miamarina and we all meet again on the boat.
At last something to eat on the support boat, a nice big dish of spaghetti that Piero Malinverni puts under our noses. We happily eat, and then Prof and I try to get the instruments ready, we are going to use them tomorrow morning as soon as we are out of the port. But, as the boat is full of suitcases and boxes, it is not easy to find what we are looking for. Not only do we have to move the suitcases, but also all everyone who is blocking the corridors; the pilothouse is full of people talking, moving, eating, drinking, opening the fridge, cleaning, dirtying, smoking, going up and down.
Eventually we manage to gather all the instruments, and then Prof and I, who are sleeping on the other boat, say goodnight to the troupe and leave. You first, no wait, it’s better if I go in first, then you follow, but be careful, bow your head, don’t shut the door, leave the hatch open too. Just a moment, I want to squat down on the loo. Now for a few minutes I have the whole cabin just for me, and I can even stretch out my legs. Then I draw them up again, as Prof comes in. The flush doesn’t work, he says. Well, I don’t need it. I think about the terrible night waiting for me and I am not happy. I put some wax in my ears; I swallow a sleeping pill and make myself comfortable. Goodnight. Will I sleep or remain awake? Listen, Prof says, if I snore and I annoy you, wake me. Well, I say, it would be better if you didn’t go to bed! Sleep and at least one of us will have some rest! My God, it is going to be awful, but tonight will be over soon.
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