| I was sitting in the U. S. Military
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| | the U. S. Military compound in Vicenza,
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| compound in Vicenza, Italy assigned to a
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| | Italy assigned to a nuclear site nearby,
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| nuclear site nearby, it was seemingly
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| | it was seemingly built during WWII, I
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| built during WWII, I presume so, it
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| | presume so, it looked much before my time
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| looked much before my time anyhow, larger
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| | anyhow, larger bricks than normal, than
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| bricks than normal, than contemporary
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| | contemporary that is, old mortar
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| that is, old mortar in-between them. At
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| | in-between them. At first I took a liking
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| first I took a liking to the place, it
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| | to the place, it wasn’t big by
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| wasn’t big by acreage, but the city
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| | acreage, but the city would tranquilize
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| would tranquilize me much more, later on.
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| | me much more, later on. It was a short
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| It was a short bus ride away. And the
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| | bus ride away. And the nuclear site was
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| nuclear site was beyond the city limits
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| | beyond the city limits out in kind of an
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| out in kind of an isolated area, more
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| | isolated area, more rustic geology.I had
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| rustic geology.I had arrived to this duty
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| | arrived to this duty station from Fort
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| station from Fort Rucker in Alabama,
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| | Rucker in Alabama, where I had been a
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| where I had been a Staff Sergeant,
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| | Staff Sergeant, aviation school for
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| aviation school for helicopter pilots, in
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| | helicopter pilots, in the United States.
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| the United States. During the in
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| | During the in processing, at this Italian
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| processing, at this Italian compound, my
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| | compound, my new duty station (for a
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| new duty station (for a month), I was
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| | month), I was ordered to attend a
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| ordered to attend a two-week class on
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| | two-week class on Italian culture, and
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| Italian culture, and its language; the
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| | its language; the building was on the
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| building was on the compound and not all
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| | compound and not all that from barracks.
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| that from barracks. I didn’t
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| | I didn’t really care to jump into
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| really care to jump into my new duties,
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| | my new duties, it was much more
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| it was much more revitalizing to take it
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| | revitalizing to take it at a slow pace
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| at a slow pace and I got my wish.It was
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| | and I got my wish.It was the first of
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| the first of April 1980, a chill was in
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| | April 1980, a chill was in the air, one
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| the air, one that provoked you to wear a
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| | that provoked you to wear a sweater, or a
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| sweater, or a ting heavier cloths; also,
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| | ting heavier cloths; also, it was
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| it was starting to rain, and the big
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| | starting to rain, and the big toads of
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| toads of the nuclear site were carrying
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| | the nuclear site were carrying their
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| their young on their backs, I think the
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| | young on their backs, I think the mud was
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| mud was too much for
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| | too much for them.—“It is
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| them.—“It is finished!”
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| | finished!” said my instructor of
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| said my instructor of the cultural
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| | the cultural program (it was Friday), I
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| program (it was Friday), I do not think
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| | do not think there were grades handed
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| there were grades handed out, I
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| | out, I can’t remember, only
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| can’t remember, only attendance was
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| | attendance was marked each day and
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| marked each day and afternoon; so we all
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| | afternoon; so we all passed with flying
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| passed with flying colors. There were
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| | colors. There were perhaps twenty of us
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| perhaps twenty of us in class, the new
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| | in class, the new troops on the block,
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| troops on the block, you could say. I put
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| | you could say. I put my hat on my head
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| my hat on my head and motioned farewell
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| | and motioned farewell to the teacher with
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| to the teacher with a quick
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| | a quick ‘Thanks,’ and started
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| ‘Thanks,’ and started to
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| | to leave the room.“Wait a
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| leave the room.“Wait a
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| | little,” said she to the class, as
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| little,” said she to the class, as
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| | they had also stood up to go to lunch at
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| they had also stood up to go to lunch at
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| | the mess hall. “,,,today if you
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| the mess hall. “,,,today if you
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| | want I can take a group of you after
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| want I can take a group of you after
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| | lunch to the downtown area to see a few
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| lunch to the downtown area to see a few
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| | sights, the market, and [a pause as if
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| sights, the market, and [a pause as if
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| | she didn’t want to commit herself
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| she didn’t want to commit herself
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| | too deep], and we shall see what is open
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| too deep], and we shall see what is open
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| | to visit.”So now, going along the
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| to visit.”So now, going along the
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| | busy streets in a bus were several of us
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| busy streets in a bus were several of us
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| | uniformed soldiers, with an Italian lady
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| uniformed soldiers, with an Italian lady
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| | that spoke not perfect English, but good
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| that spoke not perfect English, but good
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| | enough, “Use your new
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| enough, “Use your new
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| | words…” she suggested to us
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| words…” she suggested to us
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| | as we had previously entered the bus, and
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| as we had previously entered the bus, and
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| | now I was indeed using them to excuse
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| now I was indeed using them to excuse
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| | myself from constantly bumping into
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| myself from constantly bumping into
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| | everyone; the bus, or the driver or
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| everyone; the bus, or the driver or
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| | perhaps the cobblestone road made me look
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| perhaps the cobblestone road made me look
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| | clumsy, it was ever five minutes I had to
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| clumsy, it was ever five minutes I had to
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| | pardon myself.The inner-city center was
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| pardon myself.The inner-city center was
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| | about three miles away, there was a
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| about three miles away, there was a
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| | marketplace we stopped at first, a long
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| marketplace we stopped at first, a long
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| | row of large umbrellas, and a long
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| row of large umbrellas, and a long
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| | building to its side, I walked up to the
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| building to its side, I walked up to the
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| | second floor looked over the balcony, and
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| second floor looked over the balcony, and
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| | then joined the rest of the group again:
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| then joined the rest of the group again:
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| | checking out some of the merchandise in
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| checking out some of the merchandise in
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| | the process. They were selling cloths,
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| the process. They were selling cloths,
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| | fruits, and other items, many
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| fruits, and other items, many
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| | things.“Your Italian is already
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| things.“Your Italian is already
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| | useful to you,” she commented to
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| useful to you,” she commented to
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| | me, as we wedged through the people of
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| me, as we wedged through the people of
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| | the city on the city’s streets,
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| the city on the city’s streets,
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| | then we went through an archway and down
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| then we went through an archway and down
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| | to the 16th century (1550 AD) building
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| to the 16th century (1550 AD) building
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| | known as Palazzo Chiericati the Museum
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| known as Palazzo Chiericati the Museum
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| | of Vicenza now; this building was once
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| of Vicenza now; this building was once
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| | completely surrounded by water. Like the
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| completely surrounded by water. Like the
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| | basilica (completed in 1617 AD), it
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| basilica (completed in 1617 AD), it
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| | follows classical prototypes with the
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| follows classical prototypes with the
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| | Doric order. Similarly, this civic
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| Doric order. Similarly, this civic
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| | building has open loggias; the strong
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| building has open loggias; the strong
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| | horizontality is countered by statues on
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| horizontality is countered by statues on
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| | the flat roof, which punctuate the
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| the flat roof, which punctuate the
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| | vertical elements; this building, along
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| vertical elements; this building, along
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| | with others was designed [architecture]
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| with others was designed [architecture]
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| | by Pallidio; perhaps that is why the city
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| by Pallidio; perhaps that is why the city
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| | is called, “The Designers
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| is called, “The Designers
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| | City.”The Biblioteca [Library]
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| City.”The Biblioteca [Library]
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| | founded by Demetrio Zaccarie, has some
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| founded by Demetrio Zaccarie, has some
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| | 35,000 books. And the river that runs
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| 35,000 books. And the river that runs
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| | through is the Bacchiglione. But even
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| through is the Bacchiglione. But even
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| | more than the renowned Palazzo
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| more than the renowned Palazzo
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| | Chiericati, what stuck me was the Tleatro
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| Chiericati, what stuck me was the Tleatro
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| | Olimpico (1580 AD) [Teatro Olimpico di
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| Olimpico (1580 AD) [Teatro Olimpico di
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| | Vicenza] a most beautiful
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| Vicenza] a most beautiful
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| | three-dimensional stage type theater. We
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| three-dimensional stage type theater. We
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| | all sat on the wooden rotunda like
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| all sat on the wooden rotunda like
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| | step-seats, and listened to the history
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| step-seats, and listened to the history
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| | by its caretaker of sorts. Like a number
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| by its caretaker of sorts. Like a number
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| | of other buildings in Vicenza, Andrea
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| of other buildings in Vicenza, Andrea
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| | Pallidio also designed this one. Actually
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| Pallidio also designed this one. Actually
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| | this was his last work, and perhaps his
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| this was his last work, and perhaps his
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| | best. Your eye will be rapidly caught by
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| best. Your eye will be rapidly caught by
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| | the stage as mine was, at the center of
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| the stage as mine was, at the center of
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| | which is a large arch capped by the
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| which is a large arch capped by the
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| | emblem of the town. The main body of the
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| emblem of the town. The main body of the
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| | stage represents a square, while behind
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| stage represents a square, while behind
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| | it are the five streets of Tebe, created
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| it are the five streets of Tebe, created
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| | by Scamozzi who went beyond Palladio's
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| by Scamozzi who went beyond Palladio's
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| | original intentions. We all were kind of
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| original intentions. We all were kind of
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| | uncultured, but we could not help but be
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| uncultured, but we could not help but be
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| | taken in by this masterpiece; it was
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| taken in by this masterpiece; it was
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| | across from the Museum.In addition to its
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| across from the Museum.In addition to its
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| | building designs, I learned this city was
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| building designs, I learned this city was
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| | famous for its wine, as well as its gold,
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| famous for its wine, as well as its gold,
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| | as well as its underground tunnel system.
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| as well as its underground tunnel system.
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| | Hence, we walked, or I walked her streets
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| Hence, we walked, or I walked her streets
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| | until dark that evening, and I’d
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| until dark that evening, and I’d
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| | return a number of nights to visit her
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| return a number of nights to visit her
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| | streets again, and buildings throughout
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| streets again, and buildings throughout
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| | my stay in this wondrous city, I had no
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| my stay in this wondrous city, I had no
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| | idea would be so amazing.
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| idea would be so amazing.I was sitting in
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