The Monk's Trail

We leave next week for Europe with a focus on the "Monk's Trail," a route that follows the journey of Albert, a 13th-century Abbot from Germany who documented his pilgrimage to Rome. The route is nearly 2,200 kilometers long, passing through the center of the Alps from Germany on the north, through Austria, and on to Italy in the south.

Initially, the plan is to thoroughly explore Munich, the home of the world-renowned "Octoberfest" before venturing to nearby attractions like the castles of "Mad" King Ludwig II -- Hohenschwangau, Neuschwanstein (below) and Linderhof -- and other nearby attractions like Der Zugspitze, the highest point in Germany, and Adolf Hitler's "Eagles Nest."

From Munich, we'll travel by train through the Alps over Brenner Pass into Italy's northern city of Bolzano in South Tyrol near the Dolomites. The plan is to visit the Messner Mountain Museum established by Reinhold Messner, one of the world's most renowned mountaineers known for his alpine-style techniques and minimalist approach to climbing.

Next, we'll hop another train bound for Genoa and the Italian Riviera. We'll explore Portofino and Portovenere, and visit family in Isolona. All along the way, from Munich to Genoa, I will interview willing participants interested in discussing the current state of affairs in the United States of America for my first podcast, tentatively titled Rooftop Ramblings.

Things My Nonna Used To Say

Growing up in a matriarchy with my Italian grandmother (above left, with her sister) and my mother while my father taught school in remote locations in Oregon, my brother Robert and I learned much about Nonna's expressions and witticisms, including colloquialisms and idioms unique to the Province of Liguria and the Province of Piedmont in northern Italy. Each and every expression had a parable with a specific point.

Nonna expression: "Il pesce puzza dalla testa." Literal translation: "An old fish smells from the head down." Subtext: "Certain groups smell from the top echelon." Gonzo perspective: "As much as today's Republican Party stinks to high heaven, it's much worse at the top of this dung heap."

Nonna expression: "Labito non fa il monaco." Literal translation: "The habit doesn't make the monk." Subtext: "Don't believe everything you see on the internet." Gonzo perspective: "Just because you believe some Asian beauty is hitting on you on social media doesn't mean she really isn't some big ugly dude with excessive nose hair who is trying to rip you off."

Nonna expression: "Chi nulla sa, presto parla." Literal translation: "The empty head speaks first." Subtext: "Those who know the least have the most to say." Gonzo perspective: "How will we know the difference between Herr Gropenfuhrer's technicolor yawn compared to actual onset of dementia?" 

Nonna expression: "Chi sta a casa, sta secco, e chi esce, s'ingrandisce." Literal translation: "Those who stay at home will shrink up like a prune. But those who go out will go into full bloom." Subtext: "Learning is experience. Everything else is just information." Gonzo perspective: "After being sidelined for the last few years, it's high time to get out and about."

Along those lines, a trip to The Motherland (below, Nonno and Nonna) and more is on tap this summer for the first time since before the pandemic, with stops in Munich, Bolzano, Torino, Genoa and the Italian Riviera on the agenda. After all, travel is one of life's great teachers, revealing a world of cultures and people to meet, including family. More to come.

Renaissance Man

Sometimes there's a man -- I won't say a hero, because what's a hero? -- but sometimes there's a man, and I'm talking about Robert Emilio Cargni-Mitchell here. Sometimes, there's a man, well, he's the man for his time and place. He just kind of fits right in there -- a renaissance man.

Beloved brother, uncle, great-uncle, friend and colleague, Robert passed away at home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Monday, May 1. Born Robert Cameron Mitchell in Portland, Oregon on February 18, 1954 to Charlotte Nitta Cargni Mitchell and Ralph Cameron Mitchell, he joined the family with his older brother, John, and later, Richard, Carla and Stephanie.

Robert grew up in East Portland on Mt. Tabor, attending Ascension Catholic Grade School and Mt. Tabor Elementary School, and graduated from Lincoln High School. A lifelong learner, Robert matriculated at Portland State University, University of Oregon and University of Pennsylvania.

We were raised in a matriarchy by our Italian grandmother, Gemma Emilia Brichetto Cargni, and our mother for the first half decade of our lives. Our father, a school teacher, worked in remote locations of Oregon. We didn't really know our father until he secured a teaching position in Portland.

In 1958, the family moved to the Cherry Park neighborhood on the eastern outskirts of Portland and welcomed Richard and Carla into the family. In 1961, we moved to the Mt. Tabor neighborhood, closer to Ascension Catholic Grade School and welcomed Stephanie, completing our family of five.

We played on various and sundry sports teams, particularly baseball, and one year competed on the same club, Kings Drive-In, coached by our Dad, in the Montavilla Little League (Robert is first row, far left; John is top row, third from the right; Dad is the second coach from the right).

In the mid-1960s, Dad bought beachfront property in Road's End, the northernmost village in Lincoln City on the Central Oregon Coast. All of us at one point or another spent weekends during the school year and summers helping build and finish the structure over a period of time.

The siblings also accompanied their father on weekend camping excursions in the High Cascades of Oregon. Later, the boys joined their father on mountain climbing expeditions, particularly Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood (Robert, standing toward the front on the left, below).

As long-suffering fans of the University of Oregon football team, we were all excited when the team's fortunes improved in the mid- to late-1980s. When the Oregon Ducks were invited to their first bowl game in 26 years, Robert joined me in Shreveport, Louisiana for the Independence Bowl. Despite unseasonably cold temperatures in Shreveport, the Ducks squeaked out an exciting 27-24 victory over the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

Robert managed two movie houses, the Aladdin and Oregon theaters, while majoring in film studies at PSU. In 1985, he moved briefly to Los Angeles, then College Station, Pennsylvania to attend a dog training school before relocating to Philadelphia. He married Elaine Petrov in 1987.

Once settled in Philadelphia, we would see Robert on occasion when he would travel back to Oregon, and also when some of us would venture to the City of Brotherly Love. Yet, we always kept in constant contact by way of phone, text and email often to keep up on what was happening in our lives.

In Philadelphia, Robert worked for a nonprofit film theater specializing in repertory, independent and avant-garde film, and as the projectionist and technical support analyst for International House's S.A. Ibrahim Theater. He was promoted to Associate Director of International House in 2014.

At the nonprofit film theater, Robert focused on showcasing artistically significant and socially relevant motion pictures and programs from around the world, rescuing many films from obscurity. He was also the Special Programs Curator for the America-Italy Society at Penn.

In addition to his family, Robert was adored by his many friends and colleagues in Philadelphia. Said one: "Robert was loved and esteemed by many. His passing is an irreparable loss for all of us, but his memory, sweet smile, profound attachment to his friends, and cinema legacy will remain."

More tributes: "May the world of moving images and sounds cover his gentle face and memory." "Robert was a wonderful curator of films and a great asset to the Philadelphia film community." "He was the soul of kindness. He mentored and gave freely of himself to so many."

While we continue to grieve the loss of our beloved brother, uncle, great-uncle, friend and colleague, plans are currently underway by family and friends for celebrations of the life for Robert Emile Cargni for later this summer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Portland, Oregon.

Editors note: This is the first in a series of posts on the life and times of of Robert Emile Cargni, the artist formerly known as Robert Cameron Mitchell. Future posts will focus on his wide spectrum of interests: movies, television, music, art, automobiles, sports and so much more.

Extra Virgin

Knowing I had spent time on the beaches and in the hill country of Liguria, Italy searching for my Italian cousins, my neighbor recommended Extra Virgin, a memoir by Annie Hawes. In 1983, two Brits -- a pale Annie Hawes and her equally pale sister -- left England for the sun-drenched olive groves of a small Italian village in Liguria.

With fantasies of handsome, tanned men and swimming in the sea urging them on, they are hired for ten weeks to graft roses. of which they have little knowledge, along the Italian Riviera, room and board included. But none of the men seem to be under 40, and Ligurians have starkly different customs and outlooks in life compared to the Anglos from London.

Having experienced most of Liguria on multiple excursions myself, it's clear that Hawes captures the quirkiness and beauty of the hinterlands of the region as she and her sister become captivated by the quirkiness and beauty of the remote high country, and are bemused, charmed and ultimately accepted by the eccentric inhabitants of Diano San Pietro.

Some excerpts: "Glamour was not the outstanding feature of the village of Diano San Pietro. As far as the crusty olive-farming inhabitants were concerned, the Italian Riviera, a mere two miles away, might as well be on another planet. The lodging to spend the next ten weeks have turned out to be a tiny pair of tiled rooms above a barful of peasants."

"Diago San Pietro struggles up the steep foothills of the Mediterranean hinterland, its warped green shutters leaning into decrepit cobbled alleys overrun with leathery old men on erratic Vespas who call irately upon the Madonna as they narrowly miss mowing you down, with yowling feral cats and rusty tin cans full of improbably healthy geraniums."

In sheer contrast, "down on the coast, Diano San Marina has palm-shaded piazzas and an elegant marble-paved promenade along a wide blue sandy bay, the obvious refuge from the complexities of village life. Here, refreshingly, we are objects of interest to no one, no longer weirdly foreign generic strangers in a town accustomed to stranieri (foreigners)."

Extra Virgin is a great read, a captivating sampling of Italian life both on the Italian Riviera, and in hillsides rife with windy roads and olive orchards. The author captures both the remote rural high country and its peculiar inhabitants, and the trendy beaches more closely associated with Italy's public image, in describing Liguria with verve and humor.

Hindsight Is 2020

Pianist Tom Lehrer released an album entitled "That Was The Year That Was," a live recording containing satiric topical songs covering the news in 1965. The popularity of his songs outlasted their subjects. "Always predict the worst and you'll be hailed as a prophet," he noted.

As predicted in the Chinese zodiac, the "Year of the Rat" (2020) has been one for the books. The coronavirus has become an international pandemic, killing more that 250,000 Americans and over one million others worldwide. At this writing, over 60 million humans have been contaminated.

A cousin in Isolona, Liguria in Northern Italy notes: "We are in very bad shape with the infection, and the hospitals are full. This wave is worse that the first. Let's hope this bad period ends soon. We must have faith in science. Blessings to you and your family. We shall stay in touch."

A friend who lives nearby in Rapollo, Liguria describes a grim situation: "here, things are falling apart. Contagions increase exponentially and we continue with lockdowns. What is worrisome is that the winter is too long to hope that the emergency can be stopped soon. I hope you are all well."

Meanwhile, we have been obliged to face an election year like no other, pitting a wannabe autocrat with no experience, along with his minions, against a veteran politician with years of experience in the U.S. Senate and eight years as Vice-President of the United States.

Herr Gropenfuhrer, as he's come to be known in the GonzoPR blog, certainly has his fans nationally, but the sitting president has show little interest in exhibiting signs of leadership or resolve to address the coronavirus pandemic facing the country.

But good news is on the horizon. As we move into 2021, the "Year of the Ox," signs are evident that we're rounding the curve. On November 3, former Vice-President Joe Biden decisively defeated Herr Gropenfuhrer in the election for President of the United States for the next four years.

Meanwhile, Herr Gropenfuhrer continues to challenge the results, a defeated despot barricaded in his bunker like Charles Foster Kane in Citizen Kane, sequestered at Xanadu, his dilapidated pleasure palace. He needs to just recognize that Joe Biden winning is actually the best outcome for him.

And there are other signs of hope on the horizon to address the health and welfare if the world as well. At least three pharmaceutical companies have developed vaccines to address the international pandemic with an anticipated rollout December and the first quarter of 2021.

On a positive note, 2020 has turned out to be a productive year for many associated with the GonzoPR enterprise. Because of lockdowns and social distancing required by the pandemic, writers, artists and creatives of all types have focused on their projects and have produced stellar works.

In terms of home improvement projects, we've been able to accomplish quite a bit during this past year of lockdowns and social distancing: new flooring for the home, a new roof for the little hut (below) at the Owl Conservancy and time to complete a number of writing projects and yard maintenance.

Finally, the nation has spoken about removing the toxic enterprise occupying the White House. The president-elect is the perfect individual to lower the temperature in this country and, most importantly, concentrating on a cure for the deadly coronavirus sweeping the world.

Lies, Damn Lies And Statistics

Well, faithful readers, we have arrived: we have now surpassed #400 on the GonzoPR blog, established in 2008, when I retired from Eugene Water & Electric Board. A humble operation at first, it has since turned into a monster. My favorite subjects are travel, sports and, much to the chagrin of some of my friends, politics.

However, a funny thing happened on the way to determining statistics as laid out by Google on GonzoPR. The rankings are the same but the numbers vary widely. In other words, they don't exactly jive. Be that as it may, here are the top ten posts, the greatest hits as it were, on Gonzo PR, starting with Alpine Adventure, the clear winner.

The post presaged our trip to Zurich to take in the sights of the mostly the German side of Switzerland. On this trip, we stayed at the Hotel X-tra in downtown Zurich. We visited the Jungfraujoch, Lucerne and Interlaken, Reinfall and Schaffhausen, Liechtenstein, Heidiville and much, much more.

Number two is King Of The Blues, a missive on Riley B. King, otherwise known as B.B. King, an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. I've seen B.B. a number of times over the years, the first time at Springer's Ballroom in the hinterlands of southeast Portland near Gresham on the path to Mt. Hood and Central Oregon.

Next up on the hit parade is Defining Public Relations, a treatise on the subject of public relations, a practice and profession that I became familiar with as an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Oregon School of Journalism in the 70's and early 1980s, followed by 33 years as a professional and instructor.

The Trinity Mine is next, a failed experiment to mine precious metals near the Glacier Peak Wilderness, where I toiled as a ranger while working my way through college. Having worked previously on the Malheur National Forest, I was smitten with a girl who worked seasonally on the Lake Wenatchee Ranger District.

Weighing in at number five is Berchtesgaden And Eagle's Nest, which described our time in Munich and our exploration of the castles of Mad King Ludwig, and his suspected murder. We also spent time in downtown Munich and explored the city known for Octoberfest, when an additional six million people cram into a city of two million.

Rounding out the top ten starting at number six is Willkommen Bei Den Bayerischen Alpen, which presaged our trip to Munich. We visited castles, toured The Eagle's Nest, saw the BMW headquarters, toured the Paulaner distributor, visited biergartens, ate at the finest restaurants and stayed at The Hotel Deutches Theatre.

Number 7 is Castle Keep, part of our tour that included visits to Mad King Ludwig's castles, including the Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles (above) and Hohenschwangau, an older castle where Ludwig grew up. As part of that tour, we also visited Oberommergau, a small town that resembles Leavenworth, Washington.

Coming in at number 8 is the Italian Riviera And Cinque Terre from one of five trips we took to The Motherland to locate our cousins, the Sanguinetis, who live in the hill country of Liguria in a little village called Isolona in the district of Orero near Cicagna, where my beloved grandmother lived before escaping Italy for Portland, Oregon.

Next up, at number 9 is Getting Around: Plane, Trains And Automobiles, a missive about how to get around while traveling in Europe. I never rent a car; I guess I'm paranoid. But the public transportation options in Europe are simply wonderful, whether you're in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Spain or anyplace else.

Finally, weighing in at number 10 is Der Zugspitze And Garmisch-Partenkirchen, another great adventure to Germany's highest peak and the little town with a ski resort that sits at its base. The cable car ride (pictured) is not for the feint of heart. And now, as Porky Pig would say, "that's all folks." That's GonzoPR's top ten.