Page 39: CHAPTER X • LOUISE AND MICHAEL’S SECOND EUROPEAN TRIP – IN 1965
July 15, 1965, we sailed on the T.V. “Michelangelo,” on her return maiden voyage to Italy, and arrived in Naples on July 22nd. This new ship was indescribable. It was most elegant, luxurious and excellent in every way. We took one-hundred-percent advantage of all the facilities, entertainments, delicious meals, wines and drinks. We danced till dawn, socialized day and night. What else can I say? Not a dull moment, we really had the best time of our lives. It was a change for us, and we enjoyed wearing our evening clothes – a requirement in first class. The farewell dinner and evening was unforgettable. It was sad indeed to say “arrivederci” to the Michelangelo.
We again enjoyed seeing and visiting with Mother, and all the relatives in Naples, Fontanarosa, and of course Castelmezzano. We went there with Mother, Giorgio and Celeste.
After returning to Naples we took a tour bus to Rome, where we visited the Vatican, St. Peter’s, the Colosseum, etc. We stopped in Pisa to see the famous leaning tower.
The we went to Firenze, an open air museum, a beautiful and interesting city known for art, goldsmiths, silversmiths and glassworks. We stayed there overnight, in the Hotel Astoria.
Next stop was Bologna, an unusual city with miles of loggias, elegantly arched porticos and beautiful frescoes that decorate the facades of its palazzi. This city is also known as the heart of Italian cuisine. Then on to Venezia, where we stayed at the Hotel Monaco, just off the Grand Canal. We rode the gondolas in the evening, visited St. Mark Square and all the unusual and exciting shops.
The last stop in Italy was Milano, the Italian industrial center. We stayed overnight, leaving the next morning by train, crossing Switzerland to Paris.
We remained two nights in Paris. We toured the City, visiting art galleries, the Cathedral de Notre Dame, the Arch de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre at Versailles. We spent one evening touring the cabarets, and the other evening we reserved for the Folies Bergere.
From Paris we flew to London. We went by train to Nottingham to meet our son Bobby’s wife Margie’s family in Ruddington. Margie’s two older sisters Lillie and Dorothy, and Lillie’s husband Chuke met us at the railroad station. We stayed at Chuke and Lillie’s house. We met them all, including Margie’s parents. They all treated us royally and we had a very pleasant visit.
We returned to London, spending two days visiting my Aunt Elsie, George Prizeman, and all the relatives there.
We returned home to New Jersey August 29th.
The next day we brought a new car, having given my old car to our son Joseph before leaving for Europe.
Soon after we started traveling again. First we drove to St. Louis, where brother Joseph and Helen met us and guided us to their home in Festus, about 50 miles out of St. Louis. We enjoyed a very pleasant week’s stay there.
Then we drove to Dallas, Texas, where our daughter Mickey and Donald Zadrozna resided with their daughter Donna Rose and sons Donald Brian and David – who was only a week old when we arrived there. We spent a very pleasant week with them.
We then drove to Hollywood, Florida. Our son Bobby, his wife Margie and their son Mark were living in our home there. We visited awhile with Bobby and our other son Joseph and his wife Alice.
Then, back to the grindstone in New Jersey.