Visiting Naples

Delle condizioni climatiche a Napoli è stato bellissimo, anche se il Vesuvio torreggiava sopra di noi tutto il tempo.

Oh, sorry.  Wrong Naples.

We hiked the gullies in High Tor, and then we drove into Naples for a slice of grape pie.

Ooops!  Wrong Naples again.

Mary and I flew down to Orlando for the Diving Equipment and Manufacturers Association show.  DEMA is the largest show for the diving industry.   Almost everyone with a stake in the business of going underwater is represented at this "business-only" show.

Our booth at the DEMA show.
Rick is explaining why these people should sell our software.
They will sign up...Rick's sales pitch is irresistible.

After the show was over, the retail partners signed up, and the improved image bits all tucked away in our computers, Mary and I drove down to Naples to visit Theresa and Rich.  

They live in a very nice small house in a gated community.

This is the master of the house, who is gracious enough to let Theresa and Rich live there.

They have a lanai.  I had never heard the term before.
I would have called it a "Super Boffo Screen Porch."
Their lanai has a pool.

The pool is populated by interesting creatures.

Canterellare, Guido.  Canterellare!

I have figured out how to be a developer in Florida:

-- Dig a big hole.

-- Pile the dirt from the hole around the hole.

-- Build houses or condos on the dirt.

-- Run some roads between the buildings.

-- Put up a fence around the entire thing.

-- Fill the the hole with water and call it a lake.

-- Give it an attractive name.

-- Sell the buildings for a bunch of money.

If you want to go upscale, put a golf course in there somewhere.

The view from the back yard.

The next day we went on a harbor cruise.  The hot day was cooled by breezes off the Gulf.

Not our ship, but I liked the name.
Perhaps the owner is a brewer.

The dolphins played alongside the boat.

The Captain insisted that they were surfing the wake.  

Our tour took us through Port Royal.

Over one quarter of America's billionaires have property here.

This empty lot is more valuable than a lot with a house because the new owners
will not need to demolish it to build exactly what they want.

This sculpture adorned one of the "cottages."
The pig is made of recycled champagne bottles.
Have you ever read Animal House?

Built to withstand a category 5 hurricane.  

Another shack.  The average price in Port Royal is around 20 million dollars.

We're heading out to the gulf as the channel widens.

At the mouth of the channel, we begin to see the expensive real estate, on the gulf.
This view is to the north.

If you look really hard, you can see Brownsville, Texas across the water.

This place is on the island to the south of the channel.
Same owner as the place to the north.

These guys don't care who owns anything.

The development dissipates on the south side of the channel,
so the snowy egret strides beneath the mangroves.

"Why yes, my feet match my eyes.  Don't yours?"

The Captain refused to stop and let us play in the sand.

The channels called out for a kayak.

I think this is the theme in Naples.
Either that or "Old Guys Driving Convertibles."

You can pick this place up for half the price of a similar place in Port Royal,
because you'll have the incredible inconvenience of needing to drive to the beach.

Mary and Theresa are preparing to help Rich stand up.

Harborside breezes and good food completed the early afternoon.

Then on to the Naples pier.

The pelicans put on a fine show.

I think this guy is trailing a little bit of fishing line.

Naples in the background.

Flying in formation is also popular.

"Have located target"

"Diving!"

"Mission accomplished!"

The beach is not a bad place to hang out,
even as the day fades.

This guy agreed.

And so did these guys.

A long discussion ensued concerning the relative merits of clouds in sunsets.  Theresa was sure that the full glory of the orb became obscured by the puffery.  Rich insisted that the clouds augmented color variations and subdued the fiery intensity.  Mary enjoyed the warmth, and I took some photos.

When you can't decide which picture is best, include them all !!

We felt obliged to go to a different beach the following day.

The beach is a great place to meet new friends.

And a good place for a stroll.

I ran down the beach and back.  Later I felt really sore.  Thank you for your sympathetic concern.

A nice relaxing time.

Bonita Springs is one town north of Naples.  Its claim to fame is that Wayne and Kimiko live there.  And in a serious lapse of judgement, they invited me to visit.  It was excellent to talk about old times at The-Company-That-Will-Not-Be-Named, and to see the photographic record of all the great improvements they are constructing at White Lake in the Adirondacks.

Wayne and Kimiko, giving me the boot.

Wayne is a master at drowning olives.
I wish I had one of his olives right now.
You should go visit Wayne.  He has lots more olives.

 Far too soon, we had to board the plane and leave the 85F weather.

Another nice sunset.  I vote for clouds.

And it's always good to get back to the cotton fields of home.

Wait a minute...there's no cotton in our neck of the woods....

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT CRAP ON THE GROUND?  

TURN AROUND, CAPTAIN, TURN AROUND !!!