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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 243 Today's Peep Return from Italy: Reflections from a Traveler's Heart, Jet Lag, Hot Pockets, What Happens When Someone Smears Pasta on an Airplane Wall, Fashion, Food, and One of My Favorite Songs Sung by a Local Artist in Milan
Picture yourself standing in a Milan park as the haunting melody of "Whiter Shade of Pale" drifts through the air—moments after you've mentioned it's your favorite song. This magical coincidence is just one of the many extraordinary moments from my recent journey through Northern Italy.
Fresh from my sixth adventure with the Pat's Peeps travel group, I'm bursting with stories that capture both the breathtaking beauty and unexpected surprises of international travel. From witnessing a passenger smear pasta across an airplane wall (prompting a flight attendant with 37 years of experience to declare she'd never seen anything like it) to savoring authentic parmesan cheese fresh from the factory floor, this trip delivered unforgettable experiences at every turn.
We explored the stunning islands of Lake Maggiore, ate lunch perched on cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean in Vernazza, wandered the colorful villages of Cinque Terre, and stood before the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa. At the Royal Palace Hotel in Stresa (ironically the least stressed city I've ever visited), I was honored with their finest suite—complete with exquisite furniture, a beautifully painted Murphy bed, and a terrace overlooking the pristine waters bordered by Switzerland.
Perhaps most moving was our visit to the American Cemetery in Florence, where rows of crosses mark the final resting places of young Americans who died liberating Italy. Our Italian guide Marco became emotional while sharing stories about his grandfather's war experiences, repeatedly expressing "God bless Americans" with genuine gratitude—a powerful reminder of our countries' shared history.
I've fallen head over heels for Italy's incomparable beauty, extraordinary food, remarkable fashion, and warm people. Everywhere you turn reveals another postcard-worthy scene that demands to be photographed. While it's wonderful to explore the world, there's also something special about coming home to Northern California's peaceful foothills with a renewed appreciation for both places.
Ready to experience Italy for yourself? Join our Pat's Peeps group heading to Sicily this fall through Conservative Tours, or connect with our growing network of local business partners at patspeeps.com. The world is waiting—what magical moments might you discover?
welcome back. I'm welcoming myself back. As a matter of fact, how are you? How are you? It's patrick, we're pat's peeps. What are we? 200 and 243, a 243rd pat's peeps podcast.
Speaker 1:And today it is a wednesday, it is the 16th day of april, which means we're a day past the dreaded tax deadline. Hope everyone got through that, okay. Today I am back after being off of my podcast. For what was it? Just a day, I think. Maybe Just a day. Maybe two days, actually two days.
Speaker 1:You know, I have the best intentions of doing my podcast every day, but it's very difficult, you know, although I think back, nah, I couldn't have done it. I mean going through TSA and all that before I get into that. On this Tuesday, the 16th of April, it is a gorgeous day as I look out my studio windows into the beautiful foothills of Northern California, which I want to start right there by saying. As much as I love Italy and I adore Italy, I can't even really explain it in words. It is wonderful to be home and to be able to sit in this peaceful setting where I am right now, and I am so appreciative of what I have and very blessed to be able to travel and see other things. My goodness, such a great trip. And before I even tell you about the trip, also, I'm really excited. We got two new businesses that are going to let us promote you on our Pat's Peeps. Now we're recruiting local business and so I get to meet another business tomorrow. Two more businesses that said, yeah, you know what, pat, we believe in this and we want to be a business on your so you can support us locally and I can send you guys to these local businesses and get great deals, please. I'm asking you if you haven't just looked at our webpage? Heck, we don't have a ton of stuff up there yet, but if you can see we're growing with these businesses, so that is just so wonderful. Thank you, thank you, keep them coming. Patspeepscom there's a little thing right there. You just tell us that you want us to support your business and we'll do it. I just want to say so.
Speaker 1:Yesterday I had jet lag. I'm not going to lie. I had jet lag and I thought, well, I could do the jet lag sessions. I can't. You know one thing about jet lag. You have jet lag. Hey, now stop that. I hate when those little things pop up on my computer Anyhow. But yeah, you think, well, I could talk about the fact that I have jet lag, but you don't have the energy to do that.
Speaker 1:So yesterday was the one day where I just took the day off, rested kind of well. I didn't exactly completely rest, I took care of some things. You know, when you get home you have to wash clothes and, you know, make sure everything's organized, all that stuff. So I did that, but I got a little rest, which was wonderful. But the jet lag is a real thing. I never used to know what that was. What is jet lag? And now I experience it. It's a really cool.
Speaker 1:It's very interesting to be flying towards the sunset on these airplanes, now that I've done this a few times, which is again amazing that I can even say that, to be honest and the sunset it just stays there. The sunset lasts because you're flying what 500 and whatever miles an hour towards the sunset and it stays there. I can't believe that I also I actually fell asleep on the airplanes both ways this time. As I continue to take these trips, which this was my sixth one now with conservative tours with the Pats Peeps group my sixth trip. There's no way I could have before this, that I could have slept on an airplane, and it's still very difficult. I may have to start tweaking that situation, maybe check into business class, but but I found a way to fall asleep. Man, it's a flight, you know what I mean, there's no escape in it and so you're trying to get comfortable and you're trying to figure out what day is it when we left. So now, uh, now when you, you start trying to compute time and you're going through this and I'm not good with math, so I'm like I'm lost. But all you know is you're tired.
Speaker 1:So I decide, you know, if I fall asleep, if I just kind of follow my normal daily protocol, which is to wake up, I get to the airport, maybe grab something to eat cup of coffee, what have you? Stay awake for a little while. Maybe watch something on the. Well, you don't get to watch anything on the domestic flights, but on the international you do. You know, stay awake for a little bit until I get out of the airport, as I'm leaving the United States to head overseas, and that's when I say okay, let me see if I can't catch a nap.
Speaker 1:You got to the middle seat. That's the most difficult. Now, if you got the window seat. Well, the middle seat and the aisle seat the most difficult. Fortunately, for some weird reason I kept getting the window seat on these flights. So I was able to kind of prop up the little pillow thing. They give you a little blanket but then it starts getting cold, man, as you're going over the ocean, and then it starts getting a little cool. So I use the blanket. Anyhow, if you prop your head up, you got a little kink in your neck, but it helps to pass the time.
Speaker 1:But I'll tell you what the airplane food. Don't get me started on this. You know they come and God bless them. They're just trying their best. Well, I don't know if it's their best, but I'm just going to give you some advice. Heed my advice or don't heed my advice, up to you, obviously. But if they come down that aisle and they say, if they just say veggie or beef, excuse me, let me take a drink of water. If the flight attendant comes down that aisle and says veggie or beef and you ask what do you mean by veggie or beef?
Speaker 1:And they say Hot Pocket, depending on how hungry you are, like if your stomach is growling and you have to have some type of which you might maybe pass for protein or some type of protein or whatever. Maybe you eat it, but if you're repulsed easily, as I am, don't eat it. That is the worst excuse for food that I've seen in a long time. That was brutal. I get like one bite in. I'm just I want to. I want to yak and say what is this thing? Anyhow, don't eat the hot pocket. I never even ate a hot pocket. When I was a kid, I don't even think we had hot pockets. I think we had chef boyardee you know, chef byardee spaghettios. We didn't have hot pockets. Awful, let me see. So I've covered jet lag and hot pockets. I haven't even told you. Oh, okay, but then, before I get to the nice part of the trip, how about this?
Speaker 1:Speaking of the airplane food, swear to God, I think I was coming. I think it was from Milan to New York, which, by the way, first time I've ever been in New York. I don't think you can count it. You can't count. Better write that you can't count it if you just stop at the airport, can you? I need to remember that. If just I'm going to jot that down at airport, I'm going to ask that on my show tonight, by the way, pat Walsh, host of the Pat Walsh Show, kfbk and iHeartRadio, thank you for listening there. But you can't count that right, but you really can. It's so weird, but you can't count that right, but you really can. I'm going to ask that question tonight. Can you really say, yeah, I've been to New York a couple of times, like if the only thing you've been there is the airport or any other city, dallas. Yeah, I've been to Dallas. You have when the airport. Technically you've been there. But have you been there? You see what I'm saying? So I think it was Milan to New York.
Speaker 1:And this flight attendant, for whatever reason, says to me now we're cruising over the Atlantic. She says to me, she looks at me with this look of disgust and she says, very confidentially and discreetly I've been doing this for 37 years. I used to work for twa. That's how long I've been doing this. And I'm telling you this is the first time I've ever seen this. And I go oh god, what is it? No, you know, I'm saying that's the first time I've seen the tip of the wing fall off. No, no, no, nothing like that. Obviously.
Speaker 1:She says this woman in the back of the plane. At one point they come by and they ask if you want pasta or chicken. I'm not so sure Now. I've had enough pasta in Italy, by the way, good pasta, but I've had enough pasta. But then I'm weighing do I want more pasta with no meat, or do I want a piece of chicken that's been stuffed in an airline, somewhere in an airplane for God knows how long in a refrigerator? When did that chicken give its life for me? I don't know that I want it, so I don't know.
Speaker 1:I chose the pasta again and she says well, this lady in the back, when I asked pasta, pasta or chicken, apparently she said chicken. She says, but I didn't hear her right or I misheard whatever she said. So I gave her pasta. When she opened up the little it comes in this little plastic container. You pull the plastic back in this little container and the tray that you're eating on it's the size of a small laptop, like more an iPad. You're trying to navigate salads and drinks. I mean you can't help bumping the person next to you. I just know how many people have been spilled on by the person next to him or you've spilled on the person. Anyhow, she goes, this lady, sorry I'm taking a long way around on this, around on the story I she said, chicken, I gave, gave her pasta. She opens it up and says I said I wanted chicken and she takes it and it's open now and she smashes it on the side of the plane wall and then smears it all over the wall. Can you believe that that's what she says to me? She goes and we're going to call the police. Now we're going to call the police. Now we're just leaving Milan. I don't know how long we've been in the air, so certainly there'd be hours going by where you know.
Speaker 1:This individual, this woman who smashed the pasta on the air side of the airplane wall, now had to sit in that, that red pasta, because I don't know how happy the flight attendants would be and or nor would they be willing to even clean her up at that point because of her rudeness. Now she's got to sit in her squalor. Now she's got to live with herself. God, did I just smash pasta? Did I just smash pasta all over the plane in front of people? Oh my God, how humiliating. Plus, you've got to lay in it and then they're probably going to call the authorities. So she says in all my years I've never seen that. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 1:So, as the flight went on, towards the very end of the flight, when I knew, thank God, we were finally getting ready to land at JFK in New York, she came into my little area again. I had the exit door on that one, I believe, and can you imagine I'm the guy at the exit door. She says I asked her. So hey, what happened with the lady with the pasta? Don't want a pasta on a wall? Are they going to call the police? And she says you know, she's apologized like 10 times profusely, over and over. So because of that, we went ahead and cleaned it up and we're not going to call the police. But she says still, I've never seen anyone do anything like that in all my years.
Speaker 1:So that was really strange, very, very, very strange. You know know, she must still be thinking about that, wouldn't she? Wouldn't you still be thinking about that, as I think about the trip to Italy. It was really. Those were just and going through TSA, that's kind of a thing. You know, boy, it's a little overdone. Listen, I get it, I appreciate it. We had. It's just a thing, and I don't want to get into all that.
Speaker 1:What I want to say is this it was such a beautiful trip, and for so many reasons. Number one I am falling head over heels in love with Italy. This is my third time there. I'll be in Sicily this fall with, again, pat's Peeps Group. Go to conservativetourscom, you can go with us. As I was sharing some of the incredible scenes of Italy, incredible scenes of Italy. People are asking wow. They're saying wow, this is just simply gorgeous. Okay, I think I want to go with this next trip. When's the next one and how can I find out? Again, it's the Pat's Peeps tour, pat's Peeps group on conservative tours, or it might be under Pat Walsh. It's the Pat's Peeps group, though, and we sold it out.
Speaker 1:On this trip, we had, I think, 46 or 50 people, and, if you look, we were together with people from Philadelphia. They had a couple of shows there that brought people, and so this room was filled with people, and it was very exciting and very successful. And for people to come up to me and say you know, pat, you know why we're here. We've always wanted to travel, We've always wanted to come to Italy, but we wanted to go with you because of the way you presented because we think you're a gracious host and I do try to be that gracious host. My favorite part of the trip is going with you, hanging out with you, seeing these wonderful things, these incredible places with you. We went. One of the most special things I could tell you is Jana was on this trip. Is Jana was on this trip.
Speaker 1:I don't want to leave anyone else. I shouldn't just start naming names because I don't want to leave anyone else but we went to this island, isabella, isabella, it was so gorgeous. We went to St Charles Borromeo's summer home Now St Charles Borromeo. I went to catechism at St Charles Borromeo's summer home Now St Charles Borromeo. I went to catechism at St Charles Borromeo in Parkway. I made my first communion at St Charles Borromeo at the very same church. I played Parkway Little League. Right behind St Charles Borromeo there's the statue of him holding up the two fingers in front of the church.
Speaker 1:It's iconic in South Sacramento and those of us who happened to be on the trip that grew up in that area together were amazed that we were at his summer home and it was gorgeous and learning and seeing the paintings of him. We saw Napoleon's bed. It was like he had a one-night stand on this bed and then they said they didn't like him. They tried to make things up like oh, this place is very toxic and very dangerous because he was burning down important places and they wanted him out of there, but it was his bed. To sit there and look at his bed was very, very strange. It's just it's.
Speaker 1:I will say that Italy is the most beautiful country I've ever been in. I love America. I think our country is beautiful as well. Everywhere you go in Italy, you want to take a picture. Everywhere you turn this corner, you want to take another picture. I took boat rides in Italy. I cannot believe I did that. I'm not a guy that goes on boats. I get seasick. Everyone looks out for one another. If you didn't have Dramamine, someone would offer you, you know, maybe a Dramamine to help you out. I had this wristband. I did fine, but the thing was we had gorgeous weather and the sea was calm, the lakes were calm and it was outstanding. And everywhere you go from Isola Bella, we oh, if I could just tell you, we had lunch in Vernazza, at the edge of this cliff, looking down into the ocean, into the sea. It was the very, very best table.
Speaker 1:We stayed at the Royal Palace Hotel in Stresa which, honest to God, it's so ironic it's the least stressed city I've ever been in and it's called Stresa and they gave me the best suite in the place. And they gave me the best suite in the place. It was just I can barely describe it the terrace, the extra room we had, with this furniture, with this Murphy bed that was exquisitely decorated and painted. It was words do not do it justice. And then you walk through this room out into this terrace and it overlooks Lake Major, or Lake Major, however they say that in Italy, but it's which is bordered by Switzerland and Italy and the islands out there, like I say, are just, it's just beautiful. San Gimignano, we went to Siena and you walk down these streets and it is, it's just, it's the best. Now there are places where I would say you know, next time maybe I, maybe I've been to Milan enough. Milan is a gigantic city and the day we were there it was extremely busy. You know, next time I might take a little relaxing day and stay in Stresa. Well, I guess we went from Stresa to Milan that day, from Stresa to Milan that day. But you kind of find these places where you think all right, I'd like to spend some extra time Now.
Speaker 1:The other thing, of course fashion. Everyone's buying. You get caught up in at least I know I do, and there's some other people on the trip that you get caught up in the fashion of Italy and you have to buy this beautiful stuff. I bought this pair of shoes. It is just the beginning of the fashion of Italy and you have to buy this beautiful stuff. I bought this pair of shoes. It is just the beginning of the collection of clothing that I'm going to purchase when I go to Sicily and I am going to dress to the hilt. These shoes are handmade in Stresa. They are fine Italian leather shoes and they're absolutely gorgeous.
Speaker 1:I took a part of our group. Ryan Harris went back and bought a pair of these incredible handmade leather Italian shoes at the same shop. I showed him the place. Shelly was with us. She's buying these beautiful leather coats. She was so fun to hang out with. Danny Boy bought a really nice shirt. I mean, it's just, the fashion is awesome over there. I will say this I don't know what the deal is over there, but everyone I was pointing it out the whole time.
Speaker 1:The Yankee hats, the Yankee hats. I don't know what it is about the Yankee hats. Everyone, it's like every 10 feet you see someone with a Yankee hat. I asked one person. I said what about the Yankee hat? They didn't even barely know what I was talking about. I think it was just like a fashion statement and I would point it out Look, yankee hat, turn around, yankee hat, yankee hat. I don't know if any of these people even knew who was on the Yankees, but there it said NY, so people were wearing it.
Speaker 1:Finally, at one point, I see this guy and he's with, I guess, his wife and he's wearing a Dodgers hat. And I go, oh my god, I look at him. I go, yeah, dodgers hat. And he looked at me like what, what? What are you white? What? What are you talking about? Why are you animated? He was Italian. He didn't know what I was, barely know what I was talking about. He could speak a little English. I'm like Dodgers the Dodgers. I didn't even know what it was. Your hat, oh, yes, yes.
Speaker 1:Somebody said he told me a story about this other man. He said yeah, dodgers, I didn't know what he was naming. That's how they talk, by the way. I swear to God, everything is in there. They're good people Marco our liaison, nicola our driver Just incredible guys.
Speaker 1:I can't stress enough the beauty of the country of Italy, the fashion, the people. The food is outrageously good. If you have the opportunity, I would highly recommend Italy. I think you'll absolutely love it and we had the best weather While we were there. We were in Milan. I'm glad we went. This one day Again I might not have gone, you know, so busy. They had a big furniture convention, the Italian furniture, a huge thing over there.
Speaker 1:And while we were there, someone in the group asked me you're a music guy, what's your favorite song? And I was trying to think oh God, you know, it's hard to pick a favorite song. Really right, it's hard to pick a favorite song. And I said you know, one of my favorites would have to be, and always has been, white or Shade of Pale by Procol Harum. So I said this and after I said it, we're standing in this gorgeous park in Milan. And what do I hear in the background? This, this. I recorded this. I was blown away, thank you. I just thought that was absolutely beautiful. I couldn't believe that, right after I had said that, that this gentleman was out there in the middle of the park in Milan playing that song is beautiful.
Speaker 1:Another little strange twist Every time I go out of the country, someone passes away. That was very popular. I remember initially the first time I went out of the country when I went to France with conservative tours. I remember Tom Petty died and I, back in 2017. It was either the day before and you could check this out I'll bet I haven't done that but I it was either the day before or the day after the cowardly gunman in Las Vegas murdered people from the hotel room. What is it? It was it the Jason Aldean concert? I may have got the artist wrong, but it seems like it was. We all remember that. I remember being in. I think it was Germany, or perhaps Austria. When Queen Elizabeth died, I remember being in either. See, I'm starting to get my trips confused and who passed during this, but one of the trips I think Italy. Oj died. I lost no sleep in the hotel room that night.
Speaker 1:Two trips ago it was Matthew Perry passed away, I think when I was in Italy. Matthew Perry, the star that was one of the stars of Friends. This time, wink Martindale passed away. Age of 91. Guy who presided over 20 programs after Wink Martindale passed away. Age of 91. Guy who presided over 20 programs after forging a radio and TV career. He was actually friends with Elvis Presley, wink Martindale I'll talk about that on my radio show tonight and Jay North, dennis the Menace, passed away at 73 years old from colon cancer.
Speaker 1:So it's uh, that's sad to see when you. It's like, every time I go away, uh, obviously, I think, gosh, I don't know what it is, every time I go away hear about someone dying. Just coincidence, sad coincidence. Back to work tonight, back to my radio show. I'm glad for that. I feel blessed that I have a job that I love and I look forward to getting back on the air and sharing a lot more of the tales from my trip and getting much more into the life of weak Martindale and Jay North and taking phone calls and all that. So again, we love the Pats Peeps businesses. The more the merrier. If you want your business, if you want us to support your business, please let us know. Go to patspeepscom, you can find out a lot more. Please let us know. Go to patspeepscom, you can find out a lot more.
Speaker 1:We went to the Parmesan cheese factory. I tell you, the Parmesan cheese factory was absolutely so cool so I had to come on with a big hunk of Parmesan cheese. So I've got it in the freezer. You cut a piece off and you use that. You should see it. And we went through the whole process how they store it, how they have to, oh, just the whole thing, and it just makes it like you become so interested in it. We purchased it once again, which I love.
Speaker 1:The balsamic vinegar we stopped at a place, boss, learning about balsamic vinegar. Uh is, it's just really cool and you just don't realize how good balsamic vinegar can really be If you enjoy salads, realize how good balsamic vinegar can really be If you enjoy salads, if you like balsamic vinegar, the way they age it over there, you just can't really I don't find that kind of vinegar, that kind of balsamic, over here and it's just outrageous. So I was happy to bring home some more of that. I was sad when I was out of it the last time and I couldn't believe I was in the same place that I was before to get that balsamic vinegar.
Speaker 1:We also visited the American Cemetery in Florence, where all the crosses are lined out there. These are people who died in their teens and 20s, who helped to liberate Italy, and it is a sight to behold. You just really feel the pride. I can tell you a story. Our liaison he will not mind me telling you this, Marco. He was talking about family members and his grandfather and he got very emotional and he had to step off the bus. And we stepped off the bus real quick and I gave him like a little hug. I said hey, my friend, I'm sorry for your loss and your grandparents and what happened in World War II. And you know what his response was In a very emotional way. God bless Americans, he said. Then he repeated God bless Americans. Emotional week, god bless Americans, he said. Then he repeated God bless Americans. Gives you a real sense of pride.
Speaker 1:We went to Cinque Terre, which is five cities that are the most. We went to Portofino. These are some of the most beautiful places you can imagine. We ate at this lighthouse in Portofino. Oh my gosh. I can't describe the beauty to you. Please check it out if you feel like seeing it on my Facebook page. I put a lot of these posts up there so you can see the beauty Sailing ships. Cinque Terre was gorgeous.
Speaker 1:I always wanted to see the Leaning Tower of Peace. I know that's a touristy thing, I understand that. But I wanted to see the Leaning Tower of Peace. I know that's a touristy thing, I understand that, but I wanted to be right next to it and see it and I wanted to see what was around it. And it was in this walled-in plaza, I guess open-air plaza. That was just spectacular to be there. Thank you to our group, and we would love to make you one of our, or include you in our Pats Peeps group going to Sicily this fall, like I said. So with that in mind, I think I want to finish playing our, finish playing the Whiter Shade of pale here. I was going to go with a 45 today I had one pulled out there for you, but this one just felt right. I want to keep it to Italy Sitting in the cafes.
Speaker 1:I love Italian pizza better. I'm sorry, I just do. It's different than our pizza and I just absolutely love it. The wine is terrific. The people are better in terms of not better than us, I mean better than the wine, I don't mean they're better than Americans. I love our country too. It's just so good to be home with you People are better than wine. I hope I clarified that. I don't want to misspeak. So this is Pat's Peeps 243, and I thank you for listening. All right, get back to it again tomorrow as well, and I hope you'll listen to my radio show, the Pat Walsh Show 93.1 FM 1530 AM in Sacramento and heard everywhere on your free iHeart app. See you on the radio, thank you.
