Off the Rails
Page 22
My traveling companions in Italy—Soledad Ugolinelli and Gianni Scimone—were also with me from Berlin to Palermo (2010), from Moscow to Lisbon (2011), and from the Atlantic to the Pacific (2012). I talk about them in the book, and I’ll add nothing except for this: thank you, I’d go with you to the ends of the earth (truth be told, we already have!). Traveling with us were Mark Spörrle (2010 and 2011) and Karl Hoffmann (2012). I thank them both for having put up with me and for showing that Germans, contrary to the stereotypes, are unpredictable.
One last thank-you—obligatory, sincere, and heartfelt—goes to Susanne Höhn and the Goethe-Institut. They gave me a chance to tell the story of Italy, Europe, and America, they gave me their trust, and they gave me their friendship, something every bit as important. Another partner in these three journeys was the Corriere della Sera; also, on the American trip, the television network La7. For the rail trip from Sydney to Perth (2007), thanks again to the Corriere, to Tourism Australia, and to the Italian Cultural Institutes down under.
Finally, let me also thank two Americans, quite different from each other. The first is President Donald Trump, who traveled with me from Naples to London in the fall of 2017 (but only as a statuette—which is good, as he didn’t tweet, complain, attack, or fire anyone). The second is my patient, talented, and resourceful translator, Antony Shugaar. It is our first book together, and it was great to see him in action. I write my journalism in English, not my books. I can appreciate a good translation, though. And Tony’s is excellent.
A final thought goes to my friend Giles Watson, the translator of three of my books into English, who is no longer with us. I owe him a lot. This book is dedicated to him.
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INDEX OF PLACES
The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. The link provided will take you to the beginning of that print page. You may need to scroll forward from that location to find the corresponding reference on your e-reader.
Abilene, Texas, 21
Abruzzo, Italy, 137
Achinsk, Russia, 154
Acireale, Sicily, 144
Acquaviva delle Fonti, Italy, 140
Adelaide, South Australia, 84, 86–88, 91
Adriatic Sea, 127, 136–39
Alabama, U.S., 8, 11, 12
Albany, New York, 100–3
Alexandria, Louisiana, 18
Alice Springs, Australia, 87
Alpharetta, Georgia, 11, 179, 181
Amherst, New Hampshire, 96
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 100
Anaheim, California, 37
Apennines Mountains, 136
Aragon, Spain, 78
Arizona, U.S., 3, 12, 27–35, 77
Aterno River valley, 137
Atlanta, Georgia, 3, 8, 10, 11, 100, 125
Atlantic Ocean, xiv, 42, 79, 96, 98, 101, 103, 117, 119, 121
Austin, Texas, 12, 106
Australia, xv, 19, 83–93, 100, 128
Austria, 50, 60, 65, 69–72, 127, 129
Aztec, New Mexico, 33
Baltic Sea, xiv
Baltimore, Maryland, 7, 10, 100
Barcelona, Spain, 75–78, 81
Bari, Italy, 139, 140
Basilicata, Italy, 141
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 18
Bavaria, 49–50
Bega, New South Wales, 85
Beijing, China, xiv, 54, 59, 150, 155, 158, 167, 189
Belarus, 164
Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 173
Benevento, Italy, 137, 139
Benghazi, Libya, 77
Berkeley, California, 40
Berlin, Germany, 43–46, 52, 57, 58, 168, 170–72, 174
Bern, Switzerland, 72
Birmingham, Alabama, 8, 12
Black Forest, 118
Black Sea, 187
Blue Mountains, 85
Bogotol, Russia, 154
Bohemia, Czech Republic, 68, 69
Bolzano, Italy, 52, 53
Bookaloo, Australia, 88
Bordeaux, France, 76
Bosphorus, xiv, 159
Boston, Massachusetts, 10, 95–100, 103, 108, 161, 189
Brazil, 77
Brenner Pass, 52
Brescia, Italy, 91, 129
Brindisi, Italy, 136
British Columbia, Canada, 42
Broken Hill, Australia, 86
Budapest, Hungary, 67, 172
Buffalo, New York, 103
Bulgaria, 173–75
Calabria, Italy, 55–57, 141–43
California, U.S., 3, 4, 21, 34–39, 98, 100, 122, 124, 125
Caltanissetta Xirbi, Sicily, 146
Cambodia, 187
Campania, Italy, 139, 187
Canada, 100, 108
Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, 31
Cascade Range, 120
Castle of Miramare, 129
Catania, Sicily, 143, 145
Catanzaro, Italy, 142
Cerkezköv, Turkey, 175
Charlotte, North Carolina, 8
Chicago, Illinois, 104, 106–8, 122
Chico, California, 39
Chihuahua Desert, Texas, 24
China, xiii, 59, 100, 150, 155, 157–58
Cisco, Texas, 23
Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, 26–27
Cleveland, Ohio, 102–4
Clyde, Texas, 23
Cochise County, Arizona, 28
Columbia River, 120
Cook, Australia, 88
Costa del Sol, 67
Crema, Italy, 2, 100, 143
Cremona, Italy, 29, 129
Crotone, Italy, 56
Cuyahoga River, 104
Czech Republic, 60, 65–68, 71
Czechoslovakia, 175
Dallas, Texas, 3, 20–21
Danilov, Russia, 152
Darwin, Australia, 88
Dateland, Arizona, 33
Dauriya, Russia, 157
Descanso, California, 34
Devils Lake, North Dakota, 112
District of Columbia, U.S., 3–6, 10, 42, 100, 124
Edirne, Turkey, 175
Edmonds, Washington, 120
Egypt, 47
El Paso, Texas, 26
El Salvador, 27
England, 65, 119, 134, 177, 183–84
Enna, Sicily, 145, 146
Erie Canal, 103
Estremadura province, Portugal, 82
Eugene, Oregon, 41
Everett, Washington, 120, 121
Fargo, North Dakota, 110
Figueres, Spain, 81
Finland, 159–62, 175
Flagstaff, Arizona, 3, 32
Flensburg, Germany, 49
Florence, Italy, 133, 134, 138
Florida, U.S., 98, 100
Foggia, Italy, 137, 138
Foligno, Italy, 136
Fort Apache, Arizona, 31
France, 60, 65, 72–76, 80, 81, 180, 182–83, 187
Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany, 170
Fulda, Germany, 48
Fullerton, California, 37
Gargano Promontory, 138
Geneva, Switzerland, 72, 81
Genoa, Italy, 131–32
Georgia, U.S., 3, 8, 10–11, 100, 111, 179, 181
Germany, 43–52, 50, 64–65, 67, 72, 170–72, 175
Giardini Naxos, Sicily, 144
Gila Bend, Arizona, 33
Gioia del Colle, Italy, 140
Glacier National Park, 117
Gleeson, Arizona, 28
Göttingen, Germany, 47
Grand Cane, Louisiana, 18
Grand Canyon, Arizona, 12
Gr
eat Lakes, 103
Greenville, South Carolina, 10
Grodno, Belarus, 167
Gross Tete, Louisiana, 18
Guatemala, 27
Gulf of Finland, 161
Gulf of Mexico, 42
Hamburg, Germany, 67
Helsinki, Finland, 159, 160, 175
Honduras, 27
Horn of Africa, 97
Hötensleben, Germany, 47
Houston, Texas, 104
Hudson River, 103
Hungary, 67, 105, 175
Icicle Canyon, 120
Idaho, U.S., 114, 118
Illinois, U.S., 104, 106–8, 122
India, xiii
Indian Ocean, 90
Indiana, U.S., 106
Inner Mongolia, 158
Innsbruck, Austria, 70, 71
Ionian Sea, 140, 141, 143
Irkutsk, Russia, 153, 155, 156
Irvine, California, 37
Irving, Texas, 21
Ishim, Russia, 154
Istanbul, Turkey, 159, 175
Italy, 48, 52–56, 72, 91, 127–44, 148, 177–81, 187, 191–93, 195
Jackson, Mississippi, 19
Japan, 100
Jilin province, China, 158
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, 88–89
Kama River, 152
Kapikule, Turkey, 175
Kiev, Ukraine, 62–63, 71
Kingman, Arizona, 30
Kingoonya, Australia, 88
Kirov, Russia, 152
Klamath Falls, Oregon, 39, 41
Kouvola, Finland, 160
Kraków, Poland, 64, 66, 67, 70, 71, 77
Krasnoyarsk, Russia, 155
Kultanaby, Australia, 88
Kutno, Poland, 168
Kuznica Bialostocka, Poland, 167
La Joya, Texas, 27
Lafayette, Louisiana, 18
Lake Baikal, 153, 156
Lake Erie, 104, 106
Lake McDonald, 117
Lake Washington, 123, 124
Lamezia Terme, Italy, 55–56
L’Aquila, Italy, 136
Las Vegas, Nevada, 38
Latvia, 164, 166, 187
Lausanne, Switzerland, 72
Lazio (Latium), Italy, 136
Leningrad, Russia, 160, 162–64
Liguria, Italy, 131–33, 193
Ligurta, Arizona, 33
Linz, Austria, 70
Lisbon, Portugal, 59, 81, 82, 110
Lithuania, 164, 167
Liverpool, England, 119
Livorno, Italy, 92, 133–34, 137
Locri, Italy, 142
Lombardy, 129
London, England, 100, 177, 183–84
Longview, Texas, 20
Lordsburg, New Mexico, 28
Los Angeles, California, 3, 4, 37, 100, 124
Louisiana, U.S., 3, 7, 8, 13–14, 18, 19
Lower Saxony, Germany, 46
Luzhaika, Finland, 161
Lyon, France, 72–74, 81, 180
Madrid, Spain, 78–81
Maiella Mountains, 137
Maine, U.S., 95–97, 125
Malta, Montana, 113–16, 123
Manchuria, China, 156
Mantua, Italy, 83, 129–30
Many Farms, Arizona, 31
Manzhouli, China, 157
Maralinga, Australia, 88
Maritsa River, 174
Marsala, Sicily, 147
Marseille, France, 73–75, 80, 81
Marshall, Texas, 20
Maryland, U.S., 7, 10, 100
Massachusetts, U.S., 18, 95–100
Mazara, Sicily, 147
Melbourne, Australia, 83, 91
Meridian, Mississippi, 12
Mesquite, Texas, 20
Messina, Sicily, 57, 143, 144
Metaponto, Italy, 141
Mexico, 26–27
Miami, Florida, 98, 100
Milan, Italy, 54, 57, 118, 177, 187, 195
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 103, 108–10
Mississippi River, 14
Mississippi State, U.S., 12, 14, 19
Modane, France, 180
Modena, Italy, 52, 54, 130
Moldau River, 67
Molise, Italy, 138
Montana, U.S., 111, 113–19, 123
Monte Giano, 136
Montpellier, France, 76, 81
Montreal, Canada, 100
Moscow, Russia, 59–62, 70–71, 110, 119, 149–51, 153, 156
Moskva River, 62
Mount Rainier, 122
Munich, Germany, 48, 50, 172
Naples, Italy, 54, 55, 57
Navajo National Monument, 31–32
New England, U.S., 95
New Hampshire, U.S., 95
New Mexico, U.S., 27–28, 33
New Orleans, Louisiana, 3, 7, 8, 13–14
New South Wales, Australia, 85, 86
New York, New York, 4, 7, 10, 100–3, 122
New York State, 4, 7, 10, 100–3, 122
New Zealand, 91, 187
Niagara Falls, 106
Nice, France, 73
Nigeria, 187
Niš, Serbia, 173
Norfolk Island, Australia, 87
North Carolina, U.S., 8
North Dakota, U.S., 110–14
Novoselye, Russia, 165
Novosibirsk, Russia, 154
Nullarbor Plain, Australia, 84, 88
Oakland, California, 39
Oceanside, California, 37
Oder River, 170
Odessa, Texas, 23
Ohio, U.S., 102–6
Olovyannaya, Russia, 156, 157
Olympia, Washington, 42
Olympic Mountains, 122
Onon River, 157
Ooldea, Australia, 88
Opelousas, Louisiana, 18
Oregon, U.S., 39–41, 96, 120, 121, 125
Ostrov, Russia, 165
Ottawa, Canada, 100
Pacific Ocean, 34, 96, 120, 121, 150, 156
Padua, Italy, 138
Painted Desert, 31
Palermo, Sicily, 57, 58, 145–47
Palma de Mallorca, Spain, 75
Paraguay, 187
Paris, France, 180, 182–83, 187
Parma, Italy, 138
Patti, Sicily, 58
Pavia, Italy, 138
Pecos, Texas, 24
Pennsylvania, U.S., 7, 10, 100
Perm, Russia, 152
Perth, Western Australia, 83, 84, 88, 90–93
Perugia, Italy, 135–36, 138
Pescara, Italy, 136–38
Petrified Forest, 31
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 7, 10, 100
Phoenix, Arizona, 30, 33, 77
Piacenza, Italy, 32, 130, 131, 138
Piedmont, Italy, 193
Pisa, Italy, 138
Pistoia, Italy, 138
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 100
Plovdiv, Bulgaria, 174
Poland, 64, 70, 71, 77, 163, 164, 166–70, 175
Polebridge, Montana, 118
Port Augusta, Australia, 87
Portland, Maine, 95–97, 125
Portland, Oregon, 41, 96, 120, 121, 125
Portugal, 59, 60, 65, 81, 82
Poznan, Poland, 168, 171
Prague, Czech Republic, 65–68, 71
Pskov, Russia, 165
Puget Sound, 121, 122
Puglia, Italy, 129, 140
Qatar, 47
Redding, California, 39
Reggio Calabria, Italy, 142, 143
Repino, Ru
ssia, 162
Rezekne, Latvia, 166
Rhône River, 81
Rieti, Italy, 136
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 77
Rio Grande, 26, 27
Rocky Mountains, 117
Romanengo, Italy, 100
Romania, 105, 175
Rome, Italy, 55, 57, 119, 138, 177, 179
Rosarno, Italy, 143
Rough Rock, Arizona, 31
Rugby, North Dakota, 110, 112–13
Russia, 59–62, 70–71, 110, 119, 149–57, 161–65, 175
Sacramento, California, 39
Salzburg, Austria, 70, 71
San Diego, California, 3, 21, 34–35, 98, 100
San Francisco, California, 3, 100, 122
San Juan Capistrano, California, 37
San Luis Obispo, California, 38
Sankt Anton am Arlberg, Austria, 70, 71
Santa Ana, California, 37
Santa Barbara, California, 37
Santa Maria Novella, Italy, 134
Santa Monica, California, 125
Santa Teresa di Riva, Sicily, 144
Sardinia, 15–16
Savannah, Georgia, 111
Saxony, Germany, 46, 47
Scandinavia, 65
Sea of Marmara, 175
Seattle, Washington, 3, 42, 114, 119–24
Sentinel, Arizona, 33
Serbia, 173
Shreveport, Louisiana, 19
Sibari, Italy, 142
Siberia, 47, 150, 153–55
Sicily, 57–58, 129, 141, 143–48
Silvi Marina, Italy, 137
Skykomish, Washington, 120
Snohomish River, 121
Sofia, Bulgaria, 174
Solana Beach, California, 37
South America, 47, 77
South Australia, 84, 86–88, 91
South Carolina, U.S., 10
South Korea, 100
Spain, 60, 75–81
Spokane, Washington, 118–20
Springfield, Massachusetts, 100
Strugi Krasnye, Russia, 165
Stuttgart, Germany, 45
Sulmona, Italy, 136, 137
Sverdlovsk, Russia, 153
Svilengrad, Bulgaria, 174
Swiebodzin, Poland, 168, 170
Switzerland, 53, 60, 70–72, 81
Sydney, Australia, 83, 84, 88, 91
Tacna, Arizona, 33
Tacoma, Washington, 42
Tagus River, 82
Tallapoosa, Georgia, 11
Taranto, Italy, 140–41, 143
Tarcoola, Australia, 88
Tatar Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, 173, 174
Tayshet, Russia, 155
Termini Imerese, Sicily, 146
Termoli, Italy, 138
Terni, Italy, 136
Texas, U.S., 3, 18, 20–24, 26, 27, 104