Amsterdam layover

Well this blog should be interesting since it will be updated entirely via iPhone. Anywho, I haven't slept in close to 26 hours and it's starting to get to me. I stayed up the entire plane ride from Memphis by watching Quantum of Solace, Doubt, and Slumdog Millionaire in one sitting. Now we have a 4 hour layover in Amsterdam. Even though the bathroom smells like someone puked up a Hershey's bar, this is a very nice airport, complete with chocolate stores the size of a Dilliard's. There's also an entire store devoted to whisky and cigars, which I found interesting. While I'm sitting at the gate I asked my mother to refresh my memory on a few origin stories about my family. She is 100% Italian, whereas my sister and I are only 75%. There is something strangely comforting to me about knowing one's genetic roots. The first member of my family to come to America was my great-grandfather. His name was Pietro Villani and he traveled to the US on a ship seeking the American Dream as a shoemaker in Chicago. He worked for the Capezio company making ballet slippers by hand. I can only imagine the kind of patience it would take to do that job. However, Pietro was a proud man and he wanted a bride. But not just any girl would do. He desired the perfect Italian bride: dark hair, dark eyes, olive complexion. In pursuit of this prize he entered into an arranged marriage with the DelCampo family for their oldest daughter, Sophia, who fit his idea or perfection. Ironically, she died of pneumonia while he was still sailing back to Italy to marry her. With his dream shattered, the DelCampo family attempted to make the best of the situation by offering their younger daughter, Rachalina. However, Pietro had a serious choice problem with this...his new bride had bright red hair and freckles (God forbid). This part of the story makes me laugh hysterically. It would seem my fundamental distrust of redheads is genetic. Interestingly enough, Pietro's reservations didn't stop him from having 6 kids with the woman, the first of which was my grandmother Maria who was born on the ship back to Chicago. Well my flight has finally arrived so this is all for now. Next stop Venice!