GO! Smell the 90 year old flowers….
November 6th, 2007 by Jim & EmWhen we recently completed our flower smelling trip to Italy’s lake Como we had the pleasure of meeting Leonardo, who resides near Llandudno, North Wales but gets out and about visiting family when he can.
What struck us about Leonardo was his energy and openess. Jim asked him what his secret to longevity was.
“Well”, he chuckled “It is easy, the only reason I have lived so long is because I realised that during the war in 1940 it was better to be an alive coward than a dead hero.”
He went on to tell us how he convinced the officers in command that he was a qualified journalist and subseqently spent his time between Italy , France & Swtizerland shooting pictures rather than people. How refreshingly honest! Although listening to some of the stories he told us, he was far from being a coward. Thank you Leonardo.
We didn’t spot famous Como resident George Clooney but we can share some footage of his house with you!
So, Is there such a thing as old and bold heroes? Would you admit to cowardice or cover it up and take the medal?
Wow! He sounds lik an amazing man.
Some people are just too modest to say they were heroes, but in my opinion, anyone who goes to fight in a war not knowing if they will kliev, is a hero in my book.
I bet he did loads of heroic things. I would love to hear some of those stories.
Good for you Leonardo.
He looks the image of George Clooney :0)
Refreshingly honest and worthy of a book or even a film. Como is on my list of places to see, a HUGE lake by all accounts.
He is Harold Bishop meets Rolf Harris.
I wouldn’t cover it up and take the medal as I wouldn’t go to war over anything other than a foreign power invading my homeland.
I hate war.
If they wanted to stop it they should have a rule that whichever country starts it their leader has to send their own child onto the frontline to fire the first shot.
I bet they’d think twice then.
Wise words Gary - I like it…
Leonardo loks good for 90 odd and did the right thing not being an old and bold hero.
Clever black adder clip flowers - I didn’t realised what happened when you clicked on the photos. Must be going back 20 years since Blackadder goes forth.
I think there are still heroes, but they tend to keep quite about it.
There is an old man who lives down my road who just seems to be an old man wobbling down to the local shop each day with a fag hanging from his bottom lip. Old, past it a nobody.
Got talking to him: turns out he was a rear gunner in the Lancaster bombers in the war!
http://www.maidenfans.com/imc/pictures/pictures08_npftd/tailgunner.jpg
You just can never tell!
‘Old, past it, nobody..’
Spot on Mike - we all head that way if we are lucky / unlucky?!!
Hmmm.
I remember my grandad was in a P.O.W camp inWW2 FOR FIVE YEARS
He would never speak about it but one day he opened up to me
it was an emotional moment for us both. his lips were quivering and I swear there was tears in his barely functioning eyes
‘what was it like grandad I asked?
‘it peed down the first two weeks he said.
absolutely useless he was.
I stopped visitng him after that.
A Belgian that i do business with said his father died in a German concentration camp………..he fell out of a watch-tower
Thank you so much for the gratuitous George Clooney photos. He is my dream man.
George Clooney, so good you posted his pic twice…. I need to hang out around Lake Como. I’m sure if he just met me he would realise how perfect I am for him….
Aparently he lives there most of the time on the western shore in a place called Lenno.
When the two of you get together, don’t forget to invite me over - just so that I can have a look at him!!!
I adore Italy! I shall have to book a holiday there
He does seem to like brunettes…but much younger ones unfortunately. Still, a girl can hope, can’t she….?
Italian contribution to WWII……. (picture of Leonardo with two hands in the air). Why doesn’t it surprise me.