For many years, decades really, during quiet moments Cynthia and I dreamed about embarking on a great adventure visiting the Greek islands, walking the streets of Italy, or seeing the amazing artwork of Michelangelo and others in the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Of course, the possibility of such a trek was way down the list after the responsibilities of raising a family and building a business. During the 1990’s we were busy with our teenage kids with their school and sports obligations and our growing investment management company in San Jose. Early in 2000, we sold the investment company to CBIZ, Inc and the following years were busy with new responsibilities at CBIZ as Senior Vice President and our kids starting college. Key events of the last ten+ years included our kids (now adults) getting married and starting lives of their own, buying their homes, starting their careers, and having kids (not necessarily in that order). We decided in 2008 to acquire the investment division I managed from CBIZ and in 2009 established UP Capital Management and then Harris Bay, real estate private equity, that is now combined to 24 employees in Roseville and San Antonio. We have been very thankful for the many blessings of 10 grandkids and a solid growing suite of companies.
So, this year to celebrate 40 years of marriage we committed to fulfilling the dream of our great adventure. We chose a group cruise and tour with many of our church friends to Italy, Greece, and Turkey. The Holland America cruise ship was impeccably clean, holding over 2500 guests, offering high quality dining and entertainment, and we had a comfortable suite with a glass door to an outside deck.
Over the 18 days, we stopped at nine ports in Italy, Greece, and Turkey. The streets of Rome were clean, vibrant, and full of sharply dressed people talking or enjoying a siesta lunch at the many cafes. Italian food is amazing, and you could stop in almost any side street café for an excellent meal and cappuccino. The hallways and Sistine Chapel are nothing short of overwhelming along with the ruins and cathedrals.
Below we are standing at the top row of the main city stadium in Ephesus, Greece that held 25,000 people designed to hold 6x the city’s population (excluding women and children). Many of these ruins remain a mystery in how the Romans built these structures with stones weighing tons.
On the island of Thira in Greece, we decided to break away from the group and rented a Smart car (everything is small in Greece) and toured the entire island having lunch at a nice restaurant on the Mediterranean Sea on the opposite side of the island and away from all the tourist areas. A bit daring as all the street signs are in Greek and the ship departed at 9:30pm with or without us.
The ship made a short stop on the coast of Turkey due to the violence breaking out on the Syrian border but just long enough to venture into the city for lunch which included delicious Greek yogurt that is much sweeter than the US version. During the two-day cruise back to Italy, I won the ship’s ping pong tournament earning a whopping $150 and a lapel pin. In all, it was everything we hoped and more. Our only regret is not having done this sooner.
What Does This Mean to Me?
First, we at Up Capital appreciate your support for this Weekly Update and, for those of you as clients, your confidence in our services. Our purpose is to assist you in achieving your financial goals as quickly as possible so you can embark on your own great adventures. We realized on the trip that we could have done this sooner and that what appears to be a huge goal is much smaller from a different perspective.
The best part is we drew deeper into our relationship and are ready for the next chapters of our life.
In the end, our legacy is not stuff, but memories and values passed down to our younger generations.
Have you had your great adventure yet? Let us know by sending an email describing your experience. We will pick a couple and feature them (without names if requested) in a future Update. I know everyone would enjoy reading about your great experience.
Ciao!
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