 Some months ago... I think on February, one Italian radio's website called RDS [Radio Dimensione Suono] (I want to say thank you so much to Anna Pettinelli, I appreciated your help) did a poll to vote the favorite duet for the Pavarotti & Friends 1999. I wrote to the Conga List asking to vote for a special duet with Gloria and Pavarotti. I don't know how much of you voted, I only know that I voted around... 100 times... yes, I'm a little obstinated... :) Well, it was march, around the 20th and a special friend called Judith (it is your fault... ha ha ha) wrote me, Gloria said to her in Miami at the Conga Bash that she would have come in Italy for the first days of june. Then Amir, told me he talked with Gloria about me and she said: Yes, I know Annamaria, she is very nice, it would be great to meet her there!" So immediately I thought... Hey Annamaria this is your chance to meet your Gloria!!!! mmmmm.... excuse me, OUR Gloria... :o) WOW boys and girls... Gloria said she would be liked to meet me... but to be honest she also told me this some months ago in a message: "I had a great visit to your magnificent country and I hope next time I can meet you in person." To be short... some special friends helped me to make an official meeting, and on 29th may, friday evening, a woman from Gloria's staff called me on my cell-phone saying they were in Italy and that there was a chance for me to meet Gloria. I was on heaven and I was waiting for her new call... well... I so much stressed the Hotel reception that when I came to the Hotel they said me: "Ohhhhhhhhh Mrs Annamaria Amello, goodmorning..." but I know they hate me... LOL My cell-phone was ALWAYS ON (also during night)... To explain my shaking... you have to know I lost weight for about 3 kg/about 6 lbs... my stomach was REALLY closed.... the first time in my life... hem hem Gloria have to come to Italy to meet me more often... HA HA HA HA HA LOL. On Monday my contact told me to come to Bologna and the day after at 8.00 o'clock in the morning me and my future husband Stefano were on train travelling for Bologna station. We arrived there at 9.44 a.m. where we met Davide Ferrari [I know someone of you know him] and his fiancee Sara (they came to Bologna by their car), we are friends since long time ago, sometimes we all go out in one cuban restaurant in Milan, called "Tocororo". Anyway... we were looking for the Hotel where Gloria was, when suddenly we seen a Mac Donald... no just kidding... the Hotel was far from the station so we took our bags and began to looking for it. After a lot of steps and wrong directions we finally found the Grand Hotel Baglioni... it was 11.00 a.m. when we entered in the Hotel (a lot of girls and boys were waiting for famous people, all international Pavarotti's friends were in that hotel, and they looked at us with HATE... LOL). I asked to talk with that nice girl and she wanted to talk with me on the reception phone: "J": Ciao Annamaria... how are you? Me: Ciao, we are here... "J": I know all the family are yet sleeping, yesterday evening we came back to the hotel really late so, I know they will sleep till al least 12.00. Me: ohhhh noooooo I woke-up you???? "J": No... I was relaxing (this is a polite way to say me yes... she was sleeping... EXCUSE ME AGAIN)!!! Me: OK we will come back here at 2.00 or 3.00 o'clock... right? "J": OK, better 3.00, or anyway you can call me and I will tell you when you can be back. Me: May I ask you a favour? We have a big bag with gift, can we leave it here? "J": Ohhhh yes, put my name on it! Me: Thank you very much and again excuse me! We visited Bologna for about 2 hours, we entered in some records shops (one boy gave me for free one poster that was in their shop-window, it is from the Destiny album... GREAT picture) and then we went to Mac Donald... finally and I ate a little rice insalad... REALLY A CLOSED STOMACH... When we entered in another record shop they see my poster and they immediatly put on "Con los anos que me quedan" and then "gloria!"... after 1 second we were dancing OYE all around the shop... :o) LOL At 2.30 we was back to the hotel... but "J" told us that Gloria would have been ready at 6.00 o'clock... OHHHH NOOOOOOOO..... still 3 hours around Bologna.... ahhhhh. Meanwhile we were going back forth to the car putting in new money (we spent 25.000 lire/about 14 dollars) for the parking... do you remember that the station was so far from the hotel...???? My feet were piping hot... ouchhhhhhh.... ha ha ha At 5.00 o'clock the people around the hotel were about 100 and there were policemen everywhere, I said to one of them I had an appointment and then we entered again in the hotel... still hated... hi hi hi hi LOL "J" came to us and she has been REALLY WONDERFUL, she offered us a drink and asked us to wait there for Gloria coming. She said Gloria was on make-up and that she said to her: I want to talk with Annamaria and her friends!!! We waited with our hearts throbbing for about... 2 hours... meanwhile we prepared all our gift (there was so much confusion in the hall and they were lost our bags... ahhhh... then they found them... FINALLY). We were talking when suddenly Davide came back to us and said: Ricky Martin is leaving the Hotel.... Me and Sara... BEEEEEE BEEEPPPPPPPPPP please... excuse me... and we seen Ricky... REALLY A FINE GUY (I don't know how to say it in english, but I have lot of words in italian... ;) anyway she is REALLY SEXY, more than in television... mmmmmm... Stefano said he hadn't the time to switch on the cam... I didn't believe him, I think he was ONLY JEALOUS.... ;o) About at 7.00 o'clock Gloria arrived... so much people was around her, but "J" said to stay where we were, to make a private meeting. The Estefan Family arrived (Gloria, Emily, Emilio, Frank, Tony, "J" and their staff) Gloria was wearing a black pants with a black shirt, and she was holding Emily's hand, they get down some steps, Emily was jumping on them and Gloria was nearly out of balance. Gloria: Hello Davide: Hola Gloria, como estas? (Hi Gloria, how are you?) Gloria: Bien (Well). And she looked at us. I'm guess you are saying and you Annamaria? When Gloria was coming my heart burst I noticed it skipped some heartbeat, I was thinking: How can I say?.... well I said only: CIAO (my mouth was dry). "J": Gloria, this is Annamaria (in italian). Gloria: ANNAMARIA, POR FIN (finally), QUE PLACER (what a pleasure), COMO ESTAS (how are you)... MUCHO GUSTO... (Listen here the mp3 file: 42 kb) (Listen here the mp3 file: 13 kb) I come near her to hold her hand BUT she hugged me REALLY STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!! WELL guys... this has been the BEST and relaxing moment of the last days... It was like she'd wanted to reassure me: I'm here Annamaria don't worry, I love you too! She made me feel like I was an old friend! Here you can see our meeting with Gloria (file mpg of about 1 MB... thanx to Davide). Davide presented herself and his fiancee Sara. "J": this is Annamaria fiancee. Gloria: ohhhh si, se vanno a casar pronto, muy felicitades (Ohhhh Yes you have to get married soon, congrats) (Listen here the mp3 file: 17 kb) (Listen here the mp3 file: 10 kb) OH MY GOD SHE REMEMBERED IT!!!! I wrote this in one of my last messages to her... GREAT... SHE IS SIMPLY GREAT!!!! She looked at the table and asked: OH MY GOD!!! Todo esto? (All this?). (Listen here the mp3 file: 15 kb) We made a basket with some kinds of pasta from some italian regions, and I made a special book with recipes for every kind of pasta... she looked at it and read: LA PASTA (the title of the book), gracias. (Listen here the mp3 file: 13 kb) Inside there were two prints of the Italian Fiscal Card we made with Gloria's details (Gloria as miss and mrs), "J" said to Gloria what they were and so she looked at me and said: haiiiiiii great... with a large smile on her face!!! Really amazed... (Listen here the mp3 file: 17 kb) (Listen here the mp3 file: 17 kb) Then I gave her a present for Emily and she said: Emily, mira para ti (Look Emily for you). Emily come to us and she put it on her hands (a suite with a blue pair of shorts very coloured, coupled with a blue T-shirt: the coloured part are SUNFLOWERS). The Emily's card get down and Gloria said to her: look the card is fallen!!! Then I gave her my personal gift, a little gold Italy with a gold chain, she looked at the card (very strange, its shape is like a computer's video) and said: ahhh the computer!!! And she laughed. (Listen here the mp3 file: 29 kb) And then opening the gift, she said: ohhhhh que lindo.... haiiiiiiii que lindo....... muy lindo (very beautiful) and she shown it to Emilio and said: look a little Italy... que lindo, gracias Annamaria... (Listen here the mp3 file: 22 kb) (Listen here the mp3 file: 15 kb) Gloria: there are also islands... que lindo... muy muy lindo. She gave it to Emilio and said in english: we will take it with us, put it in my bag. Then she asked to me: you will come to the show? I said: NO. She said REALLY DISAPPOINTED (she made a really sad face): ohhhhh noooo PORQUE??? (Why?) (Listen here the mp3 file: 12 kb) I said: we have to come back to Milano. Then I gave her the Conga Poster that I put in a blue frame, she looked at it and I said: this is from conga list.... She said: wow... haiiii que lindo (how is beautiful). (Listen here the mp3 file: 28 kb) She said: ahhhh todos los nombres de conga (all conga's names) ohhhh gracias (thank you)... she was reading all them! (Listen here the mp3 file: 28 kb) She liked it VERY MUCH!!! Meanwhile we were together Gloria said to one boys of the hotel to put ALL her gift in her suite soon! "J" said: Annamaria this is Frank. Frank: Felice (happy), how are you... it's a pleasure and he shook my hand. Then Emilio told her that they were too late... so... Then Gloria asked me if she had to sign something for me and I gave her my CD cover of "gloria!", she took the pen and said before write: Para Annamaria. I said: yes... thank you. She signed: Para Annamaria. Encentada de conocerte. Con carino. Gloria Estefan. (Listen here the mp3 file: 26 kb) (Listen here the mp3 file: 10 kb) When she finished to sign it she looked right in my eyes and... my heart missed a beat... she found the right way to my heart... I LOVE HER MUCH MORE THAN BEFORE! Then she signed the "No pretendo" CD for Sara and she asked Sara if with or not the "h" at the end of the name... and then she signed for Davide the "Evolution Tour" DVD. Davide and Sara gave to her their gift, a watch. (Listen here the mp3 file: 45 kb) She looked at the table and saw another of my Cd cover "Abriendo Puertas" and she said: Y ese esto Annamaria (And also this Annamaria)? (Listen here the mp3 file: 15 kb) I took with me 2 covers, but I gave her only one because I didn't want to disturb her more... she wanted to sign also that... SHE HAS A HUGE HEART!!! I said: ohhhhh sii... grazie (yes thank you). She signed also that: Para Annamaria con carino. Gloria Estefan. I had my heart in my throat... glob.... glob.... All people around us was saying: it is late we have to go.... but... she said: photo... ? When she was embracing me she looked right in the cam for a bit and asked me: Quando se casas? (when you will get married), always watching in my eyes. I said in italian settembre, then september. She said: oh september, our month! Infact Gloria's birth was 1st september 1957, Emilio and Gloria got married 2nd september 1978 and Nayib's birth was 2nd september 1980. "J" said: the 18th september. "J" took the photo and Gloria said: ohhh another one... so she took another... Frank took the one with Davide and Sara. "J" was saying: another one for you and Stefano, Annamaria, when some girls that I didn't know asked to take a picture and SO I haven't a picture with Gloria and Stefano... grrrrrr..... CAN YOU BELIEVE THE GIRLS ASKED US WHO WAS THE STAR??? They didn't know she was Gloria Estefan but they have a picture with her.... I HATE THEM!!! Then everyone talked... I remember really few words... Gloria told, giving me a special hug: Gracias Annamaria, muy gracias (thank you very much), mucho gusto de conocerte (really happy to know you)... Felicitades en tu boda (Congrats for your wedding), congratulation and gracias por todo esto (and thank you for all this). (Listen here the mp3 file: 44 kb) (Listen here the mp3 file: 22 kb) She shook Stefano's hand and than SHE LEAVES the hotel by car, she went to the car from the back of the hotel! CIAO CIAO CIAO (Listen here the mp3 file: 29 kb) WOWWWWWWW guys... writing these words it has been like to be again in Bologna... I think I never forget these about 6 minutes... yes... just few minutes... BUT IT IS WORTHS THE TIME!!!!! |
