visiting Archontis and Don

[orjan.berglund@z.lst.se]

I do not frequently contribut to the mailing-list but I do read it
frequently. Now this trip I made to the USA to meet my Greek friend
Archontis Pantsios and then accompaning him to visit Don Rosa is a very good
reason to write to the mailing-list. When returning to Sweden June 6th I
found that my new computor didn´t want to connect me with the internet, and
I have had that problem for more than two weeks. Eventually the problem was
solved and now it should work, I hope.

Archontis did a great job describing the trip to Don Rosa so detailed, that
it was like doing the trip once more when I read it. I will not repeat that.
Archontis wrote that he had kept bugging me for visiting him in the States.
I wouldn´t say bugging, just ask politely  a couple of times. I always
answered that I would try to make the trip. But, honestly, in my mind I
thought of all obstacles that would keep me from going. Considering that I
am approaching my 50th birthday and that I never have been to the US, I new
that first time over there had to be with my family and then visiting the ”
usual” tourist attractions in New York, Washington, Florida, Los Angeles
and/or San Francisco. But when the day for Archontis´ departure for
Louisville came closer in time I finally realised that this was THE chance
of my life!  To ever have the chance to go for that long ride through New
York State, Pennsylvania, Ohio and then into Kentucky, and to visit Don and
his wife in his home, this was it!  Only my friend Archontis living in the
States for a few months could ever make this possible. So I decided to make
the trip only six days before I left for the States. One thing I had to do
before my final decision was to ask Don if it was OK if I would accompany
Archontis visiting them. When I got the reply, one single line, ” Yes, of
course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” it was all set.

I did the trip from Sweden on my own, and this was the first time I would
meet Archontis face to face. It was actually through this mailing-list we
first started to correspond back in 96 or 97, at first from our interest in
Don´s pre-Disney work. But as we started to write also about other things
than comics, sharing thoughts, talking about family and work, and as the
years have passed Archontis has become a very dear friend. It was only last
year we spoke on the phone for the first time. Anyway it felt like I aready
had met him.
I arrived to JFK late in the evening, 10.00. It was almost midnight before I
got to my hotel, a tiny hotel just one block from Times Square. The room was
very small 2,5 * 2,5 meters and quite expensive, $110- But after a good
nights sleep I ”did” New York - Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty,
Washington Square, Central Park and Broadway. Then in the evening ti Port
Authority to cath the Greayhound-bus to Binghamton. Then you have Archontis
story. The departure from Sweden so prompt after my decision to go made it
hard to understad that I really was in the USA. It took some days before I
got used to that fact.

Visiting the Rosas was an owerwhelming experience. You can talk about
hospitality, but this was it. Coming for a visit and meet such kindness and
warmth is just great! All you wanted to know about Don´s comic-stories, and
wasn´t to afraid to ask, you got all the answers. To see all what you´ve
heard about or seen in pictures is just fantastic. What I found very
interesting was when Don described how his stories develop fron the first
idea to the final art and text. It is more work in that process than you
would believe.

When we were following Don, in a ”Panama-hat” and with the machettee,
through the trails of his private jungle it felt like taking part of his new
Lo$ story in Panama. I love all the chapters of Lo$, and this is no
exception. I hope that Don keeps his promise to do at least one Lo$-story
each year.
When hearing about the ”Three Caballero story” I thought that I would be
impossible to make a good story from that idea. But after having read it
it´s clearly a masterpiece Don has created, approaching the Disney universe
form a completely different angle. Pure Rosa!!! Just wait and see, and
enjoy!

Thanks Don and Ann for an unforgettable experience!

And to Archontis I have to send a huge thank you! You made it possible for
me to make this fantastic trip, living in your home for so many days,
driving around to so many places, experience so much. I hope to see you and
your family in my home here in Sweden some day.

Orjan B, Sweden