*Had to wait for story to be published before I could post this, hope you understand and enjoy =)

After an afternoon with Victor Conte, woke up early the next morning, a beautiful day in the bay, for my next assignment with La Gazetta dello Sport to photograph Alexander Tarics the oldest living Olympic gold medalist, a Hungarian water polo player from the '36 Olympics who continued on to be an engineering professor and now lives in Belvedere and is 98 years old. En route Massimo calls me to say he is crossing the Golden Gate and "the view is how you saaaay.... I have no breathing"... You mean breathtaking? =)

I arrived at the house, and instantly knew I had the right address with the Mercedes license plate Gold36. Later having him take a picture by it.

He came outside, greeted us, and inside we were quickly greeted by his wife Elizabeth who was prepared for company with tea on her finest Hungarian China.

They also invited over their friend Andrew. And both Elizabeth and Andrew were present throughout the interview.

Elizabeth was so sweet and hilarious. While at their beautiful home, and I'm moving around taking pictures feeling like wow, I am just a fly on the wall, she would remind me that I was less of a fly, and actually present, as she came up behind me, playing with my hair, and asking me what size jeans I wore, commenting on how professional I am and asking about my love life.

Alex asked if I was married, no, and he said shockingly "the boys are blind!" haha... nothing like a confidence boost from a 98 year man... he doesn't wear glasses, so either he has the most amazing eyes in the world, or I should take that compliment with a grain of salt haha.

Alex was also prepared with written notes, not so he could remember, but to be able to give to Massimo to keep. Alex's memory is so amazingly in tact, he joked "my memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened!"

After the interview, being aware that he is 98, I asked if he was tired or whether it would be ok to do some stills around the house, he had lots of energy to spare, and moved from the chair to the bench, for a shot with his medal.

And of course some with Elizabeth.

I next asked if we could go outside for a few, which he was also happy to do. Apart from some assistance down the stairs, he walks without a cane outside on his deck that floats on the water of the beautiful lagoon. How perfect to take a picture of a water polo player with water as the background, yes!

And of course some with Elizabeth.

Back inside as Elizabeth talked some more with Massimo, Alex tells me, "I have learned the secret to a happy marriage... you are either right or you are happy" he says with a big grin and later repeated to Massimo, proud of his cleverness, but then adding that he doesn't think he'd still be alive and healthy if it wasn't for his wife. Awwwh.

Afterwards I went for lunch on the waterfront with my new friends and my love life came up again,

Elizabeth: Do you have a boyfriend?

Me: No ::smile/laugh shaking my head in the negatory::

Elizabeth: What?! Why not? How old are you?

Me: 23

Elizabeth: Oh, ok, once you get to 27 that's when you need to be married, you have some time.

Haha... I was very happy to share this story with my sister who is 27 (sorry to give away your age,Stacey) but considering she was just carded this week at the airport for not looking over 18 and they thought her boyfriend, who isn't even 5 years older than her, was engaging in human trafficking trying to take her on the plane... I guess she can get away with an extra year or two ;-)