Some of the best ideas are hatched over a few grappas too many, and some of the worst as well. Where this rates in that grand scheme of things I leave for you to decide. Nonetheless, a grappa-fuelled idea it were...
A friend of mine and fellow guzzler of the grape juice happens to have in his possession the rather nice old automobile pictured. It's his mum's in truth but he swears that he can do it up a bit and get it roadworthy. So, old grappa smarty pants says: "That's brilliant, once my kids are both at school let's take it round Italy!"
The idea has now taken legs and the Grappa Road Trip 2011 is firmly on the agenda. One month where two men (one 100 per cent Scot, the other a half-baked Italian) take a leisurely drive around Italia seeing the sights and sampling the spirits. My excuse is that it would make a book, a Scotsman's introduction to Italy combined with an Italian's introduction to the wonders of British car design. Or something like that.
Anyway, enough rambling. I need a start and finish point and a few things we "simply must see dahling" in between. My inclination was to start in Trieste as, strangely, my grandmother was named after the city (Dinora Ridenta Trieste if you can believe it). Maybe end up in Sicily? All input gratefully received. And do you think the car will make it?
10 comments:
If you contact Martino, there is a really nice bar in Rome that he visited before my wedding. I am sure it's worth a look .... if he can remeber the directions!
What a splendid idea. I really like Trieste, it has an unusual atmosphere, almost Germanic. If you think your grandmother's name is strange, my grandma's name is 'Italia Amneris Quaini'!
2 men travelling together in a pink car? Are you sure that's a good idea in macho Italy?
Brian
Thanks for the tip, although if Martino's grappa-addled brain can remember directions to where he was last night we'll be lucky.
ACT
I think you trumped me on the nonna's name front.
Martino
The picture is obviously poor, the car is red - red I tell you!
now that would be fun! I will have to write about some grappa to support your research. Obviously this is a paid/sponsored trip.
Yeah, yeah. Does it have a CD player to play your Judy Garland and Bette Midler CDs?
I like to think of it as Thelma and Louise - except for two big, butch, totally heterosexual men.
Ginkers
After our many late night grappa fuelled conversations, heterosexual I'll give you.
However to describe you as big and butch is pushing it just ever so slightly.
hahaha what a CLASS idea. you need to go all round the Veneto, and to Bassano, obviously. and perhaps up the Grappa itself. If you want a tourguide to bore the pants off you with WWI trivia on a battlefield whilst you're up there, I'd be happy to join in!
then Liguria, maybe the Cinque Terre... then as well as the more obvious bits of central Italy, places like Gubbio & Urbino & Arezzo would be good.
Then Rome, of course... and maybe out to the Castelli Romani for the legendary eat-and-drink-athons of Ariccia or Castel Gandolfo. mmm.
Sounds good, Spangly, will definitely take a few of those ideas on board...
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