la dolce vita (sorta long and not very well written)

[Kit Redwine <kredwine@domain.elided>]

After Fred, Ron, and Lawrence I thought I would add my own grappa
experience.  I managed to weasel a three week biz trip to Europe back in
December--can't pass up a free trip to Europe, right?

Anyway, it was a pretty whirlwind tour of nearly every country by plane,
train, and automobile.  My final meeting was with a customer in Padova.
Shortly after I arrived we left for a fabulous, 3 course Italian lunch.  Of
course, we had a bottle of wine.  At the end, the waitress brought out the
espresso and then offered us grappa. My hosts couldn't believe that I had
never tried it and offered me the "gentle" kind.  Like Lawrence said, I
could have breathed fire with that stuff!  

I sucked it down as to not be rude and then we headed back to their office.
So, what happens there?  He breaks out another bottle and we have a couple
of more glasses!  Then, after the meeting, he sends me on my way with a
bottle of my own...I have a feeling that it will remain in my cupboard for a
loooooong time.

This was my first trip back to Europe since '94 and from an automotive
standpoint, I was just in awe of all the cars that we don't get.  I know
this has been discussed in detail before but there are so many Citroens,
Renaults, MBs, Opels, Peugeots, Fiats, etc that are so cool.  And don't get
me started on the Alfas.  Personally, I think the 166 and the 147 are super
cars.  The 156 is so ubiquitous in Italy that after a while I couldn't have
cared less about them.  I did get to see a "Monster" Zagato in London,
though.

I managed to hit the Ferrari and the Alfa Museum in the same day before I
left. Driving into Maranello was pretty amazing b/c you are just heading
down this little two lane road into town and all of a sudden on your left is
this walled/fenced factory with a big, yellow "Ferrari" sign.  It was
lunchtime, so all the guys were walking out for lunch wearing their
"Ferrari" and "Shell" overalls. Way cool!  The museum was amazing too with
many of the F1 victory trophies displayed alongside the cars.

The Alfa museum has also been discussed at length here before and those
discussions served me well. When i found Arese, I pulled up to the gate,
figuring that I would be turned away. I asked for the museum and sure enough
was directed in.  I was surprised that the museum was behind another
non-descript building with no signs as to what was inside.  There was maybe
one other guy there with me the entire time.  

I got a kick out of the missing cars which were on display at the London
Science Museum exhibit that I had seen a week before.  On the lower floor
was displayed a number of the wacky Alfa concept cars over the years,
including what I assume was the concept Montreal.  In my whole time in
Europe, the oldest Alfa I saw was a 75/Milano until an hour after I left the
museum and was on the Autostrada in Milan.  What should come driving by but
an orange Montreal!

So, this ran way long but at least I didn't mention AROC dues, FWD vs RWD,
the War of 1812, etc, etc, etc....


kit 
seattle
'86 gtv6

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