Bringing Darrell to the meeting of Dei Käfer Service was the end destination… so on the road again…

Leaving the Alps, driving into Italy, we skipped freeways to not get stucked around Milano… there is other ways…:)

  We took a mandatory sleep stop… in a small town in a local hotel, in the morning we found our buses back in the parking lot, they had a good night sleep too!

The owner of the hotel was a very nice gentleman. Hotel was very basic but oh, so Italian, things we do love so much… the typical Italian family life style, centuries of tradition… hopefully will never change…

As we’ve been delayed by over 10 hours of driving time we had to take freeways to reach the Staggia Senese Maggiolino show of GAM (Gruppo Amicie del Maggiolino) the brainchild of Giovanni Dei.

We met with several members of the group (and Francesca) in Mensano, in the restaurant of Alba (Giovanni’s wife) the food for pranzo (lunch) was extremely good as always… Alba knows how to cook, the real Tuscan way!

For you food aficionados, the pasta was home-made, with tartufo (truffle) yammie!!! Only for this I would easily drive the 1600KM down here!

Somebody once said about Tuscany food, we can make it simple as long as it taste good, that’s exactly what it is… Darrell enjoyed full force! Watch him looking the desert… oh yes… he finished first (with glance) from the whole table!

Mandatory pic in Mensano, a fortified town from the 11th century or so… crazy place up on a hill…

Driving down from the “Mensano hill” we could enjoy the beautiful views over Tuscany landscape… the city in the far on this picture on that little “bud” is San Gimignano, or the Citta del Torre… who had the most money builded the highest tower…:) one of the towers belongs to Sophia Loren now, or at least that’s how the story goes…

Arriving at the show it was extremely hot, over 40°Celsius (yes that’s over a 100°F) , but the meeting between Giovanni Dei and Darrell Vittone was so nice, two people who did a lot for the VW Industry, one in USA, other one for Italy! Respect!

Tomorrow we show all about the show, the food, the party….:)  so stay tuned!

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From the hotel to the start of the Gotthard pass was only few kilometers. And so early morning was extremely beautiful and perfect timing to pass one of the most beautiful Alps roads, Darrell was all alert with his camera, and took at least a thousand pictures!

No tunnel for these guys, we take the old pass and even the side road, on cobble stones….

Darrell thanks the weather Gods…:)

Darrell take even risks some times to get the right angle shot…

We made it! Yes!!! The top of Gotthard pass, 2106 meters!

The road down south is more beautiful as the North side up…. for Darrell it was all just a thrill!

Also Nicolas had a good time, a very good time!

Mountains and VW buses, they don’t come any better…:)

Very natural between cows with bells…:) Seems like we’re back in time…

Next was maybe less impressive, but at least as beautiful, the Nufelen Pass, or Passo della Novena in Italian language… the highest from this trip  2478meters

The buses before the lonely mountain cabin…:)

Ever saw David this relax? Hey David, mountains are good for you!

We passed several little mountain towns, nestled cozy between the mountains, I always feel the churches do stand out…

….and Darrell? He was just one happy fellow… or according to him… the Alps been the highlight of his trip!

The way down from Nufelen pass…

The last one for today… Simplon pass, 2005 meters. David had a fuel problem, or at least his pick up….on the way up…  in a tunnel, in road works…. and it was about 42°Celsius… real fun is different, but part of a trip… we fixed with a quality electric BBT fuel pump and continues, nothing can stop us now…

Tomorrow we drive into Italy, because of some breakdowns we’re slightly behind schedule… so we skip Lago Maggiore, (damn!) and drive straight to Tuscany….  stay tuned!