My adventure with Fiat Coupe’, or better… with its lovers, has started two years ago. My blog, despite helping me in promoting my favorite region in Italy, it turned out to be a way to meet new fiends. First I met guys from Fiat Coupe’ Klub Polska during their visit at Chris Bangle (Fiat Coupe’ car designer) in Clavesana near Alba, then I took part in events dedicated to 20th anniversary of this car in Turin.
4 days, 145 of Fiat Coupe’, 267 participants from 13 countries, 1 broken radiator, 1 fixed gear shift, 5 less and more crashed cars and a lot of positive energy. It’s how I would describe in a few words the gathering of Fiat Coupe’ lovers in occasion of 20th anniversary of this model hosted in the capital of Piedmont on May 30th-June 2nd.
It’s Tuesday, May 22nd 2014. Cloudy sky forecasts showers. Central streets of Alba are closed to traffic and it’s a miracle I managed to find a parking place near corso Langhe. I walk to piazza Savona along the street decorated with pink balloons, passing by supporters waiting for the first cyclist. This day Alba is on the route of 12th stage of the Giro d’Italia 2014, the ITT (Individual Time Trials) Barbaresco – Barolo on the distance of 42,2 kilometers.
Springtime in Alba starts with Vinum – the event dedicated to new vintages of Langhe and Roero wines like Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera d’Alba, Dolcetto, Langhe Nebbiolo, Alta Langa, Moscato d’Asti that takes place every year at the end of April and at the beginning of May (this time April 25th – May 4th). It’s time when narrow streets of old town fill with tourists and townspeople walking with a glass of wine and main squares transform into islands of wine and local food specialties tastings.
Have you ever thought how many shapes and colors can take chocolate? Actually you would be surprised that so many. I saw it for me own eyes during chocolate CioccolaTo’ festival in Turin. From November 22nd to December 1st the capital of Piedmont transformed into a real kingdom of sweets inciting appetite of children and adults. The hart of the event was located in San Carlo square – a spacious arcaded piazza, with beautiful palaces around. In 17th century it hosted artisans shops and today it attracts with old cafe’s and bars, nicely decorated confectionary windows and different events.
In the last weekend of Alba International White Truffle Fair (Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba) weekly market in the center of Alba was immersed in sun. I filled my eyes with vivid colors of flowers, seasonal fruits and vegetables, enormous boletus (poricini) and definitely smaller white truffles. This time the autumn didn’t spoil wine producers, but truffle hunters had a lot of work, which was reflected in gray diamond price. A year ago you needed to spend 4-4,5 € per 1 g and the current price is around 2,5-3,5 €/ 1 g, not to mention about special promotions during the last day of the festival – “only” 2 €/1 g. Well, still it’s not a cheap product, but truffles like jewels must cost dearly.
Like every year in the first Sunday of October Alba organized Palio deli Asini (donkey race). Usually it takes part of Alba International White Truffle Fair program, but this time it anticipated the festival for one week. The capital of the Langhe was decorated with flags of nine borghi (suburbs in the past) that competed in donkey race and a colorful procession was marching on the town’s streets: knights on horses, ladies in medieval dresses, peasants, gli sbandieratori that were entertaining spectators with a spectacular flag flipping.
