2005: Our American Friends...

We're on our way to Munich to Dirk and Gretel's where we are to go to the "Mille Miglia" in Italy. It's exciting and scary at the same time. At our kid's insistence here we are. Dirk and Gretel wanting us to bring our whole family and stay for a month! Maybe another time. Dirk met us at the airport and took us to Rosenheim. Gretel had coffee waiting and of course Dirk showed us the cars first.
The next morning we awoke where Dirk is on schedule for the Mille Miglia awaits! Dirk drove "Lady", a 1949 170SA Mercedes and Gretel, Anthony and I were in "Beauty" a 1960 220S Mercedes. We are to pick up the Maserati Priest; Father Manfred and Yurgen in a neighboring town. Dirk's son drove Yurgen's 1967 Maserati and we were off in the rain, through the Alps into Italy.
We stopped for a picnic lunch around 1 P.M. near the river "Ein" - it was not raining but cold. Lunch consisted of fresh rolls and pretzels, raw radishes, onions, tomatoes, Italian meat, fizzy water, wine and chocolates for desert. All the intersections in Germany, Austria and Italy are circular and you keep following a circle until you reach your getting off point. I think it really cuts down on accidents.
Snow On The Alps
I would be amazed at the may beautiful flowers; roses, geraniums, tulips, pansies, lemon and orange and palm trees and vineyards, even up the mountainsides ... we can even see snow up on the Alps too.
The most lovely part for me was in Italy near Laga di Garda. We stopped for cappuccino and Father Manfred explained the history to us. Dirk told Anthony and I that Manfred is quite the writer. He has written several books, whose bulk proceeds goes to buying supplies for the poor. The smaller proceeds, to purchase vintage cars that he loves. He is currently working on a four volume, 2800 page history of the Catholic Church.
Hotel Casablanca
We arrived at the hotel Casablanca in Lazise, Italy which was beautiful. Pink, the chosen colors, beautiful rooms very clean, marble and ceramic floors and many flowers. Thursday, we had breakfast of hot tea, croissant, bruschetta, chees and hard rolls. I like this hotel and atmosphere very much. Its now off to Brescia for the beginning of the Mille Miglia.
Hotel Casablanca
Dirk gave us all hats and Gretel drove like a race car driver. I am writing as we drive. Brescia is beautiful, buildings painted in orange, mint green, yellow and taupe, some trimmed in brick and glass and some pink. All buildings have terra cotta red roof tiles, some wrought iron railings and may shutters that actually close. I am amazed at the amount of motorcycles and bicyclists in Italy. Also, street side cafes surrounded by planter boxes of trees and flowers. We found a restorante with a second floor looking down on all the cars. We had spaghetti that was similar to what Nonnie Oliverio made and then met back up with the group.
San Marino
The next morning we were off to San Marino. Gretel drove and I rode in the car with Father Manfred, who gave a very interesting history lesson on the way. He was also a history teacher at the University and was an exchange student in America in the 1960's and stayed with a wonderful family. He has also written six books which are in the library of congress. He was also very enthused about the American quarters with the individual states on them.   We drove for hours and made it to Cesenatico on the Adriatic sea coast. Across the way is Yugoslavia. We are at the hotel Savoia. Manfred is a walking talking encyclopedia. He speaks seven languages. We are seeing a world so very new to us that we may never pass this way again, all is beautiful, magical.
Next: Forest Ripped Out By The Roots