Alba, Italy

To begin this post, a hysterical story from Red re: starting out in Italy.

Below is a picture of our silly little Italian rental car that we lovingly call "the egg”.  The rental agent in Milan sternly informed us that the car was DIESEL so we were only to use DIESEL FUEL.  After a few hours of driving on the Italian Autobahn we had a moment of panic when we realized we were on a toll road with no Euro for the toll booths. As soon as we pulled off to get some Euro we found out you have to pay right at the exits. Fortunately, we found a lane that accepted carte so we headed there while fumbling around for our credit cards. After we stuck the ticket in a voice blared some incomprehensible Italian and we jammed our credit card in only to hear more instructions in Italian and no automatic gate lifting to let us through. Finally we got the machine to accept our damn card and we were on our way. After some painful wrong exits and general misdirection we made it to a highway gas station near Asti to fill up. We were very careful to pick the diesel pump which as it turns out is labeled black instead of green as in the U.S (very confusing). A moment of sheer frustration ensued when we could not fit the diesel gas hose into the car - it was just too small so diesel shot up in our face like a shitty drinking fountain. We cleaned up in the bathroom and asked the gas station attendant to help us using ridiculous hand gestures and pointing to the gas tank and yelling DIESEL NO FITTA IN OUR TANKA. He quickly noticed that the gas tank was labeled green and had a small green “unleaded only” label on it (again opposite of U.S.). Our car was a #^&@%& UNLEADED ONLY CAR!! Props to the competent rental car agents at the Milan airport. 

The car is actually smaller than it looks...definitely not even mini-pooper cooper size.  

So despite car issues we actually arrived in Alba, a cute town that we used as home base to visit Neive, Barolo, Barbaresco, the Alps, etc.  In fact, the hotel we found was booked for the night (we are winging some of the hotel reservations to make life “more interesting”) and the amazingly nice hotel owner Nico referred us to his friend’s inn in Neive (see gorgeous views from the balcony).  Both hotels and their owners were so welcoming we thought we had died and gone to heaven we were treated so nicely.

 

Ok, so learning-wise, we now have been to several Enotecas (wine shops), a few wineries and I have to say, the northern Italian wine is simply incredible.  Some cheap, some expensive, all tasty.  But Red has a bit more to say on that, and he will say it better than I, so you will just have to check back again.  That said, the food and wine in Italy does not disappoint.  My favorite thus far was a meal of homemade ravioli of meat and vegetables with a traditional zucchini sauce (think tiny grated zucchini with olive oil and other miniscule veggies).  The waiter kept implying it was a good local dish so I (reluctantly) went with it.  But it turned out to be so fresh tasting and delicious - even Red said it was the best dish of the night!  I suppose it is usually good to follow recommendations of locals, but sometimes you have to get over preconceived (aka weird sounding - meat ravioli and zucchini flower "sauce"?) notions, yes?  Following the pasta was the most delicate, creamy panna cotta I’ve ever had - it was the smoothest custard in the world.  

In a closing moment, Red and I also visited the Alps.  We drove on some windy roads, hiked around for a bit and had a nice picnic.  All in all, spectacular.  

Okkkk...enough talk.  Tomorrow Red plans on uploading his amazing wine entry - lots of good info coming.  Miss everyone - leave a comment or email! 

Comments

[Frank (Dad) Levinson]

Is it true that you can actually carry that car in your back pack when you are not driving it? Dad

[Sara Mesing]

I was reading the latest installment at work and I started chuckling out loud, at progressively louder octaves, until my cube-mate asks, "what's going on giggles?" I tried to explain no fitta in la tanka. She came over to read it and squealed,"the egg!". Then she wanted to hear your whole story and got super inspired. So props - for comic relief and for inspiring cubicle workers across America.