Saturday 15 March We had driven from the Hotel Crabun in Pont St Martin to an appointment at Kalamass at 09.30 near lake Viverone on the Sella d’Ivrea (the huge terminal moraine created over eight different ice ages) and then found a very fine lunch - by accident - in A Cà Mia in Cigliano. … Continue reading Piemonte 30: a week in the Langhe: 15 – 22 March 2025
travel
Piemonte 29: Gattinara and Carema: 10 – 15 March 2025
Monday 10 March After a good night’s sleep, and breakfast (of sorts) at Cafe Fiorenze (again) we drove to Ghemme to meet Alberto and Angela Arlunno of Cantalupo whose large cantina we had visited in May 2022. Alberto greeted us warmly, though his vagueness has accelerated and within minutes he left us to fetch Angela … Continue reading Piemonte 29: Gattinara and Carema: 10 – 15 March 2025
Valtellina and Lake Como: 6 – 9 March 2025
Thursday 6 March An early start to catch the 08.05 to make an uneventful journey by train then Jubilee line to Canning Town and its platform 1 for the DLR to London City Airport, where we arrived in enough time - but of course without tickets - for an earlier flight (11.45) to Milan Linate. … Continue reading Valtellina and Lake Como: 6 – 9 March 2025
South Africa part three: 18 – 24 February 2025
Tuesday 18 February - Derek’s birthday Ronnie and Luan (shadowing Ronnie Messias as additional driver for Foundation Tour Services) came early into Stellenbosch from Jamestown where Ronnie lives, avoiding the heavy traffic to make a 09.00 appointment at Aslina Wines, to meet Ntsiki Biyela, described by WOSA as one of SA’s iconic winemakers. Certainly her … Continue reading South Africa part three: 18 – 24 February 2025
South Africa part two: 14 – 17 February 2025
Friday 14 February : Hermanus: a restful weekend by the sea After the trying late evening lock-out it was a relief the next morning not to be charging out for an appointment. We had deliberately chosen to break up the visits with a restful weekend at our own expense by the sea. Hermanus has wonderful … Continue reading South Africa part two: 14 – 17 February 2025
South Africa part one: 8 – 13 February 2025
Saturday 8 February 2025 Exactly 6 days after returning from Piemonte, David and I were catching yet another train to an airport - Gatwick this time. Mid afternoon is a good time to travel! We were checked in by a garrulous Norse employee on Premium Economy desk, and were through security in no time, as … Continue reading South Africa part one: 8 – 13 February 2025
Piemonte 28: Turin and the Langhe 25 January – 2 February 2025
Saturday 25 January: Torino e Grandi Langhe 2025 We travelled to Gatwick from Andover on the 09.06, which involved a change onto a very full train at Basingstoke and the tedium of the slow Richmond loop, to reach Clapham Junction. The onward train was quick, and we arrived (not for the first time) very early. … Continue reading Piemonte 28: Turin and the Langhe 25 January – 2 February 2025
Piemonte 27: 10 days in Gattinara – December 2024
Thursday 27 November 2024 Stansted is perhaps the least inviting airport for those living on the diametrically opposite side of the huge M25 circle, but by using the 09.06 train from Andover, changing at Clapham Junction for Vauxhall and the Victoria line to Tottenham Hale, followed by half an hour on a Greater Anglia train, … Continue reading Piemonte 27: 10 days in Gattinara – December 2024
Lisbon : the OIV reception for David’s book award : 19 – 24 September 2024
Thursday 19 September We left Andover at 10.06 travelling via Waterloo and Blackfriars for a Thameslink train to Luton Parkway and the newish Dart shuttle, arriving at the airport in plenty of time for the 15.25 Easyjet flight to Lisbon where a pre-booked taxi, though hindered by serious parking restrictions, arrived within 15 minutes and … Continue reading Lisbon : the OIV reception for David’s book award : 19 – 24 September 2024
Piemonte 25 : Novara for the Alto Piemonte tasting: 10 – 13 May 2024
The drive south east from Gattinara along the SP 299 was straightforward, following a tributary of the Agogna across endless rice fields. We intended to leave the Fiat Panda (hybrid) at the Maggiore depot in an industrial estate on the outskirts of Novara, and arrived there after a 40 minute drive (extended slightly by my … Continue reading Piemonte 25 : Novara for the Alto Piemonte tasting: 10 – 13 May 2024
countrymouse 
You must be logged in to post a comment.