We gathered with friends for the 17th Magnalonga della Valpolicella recently. So listen to this...a ten kilometer "hike" through northern Italy's wine country with seven stops for sustenance (read: seven glasses of wines from the region along with a seven courses of food) along the way, complete with pouches for us to carry our wine glasses as we worked up the stamina to go from stop to stop.
I mean...really...why would I ever leave this country?
(If you have good reasons, and I know you do, please don't burst my happy bubble. I need a happy bubble today, that's the reason for this post.)
Did I mention that several of the stops had live music? And dancing? And we were accompanied by hoards of happy hikers? And gracious wine makers?
The only downside was the forecast and impending threat of thunderstorms, which kept us moving pretty quickly from stop to stop. This is an event for lingering. We didn't linger enough. We, however, did beat the storm that rolled in just as our group of very prudent Americani headed home. We were, after all, among the first to arrive.
And here is yet another reason we are in love with this place we call home. The Valpolicella wine region is located just about an hour from our home, in the province of Verona, region of Veneto.
On 25 May the wine makers of the area (and throughout Italy) will open there doors to visitors for the annual Cantine Aperte. It would be a perfect day to explore the area!
What a fabulous thing to do. I could dislike so many things...and yet remain just to experience a day like that. Go Girl.
ReplyDeleteI will return to Italy! Posts like this cement the deal ;) Wonder if they have a sake version in Japan???
ReplyDeleteThese types of opportunities do help to make some of the less-than-pleasant aspects of expat life in Italy a bit more tolerable. Though, the longer I'm here, the less most of those things bother me. I guess I'm a species who is able to adapt. Lol. That's good for my descendants, eh?
ReplyDeleteHad I known about this hike, I would have delayed my return home and taken part. Sounds like such a wonderful event.
ReplyDeleteHaving travelled through the area only 2 weeks ago, I can understand why you love it so much. As an outsider looking in, the locality and the lifestyle look fantastic. I'm sure there are things you don't like, but in comparison to my hectic life in Australia, it looks like heaven.