First day
ORLY - We're off!
The tandem has already set off. Yesterday morning, wake-up time at 02.30 a.m to be ready for the appointment at 03.15 a.m at Bar Mario, at Piazza Della Resistenza. With the tiredness, because of the time, and after the cycle ride to Piazza Signoria in the morning, the Tandem starts with a great meal: the bar has opened earlier to offer us the breakfast. And so, after eating lots of croissants, jam and cappuccino and after a big delay, the enginees have been started up. Ready for the adventure anf for the message of peace. Armed with bravery and with lots of supplies generously offered by Coop, we have covered the first kilometres with the typical euphoria of people who start an exciting trip. But the darkness and the sweet rocking of the van have soon put out the ardours and induced a slumber sleep in acrobatic positions. The two stops of the morning have let us to recover the use of the numb limbs. At about 12.00 p.m we stopped to have lunch: some bread and then we have left again. After the stop for the lunch the activity of the trip has been always that one to sleep. Finally, tired, exhausted and sweaty, because of the terrible sultriness, we arrive in Orly half an hour early despite of the delay of the leaving. Left the bags in the hotel and set free eventually from those saunas, some fearless sportsmen (also Ettore) have decided to go for a run in the citadel. At 06.30 we were already clean and dressed again ready to face the dinner and a new sweat. The place for the dinner was the Pompei restaurant, open in Orly by an Italian. At the restaurant different representative institutions of the different twinned towns with Orly have caught up with us. After the ritual greetings we have started with the first course: "Congratulations, the dinner has been very good. You maintain high the name of the Italian cooking.......lots of congratulations" this was the comment by Niccolo to the owner of the place. After dinner, that has seen the most important politicians of the French citadel (for example the mayor who is in office for about 41 years) we have inched towards the municipal park where the concert of the Gipsy King took place. After being the only ones to exult unceasingly we have had a drink and after we have gone to bed also to finish to write the article.
Ettore Vannacci & Niccolò Salvatori