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Mark your agendas and mark them now: in slightly over 1 week there seems to be an impressive petrolheads event not far across the German border (from Dutchland that is, of course).
Check the website of the Schloss Dyck Classic Days and let me know who's in for a trip across... it's just a stone's throw from Eindhoven! We would need to sort out tickets online and in advance, as these appear to be limited.
Special thanks to Tom of formfreu.de for tipping us!
- G.
1910-2010: 100 years of Alfa Romeo!
Of course this was something to look forward to, this is something you want to experience when you call yourself a red-blooded (though not hot-headed) Alfisti!
Tuesday the 22nd me and my wife steered our ’79 Spider away from our house and kids to drive to Lörrach, close to the Swiss border, only the next day would we attack the Alps. Although we stuck to the highway most of the distance, we were very much aware that this is the only way to travel: Experiencing every single mile, the landscapes and the tingling of all our senses. Open top motoring really puts you in contact with the world and its inhabitants! The closer we got to Italy, the more thumbs and smiles came our way. Pulling up anywhere immediately evokes conversation and respect. Although the Italians choose to drive ‘German’ these days (like almost anybody else) they all have fond memories of their own FIAT’s and/or Alfa’s. With a sense of shame they are grateful that we keep their memory alive by coming down in such numbers. Around 16.00 we turned up at ‘Grand Hotel Dino’ on the Lago Maggiore in Baveno.
The actual birthday was the 24th of june and was to be celebrated on the Arese site, around the factory museum to be more specific. The factory as well as the clubs from all around the world have been involved in organizing all sorts of activities.
This is where some cracks started to appear. Protesting workers of the Alfa Romeo Factory in Arese, who had recently been layed off, blocked the gates in protest. Of course these people have the right to stand up for their livelihood (and ‘our party’ gave them an ideal podium), so in general most Alfisti were sympathetic. Turns out that only very shortly FIAT AUTO had closed down the last offices on the Arese site, including Alfa’s Centro Stile! For this occasion the Factory Museum opened its doors for two days. It also turned out that FIAT AUTO had only very marginally invested in the celebration (they haven’t kept their promise to the clubs!). All this sparked the feeling that we had come down to put a flower on a grave………….
From day one it was clear that the biggest delegation would come down from the Netherlands: Over 300 cars and 600 club members subscribed to the pilgrimage. But let’s not forget those enthusiasts who travelled all the way from the USA, Australia and Japan! The sheer enthusiasm of these people made up for everything. There were also a lot of private initiatives that easily put the official celebrations in the shadow: The 100x100 exhibition in Novegro, the ‘Alfa Blue Team’ exhibition, the classic Cannobio to Domodossola hill climb (especially organized for the Dutch club members by an elderly race-driver from Stresa: Fulvio Ballabio) etc.
And there was the lake….situated in between the snow-capped Swiss Alps and the grand city of Milano; mountains, water, Italian culture: This is not far away from my ideal holiday resort, as a matter of fact it may be just that!
Saturday all Alfisti joined on the premises of the ‘Fiera the Rho’ (the well known fairground north-west of Milan). Over 4000 Alfa Romeo’s turned up (which resulted in the most beautiful traffic jam ever), cars built throughout the 100 years of the brand’s existence. Legendary must be the only word to describe this gathering and again it were the invitees who had to built their own party. FIAT AUTO didn’t put up their best performance. At the lunch-table we were reflecting: What a bright history, but how about the future???? Future under FIAT AUTO looks grim. There wasn’t a lot of confidence and quite a few times we could overhear people saying: ”Please, let VAG buy Alfa”.
So where does this leave me? I was truly glad to ‘just’ be there on this important moment for ‘my’ brand. I enjoyed the cars, the Alfisti, the Italians. I enjoyed spending time with my wife around this magnificent lake in this luxury hotel, I loved the drive up and down………..my Cuore Sportivo is still beating like mad!
The Alfa Club of the Netherlands is celebrating their own 100th birthday party at the (yearly) ‘Spettacolo Sportivo’ at ‘Circuit Park Zandvoort’ on august 28th-29th.I would like to invite you to come over and have a sniff of the glorious history of Alfa Romeo and the enthusiasm of its drivers!
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