Gourmet Piedmont 2015 - Gavi Arrivederci to Milan | Friday, May 8

Day Ten – Arrivederci!

After a late finish to the celebratory dinner of last night, I was up for a last breakfast including fried eggs at the Michelin starred La Gallina which is literally "The Chicken".

 

It was then time for our Cristiano shuttle to the train station at Arquata Scrivia where fond farewells were bade and I hung around until 11am.

 

 

  

It was a 3 train trip to Milan, arriving around 1.45pm. There were the usual interesting bits of graffiti including an almost scrubbed out swastika...

 

 

 

From Milan Centro Station,I walked 5 minutes to the AirBnB of Andrea, an Architect, who has a beautiful apartment on the 5th Floor of a building across from the railway line and on top of a Bar. Check it out here: Best Milan Room!

 

 

 

After Andrea showed me around and gave me a set of keys, I went downstairs to the Bar for lunch followed by gelati at the nearby kiosk. Despite the pasta being listed on the board, I'm pretty sure it was Orecchiette with broccoli...

 

 

So that's where I'll end the Puntotours section of the blog. It was a fantastic 10 days with my old friend Cristiano and new friends Christine and Mal. We crammed in a lot of activities, cycled on 8 of the days (with maybe 15 minutes of rain in all) and we ate and drank the most wonderful foods and wines in unbelievable locations.

I have decided that the motto for this tour should be:

VENI VIDI EDI BIBI BICI!

Thanks for following this latest bicycle (and gastronomic) adventure. Ciao for now.

Gourmet Piedmont 2015 - Gavi Loop to Castellania | Thursday, May 7 - 57km

Day Nine – Gavi Loop to Castellania
Distance: 57km Total Ascent: 750m
Towns: Serravalle, Albarasca, Castellania, Podigliano, Gavazzana - Long Course: Olva, Carezzano
Activities: Visit home town of Fausto Coppi, taste the Barbera made by his nephew
This is a ride to the home town of Fausto Coppi where we can taste the Barbera wine made by his nephew. Optional shopping time at one of the most amazing designer outlets in Italy, with all famous brands present. Don’t forget your credit card!

After another huge dinner, a light breakfast was in order before we cycled out in sunshine through a flock of 700 sheep back to the Cycling Museum to snap the sculpture we missed yesterday and then on to coffee.

 

 

Cristiano was in the van today and kindly sagged me up the hills to Castellania to visit the home of the most famous Italian cyclist Fausto Coppi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on to lunch in Paderna at the exceptional Osteria del Poeta Pescatore in what looks like an old meeting hall with stage.

 

 

I cycled after lunch for a while but took the van back to the hotel with around 30km done for the day. With the cycling finished, I showered and repacked my suitcase capsules before heading down to the hotel bar and La Gallina restaurant for our final drinks and dinner.

Tonight's four course tasting menu:

Teaser - Hamburger slider.

Antipasti - Veal with tuna sauce.

Primi - Ravioli stuffed 3 ways (hard to do in seven pieces!!)

Secondi - Fillet of Fassone beef.

Dolce - Gelato.

The wines:

White - Sterpi  (Timorasso grape).

Red - Villa Sparina Rosso 2008.

 

 

 

 

And that's all folks!