Trip to INRIA, Pisa
With some help of the change to winter time I managed to leave Riva del Garda at 7:20 and headed towards Parma. As there was thick fog, I didn't see much of the Po-plains, that were described as rather boring to me. What I could see were lots of green fields with some trees and some sleepy cows (I suppose they were sleepy as they didn't move much).
When I reached Parma, most of the fog was gone and the sun came out. As I already was slowed down by the fog and I didn't want to spend a fortune for fees on the "auto strada" to move on quicker, I left Parma without searching for the famous ham and cheese.
As I am not used yet to the strange places Italian people put their street signs, of course I got lost. Lucky me. Seriously.
I ended up on a very small road with almost no traffic, winding its way through some mountains. If anybody wants to look on a map, I passed "Langhirano", "Corniglio" and finally crossed the "Paso die Lagastrello".
My Q loved that road. More so as she got bored by all those straight roads before. The over engineered chassis of the Q is truly amazing and makes you forget about all that luggage. I love it and never want to ride anything else :D.
With a big smile (and a little bit tired from all those curves) I stopped in a small restaurant at the side of the road. I would not have noticed if it weren't for the 20 motorbikes parking in front of it. Apart from a "small blue Yamaha R6" none of them had less than 1 Litre engine :D. Big Buels, Ducati and even an old MotoGuzzi.
While I was entering the restaurant, a herd of Qs joined the crowd. Maybe 10 of them and only Qs. Lots of GS, some KT but no other S like mine :D.
Again I was faced with an older lady, obviously the waitress, talking to me in Italian without taking time to breath. As she noticed that I didn't understand anything, she said something else and I heared the word "Coke", so apparently she asked me what I wanted to drink. Coke is not bad, so I ordered "Si, Coke".
After that she continued talking a lot and I understood "Salame". Food is not bad, I thought, and nodded. She continued talking something about "mista". I heard that before ("insalata mista" meaning mixed salad) and nodded again. She looked at me, wondering for a moment (without talking) and said something I didn't understand, but I am 100% sure it meant "Ok. You sit and wait. I (am the big mamma and) will decide what you will eat and it will be fine"...
I sat and waited.
A Coke arrived.
And minutes later some freshly fried bread(?)
And some Salami and two kinds of ham.
And a piece of cheese.
As Parma was still close, I assume it was Parmesan cheese and Parma ham. What ever it was, it was delicious.
After I eat up, I got coffee and paid. "un dichi" euros and I am quite proud that I understood that it meant 11 :D.
The only bad thing of the Q (apart from the hard seat, to which I get used) is the small tank. Shortly after lunch the gasoline low light lighted up.
After a long search I found a (automated) gasoline station, put 10 euros into the machine, pressed a button, went to the pipe indicated and noticed that there a was a small lock. And a piece of paper with some Italian text on it. Apparently it meant "Nr. 1 out of order"...
Thanks for telling me after eating my money :-(
As nobody was around to complain to, I put 5 euro in, tried with a different button and finally got some gasoline.
With all those curvy roads it became 17:00 o'clock until I arrived at my hotel in Tirrenia (just near Pisa) so it was getting dark and I was too tired to search for the tower. Maybe tomorrow morning.
When I reached Parma, most of the fog was gone and the sun came out. As I already was slowed down by the fog and I didn't want to spend a fortune for fees on the "auto strada" to move on quicker, I left Parma without searching for the famous ham and cheese.
As I am not used yet to the strange places Italian people put their street signs, of course I got lost. Lucky me. Seriously.
I ended up on a very small road with almost no traffic, winding its way through some mountains. If anybody wants to look on a map, I passed "Langhirano", "Corniglio" and finally crossed the "Paso die Lagastrello".
My Q loved that road. More so as she got bored by all those straight roads before. The over engineered chassis of the Q is truly amazing and makes you forget about all that luggage. I love it and never want to ride anything else :D.
With a big smile (and a little bit tired from all those curves) I stopped in a small restaurant at the side of the road. I would not have noticed if it weren't for the 20 motorbikes parking in front of it. Apart from a "small blue Yamaha R6" none of them had less than 1 Litre engine :D. Big Buels, Ducati and even an old MotoGuzzi.
While I was entering the restaurant, a herd of Qs joined the crowd. Maybe 10 of them and only Qs. Lots of GS, some KT but no other S like mine :D.
Again I was faced with an older lady, obviously the waitress, talking to me in Italian without taking time to breath. As she noticed that I didn't understand anything, she said something else and I heared the word "Coke", so apparently she asked me what I wanted to drink. Coke is not bad, so I ordered "Si, Coke".
After that she continued talking a lot and I understood "Salame". Food is not bad, I thought, and nodded. She continued talking something about "mista". I heard that before ("insalata mista" meaning mixed salad) and nodded again. She looked at me, wondering for a moment (without talking) and said something I didn't understand, but I am 100% sure it meant "Ok. You sit and wait. I (am the big mamma and) will decide what you will eat and it will be fine"...
I sat and waited.
A Coke arrived.
And minutes later some freshly fried bread(?)
And some Salami and two kinds of ham.
And a piece of cheese.
As Parma was still close, I assume it was Parmesan cheese and Parma ham. What ever it was, it was delicious.
After I eat up, I got coffee and paid. "un dichi" euros and I am quite proud that I understood that it meant 11 :D.
The only bad thing of the Q (apart from the hard seat, to which I get used) is the small tank. Shortly after lunch the gasoline low light lighted up.
After a long search I found a (automated) gasoline station, put 10 euros into the machine, pressed a button, went to the pipe indicated and noticed that there a was a small lock. And a piece of paper with some Italian text on it. Apparently it meant "Nr. 1 out of order"...
Thanks for telling me after eating my money :-(
As nobody was around to complain to, I put 5 euro in, tried with a different button and finally got some gasoline.
With all those curvy roads it became 17:00 o'clock until I arrived at my hotel in Tirrenia (just near Pisa) so it was getting dark and I was too tired to search for the tower. Maybe tomorrow morning.
posted by IC at
4:19 AM
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