Ancora una volta; Vespe

Some more Vespas from my walkabouts in the town of Camucia.
The white PX sits in a garage and looks like it's ready to go.
The guy on the yellow 50R is Andrea. He told me it's a 1973 model, just like my son's 50R. But the tail-lights differ, the one the Swedish model is bigger.
The last white is a Primavera 125, nice condition. Prepared to carry a heavy load.

The Montepulciano experience

This seat seems to be in fashion in the hill town of Montepulciano in the Siena region. We went there to "mangiare". The town is situated on a mountain ridge and you enter through a medieval gate. The you walk and walk uphill until you reach the piazza. Very nice!
The blue Vespa seems to be a 50 Special. The green should be a PK, vero?
I can't read the make of the saddle. Photos by telephone so the quality is not at it best. The photo of the green Vespa was taken at 21.30.

La prima Vespa in Cortona

At last! A Vespa in Cortona. Earlier I have seen som small frames from a distance, no chance to take any photos. Last night we went out for dinner. On the way to the trattoria my youngest son pointed down an very, very narrow alley.
It was a Vespa GL 150, 1962-1965. I think this one, nicely restored, is missing a list on the front fender.
The second pic is of a poster for the opera L'Elisir D'Amore by Gaetano Donizetti. The premiere was in 1832, so I wonder what's with the Vespa on the poster. Allora, Vespa sono un elisir per me. The opera will be performed in Teatro Signorelli in Cortona on the 29th of June to 2th of July.

The third picture is of an old statue. Well, not etruscan by any means. It's the mascot of the 1990 World Cup of soccer in Italy. The approx 3 meter high statue of metal is rusting a bit. I would love to have it in my garden!

Guys in Tuscany, uomi in Toscana

Can guys all over the world get together over a piece of machinery? On vacation in summer 2010 in the north of Tuscany, in the small village Gallicano, near Lucca. I displayed my interest in all things Vespa and Lambretta. One of the neighbours showed me his Vespa 50 Special from 1978.
He had to rearrange his garage to get out in the sunlight. Probably the first time in many years. We tried to kickstart it. The word scintilla was used, I lerned that it means "spark". That and very old petrol stopped the Vespa from starting. Not even the jumpstart's from Carlo's friend Adriano helped.
Later that evening Carlo invited me for some espresso and sambuca. He speaks no english and my italian is limited. Anyway, it was a pleasant evening.

Carlo checks on his Vespa 50 S 1978, first time in many years.

Questa sono Carlo è Adriano. Due uomi ho incontrato a Gallicano estate 2010. Ero in vacanza con la mia famiglia. Carlo mi ha fatto vedere la sua Vespa. Io apresi un nuvo parole del lui: scintilla! La Vespa 50 S da 1978 non ando...

His friend Adriano tries a jumpstart, all in vain.

"Vecchia benzina è debole scintilla", old petrol and no spark is the verdict.

These guys worked in small shop. Can you see the 1963 Vespa 50 in the back?

The Piaggio workshop above is nearby Gallicano, in Fornaci di Barga. Mostly they serve new scooters and motorcycles. But they also tend to old Vespas. The smallframe in the foreground, but more interesting, you can see the front fender and wheel in the back. It's a 1963 Vespa 50 getting a magnificent restoration.