Bride half an hour late which is about right if you combine wedding traditions and Italian timing and here I am about to give her away ...
A precarious descent down a sand sprinkled stone path clad in leather soled shoes had me wishing for Pirelli Rally tyres, especially with an excitedly-shaking bride on my arm but thankfully an uneventful 50 metres found us at the beginning of a red carpet that stretched across the sand towards the bright blue sea.
A graceful handover was achieved to much applause and general Italian compliments; a Mediterranean backdrop and perfect weather and temperature conditions for 50 or so suited and booted matrimonial guests.
Much tears and laughter later, including passing beach combers and general members of the public taking full advantage of the photo opportunity (particularly one hairy chap in nothing other than his Speedo's), the newly wed's where taken to a hilltop for pictures; the rest of us to the bar. Congratulazione Samantha e Graziano!
What a night; live music, dancing, speeches, all on top of a 15 course dinner; boy, the Italians know how to have fun.
As the sun was rising many hours later and we, the remaining hard-core were saluti-ing something, anything, I gratefully turned down a lift as I thought a bare-foot wander down the beach before I returned to the hotel may help recover my sight and speech. Well, about 7am I am woken to "Sta bene, sta bene?" as a local fisherman (I think) gave me a little nudge. I guess I sat to take in the dawn and before you could sing "Here comes the sun", I was spark out. My suit, which is now on its way back to the UK, looks like it swam through shark infested waters to Croatia and back and all of Sunday was spent horizontal in the foetal position in my hotel room.
A final gathering of a wedding battered crew last night was the perfect end to what has been a marvellous 3 days and has really felt like home. It literally took an hour to say our goodbye's with a few tears that reflected new friendships made. Thank you all for a memory I shall not forget ... Arriverderci Monte Urano.
Loving Italy too much ... I think I will go south to the Amalphi coast ...
Sounds awesome, I thought the story was heading toward "sta bene, sta bene?" with a beautiful Italian women laying next to you on the beach, however, a nudge from a local Italian fisherman will do just fine! I rented a vespa and rode along the Amolfi coast, such a great ride! I look forward to the pictures of all the little towns that make up such a great place.
ReplyDelete