Avete torta? Part 1

The Dragonslayer and the Pieman headed south for Grand Prix and Pie in sunny Italy at Monza Autodrome just a few miles east of Milan. We flew from Manchester on Friday afternoon and stayed in a small village called Boltiere not far from Bergamo.

What a weekend! The weather was abysmal it poured with rain everytime we approached the circuit and came down even heavier every time a car appeared on track. Yet despite or because of this we had a FANTASTIC time. We met some interesting, boring, fascinating, miserable, happy, fun, weird people and that was just the brits including the Subaru 3, the Brum 2, Billy no mate and Aberdeen Angus, who we understood less than the Italians.

The track is a classic with parts of the old famous steep banking hidden away but still there in places. It is set amongst a wonderful public park/woodland but does not cope with rain too well.

Our first day was spent finding our way round and selcting a site to watch the race from the following day. We watched the morning practise from the exit of Rettifillio chicane at the end of the Start/Finish straight. For the actual qualifying and race day we eventually settled on area on the inside of track at the braking area just before the Parabolic.

Who Screamed The Loudest?

The Pie Tribe headed towards Bala a couple of weekends back to the National Whitewater Centre. This was near Frongoch on the River Tryweryn. Mrs Pieman was to enjoy an afternoon Rafting down the River Tryweryn the flow of which is controlled by a Dam upstream.

The session is preceded by instruction and kitting out with wet suits, helmets etc .......This is followed by instruction in the boat on dry land with your fellow raftmates. You are then taken by minibus upstream with your raft for the first of four runs down the river.

We think the pictures amply illustrate how much Mrs Pieman enjoyed herself!! She definitely screamed the loudest when she went down the drop where the rest of the Pie Tribe were watching from. This was usually followed by laughter and a very large grin.

Holland Part 2

The search for quality pies continued but the best that Holland could offer was Cheese Pasties and various types of Sausage roll. A particularly favourite seem to be the lattice type with a strange Curry Sauce and Tomato ketchup stuffed variety as pictured!!

A first for the Pie Tribe were the eels we had at Einkhuizen at the Zuider Zee Museum. Smoked and very difficult to get rid of the taste, even after several brushings of teeth.



Many thanks to Rose Swamp who steered us in the direction of Kibling and huge quntities of Mayonnaise. Kibling being Cod and sold by the bucketload.

Other favourite's by the end of the trip were the Apple Pie, Gouda Cheese, the many Cake Shops, Belgium Chips, Chocolate dipped Ice Cream, Liptons Iced Tea with Lime, Cheap Supermarket Chocolate, Amstel Beer, Corn Bread ...........

Holland Part 1

We headed to Holland for our holiday this year and hired a house/chalet/gite on a lake just off the North Holland Canal in the Village of Nieuwe Nidorp about 45 miles North West of Amsterdam and about 15 miles from Alkmaar.

More importantly it was only 25 mins away from the Swamp family who were holidaying at the Dirk Swamp ancestral home(s) in the village of Andijk. After dumping our gear we headed over for a brilliant welcome to Holland. The Dutchies as ever were mad and loud. Many thanks to the extended Swamp family who made us feel very welcome.

Haben Sie Torte?

Mrs Pie headed to Germany at the end of the academic year to explore the Mosel region.

Instructions were given to locate Pies to delight and expand the waistband. I was assured that language would not be a problem. Pictured on the left is Mrs Pie and colleague Mrs Lindt.

However upon their return no pie was forthcoming. Upon seeing the photos from the Pie Trip it may be safe to assume that any Pie Purchased may not have made it back anyway!!!

I'm assured the music man was tucking into apple strudel but would you trust this man with your Pie?

Wie ben ik?

Dear Blog,

Sorry we haven't left a note for a while. We've been rather busy in the search of Pies. Since we last wrote the Pie Tribe has been to foreign shores searching for edible delicacies to feast and report on.

This has taken tribe members to France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Wales and soon to Italy.

The photo above was given to all Dutch purveyors of Pies to allow them to hide all stocks of Pies to prevent the Pieman from finding any ....and I certainly looked!!