It's all over now and I am back at work. While having lunch I am reflecting back on the last 8 days (2 to get to Turin, 2 to get back from Turin and 4 for the actual 3ma) and another great 3ma meeting. I am sure a question most people will be asking soon (I've been asked this already) is "which was the best 3ma?".? Of course the correct answer to that question is
"Next year's 3ma in the Black Forest"?
but from the 3 we've had so far I think this year's 3ma in Turin was really special. As one of only four people who have attended all three 3mas so far, I feel qualified to answer the question and try to justify my answer.
3ma07 in Killarney was special as it was the first one and we had the maximum number of 131s together at any time. The first or "original" of anything is always special and I have many very fond memories of my time there.
3ma08 in Inveraray was special for the drives in the astonishing Scottish Highlands; the scenery was simply breathtaking and of course there was the making of new friends and meeting up with old friends. Our static show at the Falkirk Wheel was also special and a great improvement on our hotel car park show the year before. For me personally, Inveraray is a special place and while I've been there several times, for me it was still a very nice place to be.
But 2009 was the 35th anniversary of the launch of the Fiat 131 and there was no better place to celebrate that than the cars' birthplace in Turin. While previous 3mas concentrated on the driving, this year we had several special and even exceptional events arranged. The visit to the Fiat Mirafiori Factory was of course very special and it was a true privilege to drive our 131s on the factory's own test track. Just the thought that our cars were probably driven on that track when they came off the production line and to be able to drive them there again all these years later was a real honour.? And then to see 14 Mirafioris parked under the "mirafiori" sign at the Mirafiori Motor Village was a sight to behold.? But we didn't just visit the factory; we visited a motor museum and a Basilica, we had a long drive to Lake Maggiore and then up the mountains, we had a long and leisurely typical Italian lunch in Italy's wine region. In short, there was something for everyone. In fact at least one of the women present decided to spend one of the days shopping in Turin while the "boys" went driving up the mountains and round the lakes. And of course there was the meeting with old friends and making so many new ones, something I always look forward to now at the 3ma. And to top all that, I actually like Turin very much. Most dismiss it as an old industrialised town but there's a hidden beauty to Turin that I obviously managed to find.?
Maybe it's the architecture or maybe the coffee shop in every corner but I like everything about Turin; even the traffic! My drive back to the hotel from the Mirafiori Motor Village?while in hot pursuit by Ernst during the afternoon rush hour is one of my highlights of 3ma09!?
(we left the village 10 minutes after everyone else and arrived at the hotel 10 minutes before them!).
So for all the above reasons and probably a few I have forgotten, 3ma09 in Turin was, for me at least,? the best 3ma so far. But I think next year I'd be saying the same thing about next year's 3ma being the best. I had a lot of pizzas while in Turin and when asked if my pizza was any good I used to say "very good indeed, best pizza in Turin so far". And that was true! I hope 3mas are going to be like Turin pizzas and getting better with each one we have. I was saying "I am looking forward to my 7th pizza" but I won't go that far with 3ma and simply say
"I am really looking forward to next year's 3ma".?
I'd like to take this opportunity to again thank our Italian member Michele (
effe131) without whom most of 3ma09 would not have been possible.
Lunch was over a while ago so I better get back to work now...
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