Giando

We first met Roberto Glandolini (Giando) at the wedding in Greece. He is a good friend of Luca and he lives in Scopa (about 3 kms south of Scopello). He also has  restaurant and bed and breakfast at the Alpi de Mara ski hill just above Scopello.

Giando

Giando's restaurant and bed and breakfast

We met again at his restaurant where we had a wonderful meal and evening celebrating Giovanni's birthday

Giovanni's birthday party

Giando became our unofficial guide to Scopella. Bob and Giando went hiking to the alpine above Rima and a second time above Alagna

Refuge above Rima

Alpine above Rima

Returning from Alagna we stopped for beer, wine tasting, and cocktails, the rest of the evening was a bit hazy. One night Giando took us to his Moroccan friends restaurant, for pizza, beer and a round of pool. We then polished off a big bottle of homemade Lemonchello with the owner after all the guests left, much laughter and fun. On another occasion we drove to the ski hill, to his friends restaurant which was closed and the whole family dined with us. Language aside we had a great meal and experience, they even played "O Canada" on itunes for us. We felt like family.

 We invited Giando out one night (he of course picked the restaurant a place he had worked at). We had a "typical" Italian meal, the trout was excellent and the owner/chef joined us for Grappa and then he toured us around his restaurant/hotel/disco.

Despite his diminative stature Giando's heart is as big as Italy. Our time in Scopello was made immeasurably more wonderful by Giando's hospitality.Thank you and remember you promised to visit Canada and partake in our hospitality.