The fire alarm only sounded for about 40 seconds this morning. Unfortunately, it was at 3:19am so we all had another disturbed night.
The day, for which the forecast earlier in the week had been for heavy rain, turned out cloudy, chilly and dull but the rain stayed off until just before four o’clock as we were leaving Bassano del Grappa. Forty bridge players, accompanied by Ro Kaye and Linda and Chris Benneworth enjoyed the included excursion to Bassano, for some of whom the highlight was the grappa tasting at the Poli Museo (The choice was between young grappa, mature, blueberry, honey or egg-nog). The middle photograph above shows some of the tour group under a metal rhinoceros in the courtyard of the Palazzo Sturm.
Wandering around the old town and learning about its history on the guided tour was fascinating; the atrocities of 1944 have too many echoes today. Many of the group enjoyed a light lunch, often including local fresh pastas and/or delicious cakes.
The pivot event in the evening was contested by 15 teams and won by Joy and Irving Blakey, John Holland and Raymond Semp (pictured). Congratulations to them.