Saturday, May 5, 2018

1980s Westlake HS DL Bob Hoyman Invades the Continent!


Friday, 4 May, 2018

We had a fun surprise today as a former standout player from our days at Westlake High School in California back in the 1980s arrived in Milano.

The one and only Bob Hoyman was coming to Italy for a week long kayaking and camping trip down the Sesia River in northwest Italy to celebrate his 50th birthday.

I know what your thinking, how is it possible that I coached someone in high school that is about to turn 50?

Beats me, the only thing that I can come up with is that I may be getting old.

Bob's plane arrived in Milan at about 8:00 a.m. and we arranged to meet him in Milano at about 11:00 a.m.

Once we got to Milano, we had time for . . .

. . . a cappuccino and brioche

We opted for what we thought would be a simple meeting place . . .

. . . the Duomo

We were wrong as Bob was no where to be seen.

Maybe he ducked into the Galleria

It was raining after all

We still couldn't find him and then realized that there is actually more than one church in Milano and that he was probably not at the Duomo.

A series of messages finally cleared up the matter and the next thing we knew, we were . . .

. . . eating lunch in Milano
with Bob Hoyman!

Bob was lugging two large bags full of his much needed kayaking and camping gear plus a good sized back pack.

We decided to all board the train back to Venegono Inferiore as Bob was to be an overnight guest in the Villa Skorpion tonight before heading farther northwest to Varallo to meet up with the other people in his adventure tourism group.

Jet lagged to the max, Bob crashed in his new bedroom for about five hours before auto-reviving.

We decided that a trip to beautiful downtown Varese was in order to dine at the Bellavita Cafè.

As you may recall, Skorpion NG Andrea Gorini owns the Bellavita and tends the bar as well with the aid of fellow Skorpions SS Nicolas Principi and RB Ema Della Bosca.

Nicolas waited on us and suggested that after his specially prepared appetizer plate which included two amazing cheeses that we order some gnocchi from the restaurant across the walkway that cooperates with the Bellavita to provide an upgraded menu for the Cafè's customers. 

We each got a tray like this one 
with the same three styles of gnocchi

The top one was a sausage based, the middle one was a covered in broiled parmesan cheese while to bottom one had boar's meat.

Speaking of boar's meat, I was in HOG HEAVEN! These were three of the best gnocchi dishes that I have ever had.

GREAT call Nicolas!  

Former Westlake Warriors
reunited in Varese, Italy

We had a great evening to be sure with friends both old and new.

Upon our return to the Villa Skorpion, Bob's jet lag hit him over the head again and he was dead to the world within seconds of our arrival back home.

The joys of cross-continental travel are boundless!

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