It’s a smallworld…
The saying ‘it’s a small world’ had never felt so apt as when Lydia and I mistakenly found ourselves among a Vespa Club ride out in Guimaraes.
Having spent several days absorbing the sights that the Portuguese city of Porto had to offer (including admiring the many fine Vespas that dotted the streets) we decided to take a day trip out to Guimaraes, a town regarded as the birth place of the Portuguese Nation. Having explored the typical tourist spots, we exited a beautiful palace to be greeted by several rather tasty Vespas.
It was clear from the off that these were not mere commuter vehicles; these were scooters owned by people who know scooters and were clearly passionate about scooters. I approached one of the owners for a chat and it soon became apparent that we were going to be seeing a whole load more scooters! Then, to the amusement (and bemusement) of the masses of tourists, several hundred classic and modern Vespas filled the square in front of the medieval palace. Typical! A weekend we choose to escape UK and the rally scene we then find ourselves in a foreign land surrounded by scooters!
It almost felt that every Vespa model produced was represented in some way on the ride out. There was everything from original Rally 200s to PK50s lining the streets. It was great to have the opportunity to talk to and share stories with other scooterists from somewhere not often thought of in the UK as having such a vibrant scene. We had a nice chat to the owner of a cool looking PK in which he revealed that although his family were Portuguese he was in fact from Belgium; further highlighting the global nature of the scooter scene.
For people like me who love looking out for the subtle difference from scooter to scooter it was a great chance to get another perspective on scooter customization. Many of the PXs present had been modified in such a way that they looked almost like cross continent explorers rather than daily runners. A nice touch to many of the high-mileage rally machines was the addition of a sticker stating which World Vespa Days the machine had been ridden to. Some were adorned with ‘Rode to London’ or ‘Rode to St Tropez’, adding charm and character to the owner’s faithful steed.
Although this was pure coincidence, it was also a fantastic addition to our trip. I am always amazed by how dedicated the global appreciation for these humbles machines is, and it’s great to witness this first hand! Words & Photographs: Jordan