A DAY AT THE LAKE
DUETTO
It was a crisp silent morning, in the middle of summer. With most people making their escape towards the sea, we took the route going in the opposite direction. Going up.
It’s not that we don’t like the charms of the breeze and the crushing waves, but on this day we decided to look for refreshment of another kind, one that is much loved by the Germans, who, unlike the Italians, don’t all have the privilege of a welcoming marine shoreline nearby. Instead, we went exploring in the nearby Alps, in search of one of the many scenic freshwater lakes that are so much loved, here in Bavaria.
Our ride for the day is a car that seems to have been designed by summer itself, as it only takes one look at it to start dreaming of that floating feeling, that lazy carelessness that is so tempting to all of us once the temperature rises and the sun shines brightly. The Duetto feels like it was inspired by a boat, with its sides curving outwards, unlike most of the cars out there. It has a purity of shape that withstood the test of time with flying colours and it still charms us today, much in the same way it did many years ago, when it must have stood in a shopping window, brand new. Later model Spiders evolved the look into something slightly different, with a somehow distinct personality, even though the essence remained the same. They became chunkier in tune with the times, but perhaps lost some of that weightless feeling that you get from the shape of the first generation. With the top down, the shape seems reduced to the very essential, a spindle of shiny red metal with a chrome heart at the front. Only the windscreen protrudes out from it and its visual weight is cleverly disguised by the narrow chrome pillars. It is, without a doubt, a design masterpiece.
Instead of the sound of the crushing waves, we were treated with a profound silence, the kind that us people living in big cities don’t get to experience too often. Instead of the salty perfume of the breeze, the air was filled with the warmth and elegance of the scent of wood. Instead of looking towards the horizon, we were looking upwards, towards the majestic peaks. And yet, there was still a feeling of summer familiarity, perhaps coming from the boats that lined up the local pier, or the umbrellas that started to open up in the cafes nearby. As we left the beach to welcome its daily army of colourful towels, we took a coffee and reflected on the beauty that we just experienced. And pretty soon, our only thought was to put the camera down and go for a swim.
After all, that’s what a day at the lake is all about.
