Italy - Bassano del Grappa

http://www.italyheaven.co.uk/veneto/bassano-del-grappa.html

Bassano was one of my favorite towns.

Again, it is one where the proper name can be important. Italy has four Bassanos plus one San Bassano. When you're in Vicenza, the Bassano is Bassano del Grappa.

"Grappa" itself is an after-dinner drink that is made from the leftovers of grapes after wine-making. It can be anywhere from 35-60 percent alcohol (70 to 120 US proof). We don't drink, but our Italian family does, and one time we were out to dinner with them there had already been bottles of red, white, and sweet wine, but when the grappa came out, that was when people really started being more obviously cheerful. It's not exactly that they were drunk, but the effect was noticeable.

Bassano is famous for the Grappa, but is is also famous for the Old Bridge.

There has been a bridge over the Brenta River since at least 1209. The current model was designed in 1568 by Palladio, and has been destroyed and rebuilt since then, continuing with the wooden design which helps with the flooding.

When we were there it was hard to imagine flooding. The water was so clear and peaceful that you could look down and watch the trout swimming lazily.

It was a town where the feeling of peace belied the past in general. There was a row of trees that looked carefully landscaped lining one street. In the tavern where we ate lunch, there was a picture of them with a caption explaining that the members of the resistance who were caught during the war were hung from them. There are pictures of them hanging.

In the center of town there is a map of where the city was shelled and the damage that it took during that same wore. Bassano paid a pretty heavy price. The feeling that I came away with was that Bassano had earned its peace.

It's also worth mentioning that I had the best sandwich I've ever had here. Try the panini tricolore if you get a chance. It represents the colors of the Italian flag - red, white, and green - with prosciutto, mozzarella, and lettuce.