2005 Torino (Italy)
On 09/18/2005, Olympic pins fair
Early in the morning, departure for 2005 Torino, with a friend, Michel. Arrival around 9.30AM in a pouring rain. We are going to the Atrium, where the pin’s fair should take place, but no organizer is there yet. Meanwhile, breakfast at the local bistro. Around 10:30AM, we reach the Atrium where the excitement is a little larger than before. Andrea, marketing manager of Trofé, welcomes us. He explains that the weather does not allow to stay outside, the tables are therefore installed inside the Atrium.
We share one with Italian Swiss from Lugano. We are almost at the entrance to the Atrium, very well located. Other collectors are present, among others an American (Bob Christianson) and Italians including Marco, the webmaster of www.pinseurope.com or Domenico. Few Italian collectors or curious visitors come to visit us. A sponsor distributes pins to launch the Italian in the adventure of trade.
After a nice aperitif offered by Trofé, the afternoon takes place with the final of a televised game for the occasion (kind of goose game in Olympic version) between 4 players and the arrival as godfathers of Alberto TOMBA (La Bomba ) medalist in Calgary, Albertville and Lillehammer and Piero GROS medalist in Innsbruck 1976, accompanied by the mascots of Turin, Neve, Gliz and Aster, the Paralympic mascot. Trofé gives us some pins. I get an autograph from Alberto and Piero makes a trade pin with me. The afternoon ends quietly, and after declining an invitation from Trofé for the evening meal, we take the road back.
Discover my Torino 2006 double pins