What a fantastic descent, Gianni!
I had a lot of fun!
Yes, it's great, you know?
Yes, I'm still pretty good, even if not as good as I once was.
In the past I have also won competitions.
Once again in the past.
You express yourself like a sixty-year-old, dear.
Don't you have all that behind you?
I have a bit of a past too.
I won the competitions when I was 17 and the school championships.
Anyway, you're doing well too.
Let's just say that I'm still standing.
Come on, don't be so modest, you have a beautiful style.
Nowadays people ski practically without style, in a natural way, with
skis that are a little wide.
But I really like the old style, the one with skis always
beautiful Then you forget.
When I learned to ski, we used the Cristiani padded ski.
Boots practically stuck to each other.
Now carving is in fashion, which is what you use.
Yes.
Anyway, the slopes of Dosalp are marvelous.
Yes, they are among the most beautiful in the world.
And where can you go skiing in late May?
With fabulous snow, too.
That's why we're here, isn't it?
The photo shoot was supposed to be in the high mountains and in the snow.
There was little to choose from.
Here they ski until July and the snow is natural.
All thanks to the glacier blanc, which is located at an altitude of 3600 meters.
Yes, but what a crazy service, Gianni.
Fur coats on bare skin at an altitude of 3000 meters.
Come on, what a load of crap.
The Commission comes from a furrier, darling, and he's the client
Adopt the conditions.
And they looked great on you too.
You were enchanting.
Fortunately they are synthetic furs, even if very well imitated, otherwise
I would have refused to wear them.
Naturally, you feel solidarity with your fellow species.
My what?
The little marmots, joy.
Oh, of course, how stupid of me.
Come on, let's forget about this dos stuff and go and get something
to eat, it's already late.
We should have gone back immediately after taking the photos, now we'll get home
not before 10:30, and only if we hurry up and eat.
It takes more than four hours to get from here to Milan, and you
have the off-road vehicle
under my study.
Then you'll have to travel for another hour and a half to get to Turin.
Even more so, Gianni, because my house is in Baldi Sero, not in Turin.
It was worth it, though.
When I saw these fantastic slopes, I wasn't tempted
to go skiing.
Fortunately, they rent skis and boots at the shop and in this climate
you can also ski in a jacket and jeans.
I have no doubt that it was worth it, but you won't be home before
midnight and this worries me.
Don't worry, John, I don't have anyone waiting for me.
I live alone, you know.
And today my friend Mayra looks after my dog for me.
It's not because of that that I'm worried, but because you're tired, darling.
You got up very early.
You caught a chill while you were changing your furs to take the
high-altitude photos.
Then we started skiing like two idiots.
And what's more, we're starving.
But now let's eat something, shall we?
Yes, just a little something.
But I was thinking that I don't feel like getting back in the car for so many hours
and to be guided for another couple of hours in the dark.
No, I really don't feel like it.
So what?
If you give me a moment I'll think of a solution.
I have to make a call, though.
In the meantime, let's go to the shop and return the skis and equipment.
Okay.
Oh, really?
Hi love, how's the toothache?
Did you catch anything? Good.
But you're going to the dentist tomorrow.
Listen, love, I'm in France on a job and I can see I'm running late.
Do you mind if I stay here tonight?
No, I haven't booked, but it's the off-season and I really don't think that
I'll have trouble finding a room.
Yes, of course, clean and decent.
I certainly don't want to catch lice.
How, with whom?
I'm with a couple of friends, you know, the usual lighting technicians.
Yes, of course, I'll call you later.
Take an aspirin and go to bed early. Kisses.
Would you like it if we stopped to sleep here tonight, Teddy Bear?
So we'll start again tomorrow morning well rested.
That's what I was hoping, Gianni, but I didn't dare to ask you.
In fact, I'm a little tired.
Well, let's go and book a room at the Chalet La Marmotte right away.
Is this a joke? No dear, it really exists.
It's the perfect hotel for a marmot, isn't it?
Undoubtedly.
It is nice and clean, with beautiful chambers all lined with
wood, floors and walls.
Light colored larch wood, of course, as is customary around here.
I love larch wood, it has an intoxicating scent.
I like it a lot too.
It's a warm and cozy environment; I've been there other times.
With Massimiliano? No, with friends.
Understood.
Then we have a nice shower, we rest for a while and at this point
let's go straight to dinner, because it's almost 6:00 and between one thing
and the other one will be at 8:00. Perfect.
Where shall we go for dinner?
Maybe at the Studio Club in Rue de Vicky, it's a pub/disco.
So while we eat we also listen to a little music.
Okay, not that music and disco are my thing.
Not even my darling, but it creates atmosphere.
And above all, it covers the boring chatter of the other customers.
Bon This evening, I would like to reserve two rooms for tonight.
We only have one room left, the one with two single beds.
Great, I'll pay for the room right away.
That's the key. See you later.
Come on, let's go put our things in the room and have a nice hot shower.
Gianni, I envy the ease with which you speak French.
I understand it well enough, but I don't speak it very well.
I made the classic at Gonzaga, honey, from the Christian Brothers
and French was also studied there.
But those were different times.
Now it may be that everything is different.
I'm rather, shall we say, old-fashioned.
Gianni, don't attack me.
You look great for your age and you know it, you're a charming
and interesting man. Yes,
sure, for a philologist or an archaeologist.
Oh, stop it, and tell me how much I owe you for my room instead.
Haven't you heard?
Yes, I understand that there is only one chamber left, or am I wrong?
In fact, so there's no room charge for you, Musetto.
So tell me how much I owe you for my half of the room.
But never mind, it's on me. What do you want?
Then I'll buy you dinner.
All right, my dear Angelo, but don't worry so much.
You know that it's an immense pleasure for me to be in your company.
Me too, so we're even.
Here's our chamber, what do you think?
It's fantastic, Gianmi, just my type.
Only natural materials and that pleasant smell of wood.
And then the very white sheets, the light Provençal duvet.
It's beautiful.
Darling, do you know what's so great about you?
Apart from everything else.
The fact that she's always with her mouth open like Alice in Wonderland.
You like everything, you think everything is fantastic.
No, actually that's not the case, Gianni.
Or rather, not always like that. Not with everyone.
I'm happy to have this privilege.
What a cute pair of twin beds.
They too are made of solid elm.
Yes, they're very nice and I take advantage of them straight away.
Are you going to have a shower first?
I'll wait for you here and rest for a while.
Then we'll take turns. Okay, I'm off.