The day started cold, the sky covered with clouds that threatened rain, certainly not the warmer weather which could be found across the south of Europe. However, despite all this, the 7th Alfa Romeo 147 International Meeting found among its participants all the required friendly and pleasant atmosphere that these events always reveal.

This year the 'meeting' was held in Friesland, at the northern end of The Netherlands. Organised by Hans Rietveld, this was the follow up to six big meetings, all of which had congregating around the iconic Alfa 147, bringing together owners and drivers from many European countries. This year's meeting was to be no exception, with cars appearing from The Netherlands, Belgium and Deutschland, together with specially invited Alfa owners from Scotland and Portugal that, independently of owning another Alfa model or coming by plane, had also their seat reserved.

As usual, the meeting started at a regional Alfa Romeo dealership who kindly embraced the starting point of this event. At the same time it gave everyone the chance to inspect the present range of Alfa Romeo’s. With the aroma of hot coffee and a cake bearing the Alfa logo, specially made for the event, all the Alfas 147 aligned outside a beautiful park, started off the day's route which would through the pretty Friesland villages.
 

Engines on, light’s on, and the way we went. A unique moment, not just for those attended the meeting but also for the people surprised with such a large convoy, which presented more than thirty Alfas.

The route was carefully selected to encompass a significant variety of roads. Long straight highways beckoned first, roads which were surrounded by uninhabited green fields, together with dozens of, typical Dutch, small canals. Passing through the little villages was like a kind of festival with the astonished pedestrians watching, smiling and even waving. Added to this, as a certain must have, the twisted roads that we, Alfa drivers, love so much to do. The natural environment for an Alfa 147, no mater if we drive a 147GTA, a 1.6TS, 2.0TS Selespeed or 1.9JTD – the range of engines among the Alfas 147 that attended this meeting.

Along the way the itinerary included a couple of stopovers, to rest, or to take in the views. Unfortunately by then, the weather had stopped to cooperating and rain made an appearance. The meeting ended however with a pleasant dinner and the participants enjoying good discourse. Sadly though this was also the last meeting organised by Hans Rietveld.

by Hugo Sá