Lake Angels at Lago Santo 2008

So the earth spins round the sun, the seasons change and certain traditions once more are kept. One of the once yearly appointments which a group of people look forward to with a healthy mixture of trepidation and anticipation is the annual trek across the mountains out of Tuscany and into Reggio Emilio – the Lake Angels Lago Santo outing.

Once a year a group of young (and not so young) men of Barga leave their respective partners and trek over the mountain out of Tuscany into Reggio Emilia to spend a night at Lago Santo. The Lake Angels are on the prowl. To get an idea of just what a Lake Angels outing is all about … have a read of Rupert’s article (here) written way back on 2002

Special mention must be made this year for the intervention of Riccardo Negro from the L’Osteria in Piazza Angelio (aided and abetted by Simone from Il Marzocco) who came to the aid of the Angels in their moment of need. A car was organised to bring essentials for a long trip such as this via the far longer road that exists to Lago Santo. Essentials such as guitars, industrial quantities of alcohol and of course kilos of meat for the barbecues that are an integral part of the Lago Santo experience. Due to a misunderstanding, the last item on that list of important things to be delivered to the Lake was left behind – the bags containing the fresh meat. In stepped Riccardo and after shutting his osteria for the evening be mounted his motorbike and with Simone rode across the mountain to feed the, by now very hungry, Angels. The barbecue went ahead if slightly later that predicted.

Watch as the faces of the Lake Angels change over the years;| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004,  2005, 2006, 2007, 2007 all on the forum