Intro
“Being able to see my favorite Italian team playing in Australia and share that experience with my kids was a wonderful, wonderful thing WA did, it was like an out-of-body experience!” he recalled.
“The atmosphere through the city with all the posters and digital screens, activations and the Italian festival outside the stadium all built so much excitement ahead of the games, it was so well organised.”
Vince said it was the first time he got close to adored players that he had cheered for all his life, including legend Javier Zanetti, Federico Dimarco and upcoming star Pio Esposito.
“It was so good to be up close with these guys at the open training session, Zanetti said hello to me,” Vince chuffed.
While soccer was the key attraction, Vince made sure the family got to see and taste as much of WA as they could.
While in Perth they kept busy between games with lunch in Fremantle, a visit to the WA Museum and Kings Park.
When the last goals were kicked and the final whistle blew, the family of four headed south in a hire car to experience glamping in the olive groves at Olio Bello in Margaret River and experience traditional homemade Italian cuisine at La Scapetta Trattoria.
Along the way they enjoyed lunch in Mandurah, a walk along Busselton’s historic Jetty and the scenic sights and wineries around Dunsborough and Margaret River.
But having visited WA some 15 years ago, Vince was aware of what we had to offer and again enjoyed Indian Ocean views from the same Scarborough Beach accommodation.
As a Collingwood supporter Vince got a double bonus to see them play the West Coast Eagles before the soccer festival kicked off.
Comparing Calcio Italiano with Victoria’s AFL Grand Final and Grand Prix, Vince said Perth did just as well in hosting such a big event.
“I enjoyed it more by having to come to Perth because we got to do so much more. At home we would have just gone to the event and not done the other stuff. The WA Government did a fantastic job and WA has so much to offer,” he said.
His one piece of advice was –“book early, I missed some of the fan events and activations as I didn’t book before I got here,” he lamented.
Vince grew up in the small Italian village of Poggiofiorito in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo. When he migrated to Australia as a 13-year-old with his family in the late 1970s, Fremantle was the first port they visited.