Part 1/2
Warning! Very long posts ahead!
Hello my friends. In this issue will not test cars, although you will see some cars in part 2. Yes, this issue is so big that we had to split it in two parts.
For this one time our mag changes to travel magazine.
The challange was to get to photo travel places and see what's so special about them in reality. Did Polyphony Digital made good job recreating these places? Are they worth visiting? We hope now we can answer those questions.
It was fascinating long trip. 10 days of making photos. Over 4000km of driving. Two days of work with pics. You'll find results below. We hope you will like this issue, as much as we had fun doing this.
First encounter
Red Bull Hangar 7
First stop on our way was Salzburg. Beautiful Old Town surrounded by river and monumental rocks. It was magic evening, sitting above town, drinking great wheat beer, and listening to campaniles concert.
But we haven't stop in Salzburg just for it. In the morning we visited Red Bull Hangar 7. What an breathtaking place.
Entrance to exhibition is free. First thing you notice is music. Chillout tune just like in GT5. Then that one thought strikes you - I'm in Gran Turismo!
We have seen many F1 cars of Red Bull, Toro Rosso and even older Saubers. Familiar aircrafts like Alpha Jet, P-38 Lightning or Corsair. You'll find there also many racing bikes, Nascar Toyota, and a lot of more great machines. Also if you miss your favourite game you can play in GT5 pod.
Bigger machines like bomber or DC-3 this time were in Hangar 8. After being amazed by awesomeness of construction you try to find differences between reality and game. Main difference is glass over whole hangar (not towers). Its half matte. We think it's due to the fact that it might blind pilot approaching to Salzburg airport. Another one is fence between road and aircraft park. But to be honest that doesn't matter. You really feel that you know this place, bou you are still amazed by it.
You also notice smaller details that are in game too, like some sculptures or even design of tables. Do you remember that "african" table and seats at second floor restaurant. They are exacly the same but this time all tables were like that.
You may find photos from game and real life not so similar, but we were in those places at different time of day than Polyphony. Also it wasn't so easy to make GT photos here during day time. I'm sure it looks even more spectacular at night.
We decided to drink coffee at ground floor before leaving. Surprisingly it's not overpriced, and most important it's delicious. Whole place is classy just to mention fresh big bouquets in toilets.
As you see in last picture landscape is little too far to right in game, but that's only minor thing. Is Hangar 7 worth visiting? In one word, yes. Amazing building and phenomenal machines. You'll spend there more time than you think.
Whatched by the towers
San Gimignano
After leaving Salzburg, we went to Sirmione at Garda lake. Really nice city, but it's not in GT5 so lets skip that. Then on our road to San Gimignano we visited Sant'Agata Bolognese, home of Lamborghini, and Maranell, home of you know who. More about that later.
When you see San Gimignano for the first time form the road, you have to say "wow". View is really impressive. We were after really long trip, so we decided to go to see old town next day.
Red Bull Hangar was similar to GT5 but we knew that it looks totally different at night. But Piazza Duomo in San Gimignano is almost the same. It was really weird feeleng to see that they recreated it so well.
When I edited pics I had feeling that some of GT5 pictures are more real than those taken with my camera. San Gimignano is crowded by tourist but that's not a problem. Take a turn into some smaller street nad you'll find peace and quiet. Also at evening most of tourists leave town so you can really feel atmosphere and spirit of this lovely town.
There are so many similarities between game and real place that there is no point to write about them. One main difference we had noticed was view of square next to Piazza Duomo. In game it doesn't exist. You have building closing it and nothing more. In reality it's even larger that Piazza Duomo and it's also beautifull with well, house with plands climbing on it and the best ice cream shop in the world. Really, they won world championship two times
It would be really nice to be able to make some pictures there too.
I had to buy postcards in shop at photo below
Kodak sign is still there. Even design of trash cans was recreated in GT5 perfectly.
San Gimignano, despite what they wrote in books about Tuscany we have, is really worth visiting. Great views, great food and wine and peace and quite on evening.
Makers of Gran Turismo really focused on details here. Seeing those sculptures in front of small shop was really jaw-dropping.
Show-off city
Siena
Next day we went to see Siena. We read that there is strong rivalry between districts and it turned out to be true. On every street you'll see flags and symbols of certain district. Also girl from one district can't marry guy form another one. She can marry guy form other city or even country but not bloke livind two street from her. Kinda weird.
It's hard to find magic in Siena. There are way too many tourists. Maybe if we could stay there longer we could find it, but Siena overwheled us with it's power and glory, but not in a good way.
Piazza il Campo is impressive. You can find familiar restaurants form Gran Turismo. Some shops changed owner but after all it looks very similar. With one exception. I don't know why PD didn't put there cathedral tower. You'll see it on next photo. It's magnificient building whole made of black and white marble. When people of Siena heard that Florence is building even bigger cathedral, they decided that almost finished building will be only naves of even bigger one. Sadly black death killed 3/4 citizens of Siena. If they could finish this project it would be the biggest Christian temple in the world. If you visit Siena you have to see cathedral form the inside. Flooring is stunning.
For us Siena was like tuned Ferrari. Sure it's magnificent, but you constantly think "what was that for?".
Next day we went to Lukka to see if you can easily get lost there like guys from Top Gear. We confirm, you can.
The dusted jewel
Abbey of San Galgano
The last place on our GT5 list was Abbey of San Galgano. I really don't know what to write here. This place is so spiritual and mesmerizing that no words can describe it.
I don't know if we were lucky or there are always so small amount of tourist. There were moment when just the two of us were inside ruins. You can feel history and tragedy of this palce here.
Mistakes in GT5? They doesn't matter here. Also there are not many. Main one we have found was that only one preserved column in window is on the opposite side of abbey. Oh and pigeons never walk on ground, they all sit high on the ruins
We were so amazed by San Galgano that we decided to go back there at night. It was the best decision of whole trip. Yes it is illuminated, and belive me, it looks wonderful. Night, silence, and ruins abandoned 700 years ago. You just can't describe that feeling.
I don't have any doubts. That was the most amazing place I've ever been. And all thanks to Gran Turismo. Without the game we wouldn't even know that abbey exists. Our travel books was useless in that matter. So if you are going to visit Tuscany you just have to visit Abbey of San Galgano.
That's all about photo travel places. In next part you'll find bonus with some magnificent cars