00:00Thousands of scooter riders paraded through the historic streets of Rome on Saturday,
00:04filling the Italian capital with a colorful bus to celebrate the legendary Vespa's 18th anniversary.
00:10The massive international gathering of enthusiasts, known as Vespisti,
00:15brought riders from across the globe to navigate sit centers
00:18with municipal authorities opening streets usually entirely close to private traffic.
00:37For me, the Vespa is a lot of things.
00:40For me, the Vespa is a style of life, a lightness, a taste of the moment,
00:46a living in the landscape, a living mood, a living in a slow rhythm,
00:52everything that surrounds us with the maximum freedom and serenity.
00:56First patented by Piaggio on April 1946,
01:00the unique scooter named after the Italian word for Vasp,
01:04for its distinctive engine hum,
01:06became a profound symbol of an Italy emerging from the devastation of the Second World War.
01:12The brand's enduring romantic status was cemented internationally
01:15through classic cinema appearances in Hollywood and Italian masterpieces
01:20like Roman Holiday and La Dolce Vita.
01:23While international collectors traveled for weeks to participate in the Grand Parade,
01:28the iconic metal scooters continue to be manufactured
01:30at their original historic production site in Pontadera, Tuscany.
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