Autumn in Turin

As an adjunct to writing about places we have visited, I thought it a good time to provide some quick thoughts on my daily experiences living here. Just random thoughts that come to mind wandering around or just opening the window in the morning. A minor part of anyone’s stay, and often overlooked, are especially the smells that one encounters, both good and bad.

Chocolate Festival

Yesterday we visited Turin’s Yearly Autumn Chocolate Festival. This event takes up an entire piazza and a fair length of via Roma. There is not only chocolate here, but other edible treats from all over Italy and nearby European Countries (e.g. Austria). Though the sites are amazing, the myriad stacks of chocolate bars, bark and balls, the smells are to die for.

From white, dark and milk chocolate, to marzipan and other delicacies; one quickly starts running short of change and hands to carry all of the boxes and bags. After someone experiences this, and then throws in the smells of cooked chestnuts and coffee on the street, a strong association is built between these, the beautiful Autumn weather, and Turin.

The Po River

This Autumn the Po river is still swollen from a lot a rain the surrounding area received during October. This is a good thing too since this week the city was also hosting the Silver Skiff Regatta, or boat race. There are several boating clubs along the Po and you can often see the clubs practicing and exercising during the week.

The river itself is very nice and has parks lining it on both of Turin’s southern banks, so you can take a nice long walk in the leaves while hardly noticing any buildings at all. Here you get that leafy smell that everyone associates with Autumn.

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An abundance of weeds

The other thing one notices in Turin, and for the most part Italy as a whole, they do NOT use herbicides on vegetation. In some cases vegetation is actually left to grow unimpeded, leading to the thought, where did the U.S. go wrong? Why do we poison everything? What is so bad about weeds or bugs for that matter? In the photograph above an American would think, “Get out the RoundUp”, an Italian, “What can I eat?”

From An Apartment Window

From our apartment you can gauge the pulse of the city just by smelling the air. As for any typical city the quality of the air is dominated by the lack or abundance of traffic. But there are also other factors as well.

In the early morning, prior to rush hour, the clean mountain air has rushed down during the night and early morning hours to provide a respite of fresh air. If you open your shutters and windows early enough, you get to experience this pleasure. Otherwise, you are met in the morning with the pungent, often times, noxious smell of diesel and the morning rush hour. The street our windows open to, is an active bypass for those trying to hop through the piazza to the North and avoid the ZTL (zone of limited traffic), a short stretch of street that is directly in the front of our building. This last for a few hours and then one gets a treat for what ever lingers in this corridor of buildings.

Later, after the evening rush hour, you are witness to one of the few puzzling things about Turin, the smell of burning wood. As though hundreds or fireplaces have been lit at once, it wafts in around six or seven o’clock. This is not specifically for heat, but rather for the hundreds of brick ovens that have to be fired up burning oak and other woods, to cook evening pizza and focaccia. It is one of the oddities living here and one of my true favorites. Having been brought up with a fireplace my whole life, it is a booster shot for my soul.

Such are the remarkable things that anyone can enjoy when living or even visiting here, the information and experiences are out there, you just have to let them in.

Côte d’Azur – Nice – Part One

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Nice – The French Riviera

Nice and the Côte d’Azur conjure up thoughts of beautiful weather, money (rich people) and vacation. It is a destination that many people have on their bucket-list of things to do; if not for the casinos, then at least for the sun and crystal clear light-blue sea. It was after some trepidation on my part and a pause in our other travels, that we decided to go to Nice for another short holiday.

Whenever possible, we travel via train since it is more cost-effective and has one of the better, if not the best, Eco-friendly footprints. The trip took us surprisingly just over five hours from Turin, most likely due to a mixture of train schedules and the routes involved. However, one of the advantages of being retired is time is the one commodity you have in abundance.

Since this was not actually a last-minute decision, we were still able to use a modest amount of planning and coordinated the trip with our daughter Ericka, who joined us the following day. She flew in and using the Côte d’Azur (I must say) fabulous metro/tram system which now links up with both terminals at the airport, we were able to meet her at Terminal 1.

Our choice of Nice was due to many factors. First the train station is large and one can travel to many different places taking advantage of both regional and special coastal trains. It also happened to be in the center of the Côte d’Azur, the famous vacation coast which attracts visitors and tourists from both France, Europe and beyond. Nice has been expanding their metro and transportation system and it seems to be paying off; it did for us. If you are staying for any amount of time you can buy a 10-trip (not day) transportation pass for 10€ (that’s a 30 percent discount or 4 free trips). Though we did not use them all, we used enough to do better than break even.  We then handed them to someone at the hotel, so they could use the rest.

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Our Hotel

We stayed at the Hotel Belle Meunière, a short two-minute walk from the main train station and our domicile for our travels. Though our room was not much to look at per se, one has to understand the hotel is actually under renovations. The outside of the hotel is very well-kept and seems to be an old historical landmark of some kind, since they have obviously tried to keep it sound. The inside however, is somewhat confused but manageable.  It is obviously a converted manor house. It is therefore, not really a hotel but more of a hotel/pension fusion, if there is such a thing.

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Hotel Belle Meuniere – A Niçois Experience

We found the price and location with respect to the train station very acceptable and there are also very good Niçois restaurants nearby. However, the location also worked somewhat against it as well, since areas around train stations tend to be a bit dirty. This is also true of the area around this hotel.  If you are really into the beach, you might prefer something closer to the shore, though they will be more expensive. Though I would not give it any Michelin stars, it was manageable and the staff go out of their way to make you comfortable.

Nice From Inside and Above

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Notre-Dame de Nice

Nice is a typical European city. It has a core or old city surrounded by many environs or suburbs that have their own distinct look and things to see. One of the more prominent sights along the main Avenue Jean-Médecin in Nice, is the Roman Catholic Gothic basilica called Notre-Dame de Nice. Like Notre-Dame de Paris, it also has a large rose window on its front but is much younger, smaller and is not a cathedral (it is not even designed after the one in Paris). It will at least make you stop and take a photograph.

Castle Hill

Another must see is the overlook of the city from the Colline du Château or Castle Hill. It is a modest walk from the old city up the hill to the East, before you are able to enjoy the vista.

There are several points along the way up to stop and enjoy the view of Nice.

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Patti and Ericka – Enjoying The Waterfall After The Climb Up The Hill

There are also other things to see on Castle Hill, including a waterfall and an overlook of Villefranche-sur-Mer, the next town over, though somewhat obscured by trees on the walk down.

The above are a collection of our initial photographs as we walked through the city.

We also have favourite place in France, called Charlot Premier in Nice, which does excellent oysters.

– Roger Moore

More on Nice and our other travels to come…

 

Turin – Villa Della Regina

Also known as the Queen’s Villa, the villa is situated in the Borgo Po district of Turin. Though the villa was first constructed in the 16th century by Cardinal Maurice of Savoy, it did not come into fame until the Savoy family ascended to the throne in 1713.  Since the Duchess Anne d’Orléans, who was married to Duke Victor Amadeus II still owned the premises it automatically became known as the “Villa della Regina“, or the Queen’s Villa.

More History and Tourism

In 1865 the Villa became a boarding school for girls until World War II, when it was later bombed and received extensive damage. Finally in 1994 the Tourism ministry or Turin finally obtained it and started restoring the structure which had badly fallen into disrepair. It was finally opened in 2006 to the public for tourism, but even now shows signs of decline with the difficulties of the Italian economy.

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Examples of Landscaping Issues and Disrepair at the Villa

The Villa Inside

After purchasing a ticket which costs €5/person (unless you were lucky enough to enter on a free day, check the Turin website for dates), the Villa’s main hall is a real wonder and in very good condition.

 

The King’s Rooms

The visitor next sees the rooms the King would have when he was at the Villa. All of the floors in the Villa are parquet, with few exceptions.

There is a short hallway with another beautiful ceiling before entering the Queen’s rooms.

The Queen’s Rooms

The rooms that consist of those for the queen are unfortunately not in as good a condition as those of the King’s. This is most likely due to the extent of the damage from the bombing during the war to be more concentrated in this area.

Once you have finished the Queen’s rooms you find yourself again back at the Main Hall and your way out to the grounds, which at one point in their lifetime must have been beautiful, all the hallmarks are there.

The Grounds

Though poorly kept and in some cases falling still further into disrepair and eventual collapse, they are nonetheless impressive. The fountains though still functioning stand their vigil over empty pools of water that once might have kept chinese carp or goldfish but now just harbor algae.

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Villa della Regina – Roman Style Garden with Statues and Fountain

Finally, more photographs of the grounds and surrounding area.

 

 

Turin – Museum Wanderings

Recently while taking a break from planning our next big set of travels for September and October, we decided to visit another set of museums in Turin which one could call unusual if not down right odd. I would say odd because when one thinks of a museum, at least the first one below would not immediately pop into one’s mind.

The cost for each of the two museums above was €5 each. However, one can purchase a €10 entrance pass which includes the first two museums as well as the Museum of Fruit.

Museum of Criminal Anthropology

This Museum of Criminal Anthropology is located on the same block as the Museum of Human Anatomy. At via Pietro Giuria, it is housed in a somewhat unassuming building and if you were not actually looking for it you might pass by it altogether.

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Entrance to the Museum of Criminal Anthropology

The building inside, like so many in Turin, has a grand architectural style inside and was probably under the influence of one of the many great architects that have worked in this city.

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The Beautifully Adorned Ceiling before the Entrance to the Museum

So as to not bore you with the benefactor’s history of this museum, you may visit the website to learn more if you wish, let’s just say that once inside you get a very good idea of just how backward science and medicine were in those days. The main displays in this museum are those of skulls and artifacts from criminal patients who were often labeled crazy or insane. Many of the skulls were labeled with the crimes that each of the individuals committed, all of course written in Latin.

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Cases Housing Patient Skulls

The adjacent side of the floor contained numerous examples of the implements used in many of the crimes that were committed.

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Knives and other Handmade and often Strange Implements used by the Patients

If I were to sum up my thoughts of this very interesting museum it would be one of great curiosity. Not only for the obviously poor people who were involved and in some cases mistreated and misdiagnosed by their treating physicians, but for the times in which they lived. Many of which would have benefited from our medical knowledge of today, perhaps to the point of never turning to crime. As for the doctors and scientists involved it must have been a time of great discovery, however misguided some of them employed their influence and knowledge.

It took us a little over an hour to visit the entire museum and we would recommend it, though we would consider it a bit on the morbid side.

The Museum of Human Anatomy

On via Corso Massimo d’Azeglio and the adjacent street and same block as the previous museum one can visit the Museum of Human Anatomy. This is another museum where some may not be appropriate, especially if they are uncomfortable with anatomy, blood, brains or guts. So plan appropriately.

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Museum of Human Anatomy

It can however be used as it had been in the past, as a very good pedagogical device for learning more about oneself and what composes the human organism. Having been used in the past as part of the medical university system in Turin it still offers valuable insights to visitors.

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Internal Entrance to the Museum

This museum is also housed on a single floor. As you begin your tour you first learn of basic anatomy and view examples human and other animal skeletons.

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The Introductory Case showing Human and Animal Skeletons

Once you move through the internal entrance door, after purchasing your tickets, you will see examples of human dwarf- and gigantism. This is followed by displays of the anatomical differences between the human sexes. After that, each successive colonnade displays in both wax and actual human form (samples that have been preserved in solution) specific areas of the body.

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Curios filled with Human Anatomical Samples

Finally in the back of the museum one will find an in-depth study of the human nervous system, brains and actual examples of how individual nerves are routed and connected in the body.

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A Large Figure showing how very important Anatomical Features are related

I would greatly encourage anyone with children to visit the museum. Though not for everyone, it can be used as a great teaching aid and perhaps put some young mind on the path of becoming a doctor of medicine or forensics. It’s also great just to learn how the scientific community in the late 18 and early 19 centuries learned about and taught anatomy.

Museum of the Risorgimento – The Apartment

Our next visit was actually triggered by an offer on Turin’s official website of free admission for a tour of the apartment associate with the Museum of the Risorgimento. The Risorgimento of course was the political and social movement that consolidated different states of Italy into a single state, or what became the Kingdom of Italy in the 19th century. It began in 1815 in Vienna and was completed in Rome after it became the capital Italy in 1871.

The  part that we actually saw is not open often and is not actually part of the museum proper, but rather an adjunct to it. Special tickets are provided at a specific time during the day, so you must watch the website for when these are available.

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Cities and Towns where Baroque Architect Guarino Guarini had influence

The apartment and the museum itself owe their legacy to Guarino Guarini, an influential architect or the baroque style of his day. He is responsible for many important architectural works of this style, none more so than the examples he left in Turin. However, he is also responsible for many other important works in a wide area that covers both Italy and France, as shown above.

Emanuele’s rooms as styled after the Baroque influences of Guarini are impressive. Though one can say the gold leaf is a bit overdone the parquet flooring is amazing, even though it is showing its age.

Though our self-guided tour took all of thirty to forty minutes it was nonetheless well worth the time, since absolutely no other expense was incurred (thank you Turin!) for us by doing so. If you are also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit these impressive rooms and architecturally significant buildings, we suggest you do so. We found them very compelling.

Turin – Treats On Or Close To Our Street

Having resided in Turin now for six months we are getting more and more time to explore. Sometimes it’s a monument we haven’t seen before or a shop that looks unfamiliar. Most of which, in the past months or so, have taken quite a walk to get there and back. So we decided one day this week to have lunch and a coffee and see what we could turn up, right on or very near our own street, via Giovanni Giolitti.

Lunch

A nine or ten block walk from our apartment, past the Piazza San Carlo, is a small fresh pasta place called Brün. Actually located on via Vittorio Alfieri, which is technically one and the same with via Giovanni Giolitti since they are in fact one and the same street.

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Brün – via Vittorio Alfieri – Pasta Fresca

Brün resides in a very clean-looking building just past the Piazza San Carlo. It’s entrance sports a business shingle at street view that is quite easy to see as you are walking.

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Brün – Modern Interior

Inside the owners went with a more modern and efficient layout and design than you would probably see elsewhere in Turin. Their main claim to fame here is their pasta, which is made fresh daily and comes in  three price tiers and about eight styles, from the customary Italian Tagliatelle and Spaghetti, all the way to the more expensive and delicious ravioli – Agnolotti.

We both decided on the Tagliatelle, but served two different ways and both were absolutely delicious. The pasta was served on plates of recycled paper and the utensils were also of recycled plastics. Each plate costs less than six Euros.  Add two glasses of wine and both can eat a delicious lunch for under fifteen Euros easily!

Dessert

After paying for lunch we walked out of Brün only to take a short walk up via XX Settembre and around the corner to visit La Romana, located on via Santa Teresa.

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La Romana – via Santa Teresa

From the outside it looks expensive, which normally in Turin still means delicious but pricey. However after looking what they had to offer we thought the pricing was more or less inline with what we would expect.

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La Romana – The Coffee and Gelati Bar

The inside is a very modern decor with employees that also speak English, so you will have no problem ordering your Gelato and other desserts (there are many). We opted for the Gelato.

The store has much more to offer and appears to do all of their baking on site. In fact, while you are eating your gelato you can see the Baker make desserts behind a glass. The centerpiece of the store is a large glass enclosure with all of the day’s high-caloric offerings. All look very appetizing and we are definitely going back, not only for the Gelato which we think is as good as or slightly better that Fiorio and Grom, but to purchase and bring home a cake or tort.

Coffee

After dessert it was time to cap it off with an early afternoon coffee. What better place to go than down the street and around the corner to the Piazza San Carlo and Caffè Torino.

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Caffè Torino – Early 20th Century Decor

Caffè Torino is one of Turin‘s hallmark coffee bars where one can enjoy a Campari or Aperol Spritz, coffee, tea or any number of tall drinks. They also serve some light fare in the event you are hungry.

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Patti’s Caffé Macchiato

Patti had the establishment’s caffè Macchiato and I had a caffè (espresso) with a shot of Sambuca. The Sambuca sweetens the espresso a bit making it a caffè corretto. Each coffee came with the customary Torinese shot of sparkling water to cleanse your mouth once finished.

Make no mistake, Caffè Torino is modestly expensive when compared to other places where you can indulge in coffee around Turin (the home of coffee in Italy). We spent more on two cups of coffee and a Sambuca then we did on our pasta lunch with wine! You are however paying for the atmosphere. Therefore, if you choose your drinks wisely (or not), you can manage a very nice experience without an enormous bite coming out of your wallet.

All in all, we had a great lunch right on our own street and just a short walk away. Bear in mind all of this did take us close to three hours, or an hour lunch-break, if you are on Italian time!

Turin – Annual Motor Show 2019

A quick post about the 5th Annual Motor Show going on in Turin now. We visited it yesterday and they have quite an assembly of cars, boats and other technology to look at. Even the university here had a few entries to demonstrate what they work on and learn, and apparently race!

Our entrance to Valentino Park and the Motor Show 2019
The palace and its entrance to see some special vehicles on display

The Cars

The Food

There is also an extensive food pavilion which is definitely worth the visit. There are foods from all over Italy and other parts of the world including Brazil.

The food pavilion

And then there is the food, from fish to meat to vegan if you so desire.

Of course, there is plenty of dolci or sweets which we got to go, since we had already eaten too much…

So that’s that, the 2019 Turin Motor Show. If you are a car enthusiast you probably have already attended or booked your trip. If not and you are in the area it is definitely worth a stop. We enjoyed it and we no longer own an automobile nor particularly like them! 🙂

Turin – The Royal Museums

Yesterday, we went to the Royal Museums of Turin. It includes the Royal Palace and its Gardens, the Royal Library and Armory, the Sebaudian Gallery (Dutch & Flemish paintings) the Museum of Antiquities and the Chapel of the Holy Shroud.

Tickets for Three

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

The Holy Shroud

 

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Royal Palace of the Savoys

The Entrance

Photos of the Royal Palace. Some rooms were quite gaudy.

Views from the Royal Palace

 

Chapel of the Holy Shroud

A fire destroyed part of the Chapel in 1997 and is undergoing restoration

Tristan in the Museum of Antiquities

We do enjoy museums! Can you tell?