Day 4: Turin
- Kathy Orbie
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
I’ve planned a day of rest for today. Or as Wout van Aert would say: a day of doing absolutely nothing. So first I roll over for a good snooze, and then I’ll have a leisurely breakfast. The breakfast looks delicious. The waiter asks which coffee I want and gives me some explanation about the buffet. When he mentions the "croissant vuoto," or empty croissant, I look at him in surprise for a moment. Um... isn't a croissant empty by definition? Apparently not in Italy. He points out the Nutella and explains that the idea is to spread it on the croissant. Wow, even for a sweet tooth like me, that is just a little too much of a good thing. But they know how to make coffee here like the best of them!
Time to go explore the city. Today I’m putting on shorts for the first time. My pale legs have held me back until now, but necessity knows no law. And the heat in a city feels more oppressive than by the sea.
As I walk outside, the receptionist asks if I want to check out today? Slightly surprised, I answer no; I'm staying another night, aren't I...? She points to all my bags on my back, on my arm, and over my shoulder. So she assumed this was my travel luggage. ;) I explain to her that I shoot analog, and I detect a slightly pitying look in her eyes. :)
At the market around the corner, I glance at my phone to see which direction to walk and notice that two men are standing very close to me. Quick, phone in my pocket, and I make a run for it. That was a tense moment!
First stop: the Duomo, in search of the Shroud of Turin. The Catholic Church has never recognized the shroud as authentic. So, opinions on whether or not it is real are somewhat divided. Did you know, by the way, that you can't actually visit the shroud? It is rarely shown to the public. There wasn't much time to look around, though: it is 12:30 and the church is closing for good. Until 4 p.m. ;)
I am considering a visit to the Juventus football stadium, but unfortunately the pitch is inaccessible this week. Well, then it’s not for this football fan anymore… ;)
Looking for something to eat, I see a lady sitting on the street in front of her shop knitting. I ask if I can take a photo of her, and she says with a big smile that I am already "the millionth" person to ask her that. She gestures for me to come inside and proudly shows me a photo she took:
What follows is a beautiful conversation about the current situation in the world, about how she lies awake thinking about the children suffering from hunger, and how proud she is of her adopted children, who got a new start in life thanks to her and have turned out well. How wonderful it is to be able to have conversations like this. I thank her for so much wisdom and go in search of lunch.
It’s going to be a delicious focaccia with ham and cheese. When you can have lunch on a terrace, everything tastes just that little bit better, of course. Did you know, by the way, that the English have a wonderful expression for "eating outside": dining al fresco? It always makes me smile a little. I slurp up my iced coffee and make my way to the nearby Palazzo Reale.
This is on the UNESCO World Heritage list, so I had high expectations. Well, I completely understand why. I had only just walked in and my jaw dropped in amazement. Let me share the experience with you:
Look, I'm not exactly young anymore and I've seen a lot of palaces in my life, but this is unprecedented! Eat this, Versailles. 😊
And that was just the beginning... The most beautiful rooms full of mirrors, magnificent chandeliers, and carpets follow one another in quick succession, and I go from one amazement to the next.
Turin was the capital of Italy in the 16th century, and this palace was built by the first Italian king. One thing is certain: he clearly didn't mind spending a franc. Or a lira, in this case. ;)
This was pure enjoyment from start to finish.
As the icing on the cake, there was also an exhibition about Leonardo da Vinci featuring a magnificent self-portrait created by the master himself.
I am ending the day with a delicious fresh fruit juice and I am starting to understand what René Froger meant: yes, everything, everything can make a person happy. ;)
One thing is certain: I will definitely come back here again!
Absolutely enjoying this series in your blog Kathy!