Piemonte: January 14th-16th 2023

So, in the same way that London is not England, Milan is not Lombardia - Torino is not Piemonte - you get the picture....

It's a two hour bus ride from Milano to Torino. This is nearly five times cheaper than taking the train! I have no idea why this service is so expensive. 

I get to my hotel which, is a bit weird. I had booked a twin bedroom (because that's what was available) and I got bunk beds. Technically, it is a twin bed but just not what I was expecting. It puts a whole new meaning on who wants to be on top! It's also a bit bizarre  - there's a sink the size of a small swimming pool in the room but the bathroom is external. Again, not what I was expecting but my own fault for not checking thoroughly. It's OK though because there are only a couple of guests staying. I later discover that there is one in the room next to me. How do I know this? Because the first night I am trying to go to sleep, the man in the room next door is talking to his friend, Antonio about what they are going to be doing at the weekend. This includes cycling and then going out for a meal. The walls were not only sparkly yellow, they were also paper thin.

However, whatever drawbacks the hotel has, it is within walking distance of La Mole Antonelliana. It is the definitive symbol of Torino. I went to the National Cinema Museum which is housed in the building. That will come later. The first night was spent wandering around the Mole and around the main piazza, Piazza San Carlo. I like cities at night and especially when they are well lit. And Turin is a sumptuous and elegant city. It seems calmer and less frenetic than Milan. And today's factoid is: Turin was once the capital of Italy before they decided to move it to Florence and then later to Rome. This so aggrieved the citizens of the city that there were riots in which 52 people were killed and more than 100 injured.

La Mole Antonelliana

Not unlike the Duomo which is a focal point for Milan, La Mole dominates the city skyline (gosh, it sounds like a travel brochure!). It's an unusual building and, like the Duomo, changes mood with the light. It was originally intended to be a synagogue but ran into financial difficulties and so was never used as such. It is named after the architect, Alessandro Antonelli. Mole just means it's big.

The National Cinema Museum

For a few euros more, you can take a lift to the viewing gallery at the top of the spire. Well, you can forget that because it's a long way up and seems to be suspended on a couple of very thin wires. On terra firma,  (George Kaufman remarked: I like terra firma; the more firma, the less terra) you can trace the origins of the cinema from the early days of camera obscura through to the magic lanterns and zoetropes to the Lumiere brothers and projectors. At the time of writing, the museum was hosting a retrospective on the work of the king of horror schlock, Dario Argento. I suppose my only minor disappointment was that there wasn't a particularly great selection of posters and photos available in the bookshop. That said, it was a truly pleasurable time well-spent.

The Lavazza Museum

I hesitated about going to this museum but in the end, I am really glad I did. That cup of Joe that you imbibe every morning is just so much more than a few ground up beans that flavour the water. 

At the entrance, you are given an espresso cup attached to a lanyard. As you take the tour there are a number of coffee cup icons near the display which, when you place your cup on them, activates the information. So cool!

Lavazza started in 1895 and the museum takes through the company's early beginnings to its current business ventures which include things like coffee popcorn, nitrocoffee and even coffee cookie cups which are edible. You can practise creating your own blend and admire the coffee machines from turn of the 19th century exhibitions as well as some of the advertising which has made the brand so famous.

They also commissioned a set of murals around the city linked to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (I will be writing to  them to demand an app!) And, at the end of the tour, you get a free cup of coffee - how good is that? 

Style and elegance

Having been the capital of Italy from 1861 to 1865, it's easy to see why it would have made a good capital. It has gorgeous architecture with grandiose buildings everywhere. Piazza San Carlo is stunning, especially at night and the porticoes are home to small businesses selling everything from traditional men's clothing (the sort of thing you'd see in an old James Bond movie) to chocolate and pastry shops. It is, as one friend said, a reminder of the pomp and glory of the city. 

Down by the Royal Palace, there is a good looking church as well as the Palatine Castle. From there, it's a short walk to the central market area where you can pick up fresh fruit and veg. All pleasing on the eye. And then there's the area by the Piazza del Risorgimento where the nascent nation of Italy was dreamed up by Cavour and Mazzini and fought for by Garibaldi.

But if you think it's all huge edifices marking out the city's status as the keeper of traditions, you'd be wrong. There is a vibrant street art scene - in addition to those paid for by Lavazza. Equally, there hip, fab and trendy bars and restaurants where you can sample bicerin (a sort of lethal Bailey's liqueur.) Yes, there is so much to like about this place.

Down by the station

Time to go home and time to kill. Like much of the town, the Stazione Porta Nuova is an elegant piece of architecture. Some days, it's quietly reading a book or sipping a coffee - today was none of those.

The station is possessed of an upright piano in the food terrace and a young man came and played a repertoire of classical pieces - no music, all from memory and absolutely fab.

Later, I am approached by two policemen who seem to be checking up on the clandestini - I must get a haircut and stop looking like a member of some terrorist organisation - they check my ID and proclaim "you're from London". I guess the fact that it's written as such on my identity card must have been a giveaway - "but you live in Arpino" (ditto). Checks over and I am left in peace until a very tall gentleman begins circuits of the terrace singing at the top of his lungs - actually singing is perhaps too kind, they are sounds which vaguely relate to something musical.

And then it's on the train where the kid next to me coughs every 30 seconds, the small, blonde haired child is left to run riot by her nonna and the guy behind me is on the phone for nearly an hour. Note to self: next time, bring headphones

A good time was had nonetheless.

Two kindnesses

I pop into a bar for a bathroom break. Going in the doors are automatic. However, going out is a different story. Where you think the doors should open automatically, they don't. So while I am figuring out what the correct protocol here is, a bright faced woman dressed all in black and wearing white porthole glasses and presses a button near the door - "they should fix that" she says with a smile that makes me laugh.

Trams are great and you will find them both in Milan as well as Turin. Obviously, they need to come quite close to the kerb so passengers can get on and off. While standing at a set of traffic lights waiting to cross the road, I got quite close to the edge of the road. Thinking I was in danger, a youngish woman pulled me back just a little so as not to be mown down by the oncoming tram. There is hope.

All photos from Turin can be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/5Xv48iA3F4Sui86d9

Lombardia 12th - 14th January 2023

So if London isn’t England then Milan isn’t Lombardy - but it’s a good place to start. From Rome, I take the Italo high speed train to Milano (about three hours, I think). It seems odd to think we are hitting speeds of 300kph. I have no real preconceptions of this city. I think the whole point of travel is to discover new things. Of course that doesn't stop images of the Duomo from flashing through my head. However, it's also a chance to catch up with some friends and share the love!

So, the first thing I notice is just how much colder it is. All those years in Saudi Arabia have spoiled me. Arpino feels positively tropical compared to this. My hotel is out at Maciachini which is 4 stops on the yellow line (M3). And that's another noticeable difference, they have an underground system which is clean and efficient. My destination is obviously ....

The Duomo (Well, where else would you start?)

It's beautiful - and huge! I mean really huge. I am not going to bore you with the history of it. If you want to know all the facts and figures about it, click here. For me, it's about the artistry. Everything from the incredible stained glass windows to the intricate details of the carvings in stone is just a labour of love. There's a weird looking statue of Saint Bartholomew who, depending on which story you believe, was skinned alive!

I visited the Duomo and surrounding piazza at different times of the day (and night). It reminds me of Monet's series of paintings of the cathedral at Rouen. It is fascinating to see how the light changes. Close to the cathedral is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele ll. It was the first shopping centre built in this style and was the model for the Galleria in Naples. Of course, unless you have a wheelbarrow full of euros, this place is look but don't touch. It's Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton but it's nice to hobnob with the fashionistas and see immaculately (and expensively dressed men and women. It's another observation - the people around here seem to be taller (remember, I am average height for Arpino).

What to do?

And all that said, there are homeless people on the streets of Milan. I think the most shocking thing I have seen in a while was in Via Torino.  Next to a bus stop, lying on the ground was a man. He had no shoes and his feet were ingrained with dirt. His trousers were rolled up to his knees and he had on only a light jumper and a woollen hat. He was lying there with people walking around him. To all intents and purposes, he could have just been a pile of rags left in the street. I have seen similar things in India and Sri Lanka but it still comes as a shock. I honestly don't understand this. Later, in Turin, I saw quite a few people sleeping on the streets but at least they were under porticoes and had blankets. It's not ideal but this was just unfathomable.

Navigli

One of the things I had promised myself to do was to visit the Pop Air Balloon Museum (more of that later). Our first attempt ended in disaster because the museum was holding a private event. So with my companions, we ended up in the area around Navigli - the canals added to by Leonardo Da Vinci. And a good time was had by all!

Sforzesco Castle and Sempione Park

History buffs click here! Built by Francesco Sforza, the Duke of Milan, it was at one time threatened with demolition. It was saved from this fate thanks to the intervention of Luca Beltrami who insisted it be restored - to whom we are grateful. It's an impressive, solid looking building and backs onto Sempione Park. As you exit the castle, you can see the Arch of Peace at the far end of the park. There's also a small lake in the park and also a statue called Mysterious Bathers by Giorgio de Chirico. Weird.

The Pinacoteca di Brera

I think this one is one that slipped through the net. There is just so much anyone can do in a few days in Milan. It's a stylish building but the real gem is what is inside. It houses some really impressive paintings including Caravaggio's Supper at Emmaus. Next time!

The Balloon Museum, Via Tortona

This was one of the things I really wanted to see when I decided I was going to Milan. It has already done some exhibitions in Paris and elsewhere in Europe. And of course, in spite of the images shown on the website, nothing can adequately prepare you for the spectacle. There were 20 something exhibits - some were fairly run of the mill, but others were just mind-blowingly good. As you go in, you enter through a mirrored room which gives the effect of infinite space. Then add Smarties or M&Ms! After you have had your fill, your next encounter is with magical mushrooms. After that, there is a swimming pool filled with plastic balls. It was funny to see grown men and women having such a good time - a reversion to childhood. At the end, there was a short series of presentations about the use of plastics which covered everything from Zeppelins, fake tanks and Yayoi Kusama. Brill.

Final thoughts

It's a chic city and flaunts that thing that Italy does so well, marrying the past with the future. It's ancient and modern, rich and all too obviously poor. It's a place that needs more than just the two and a half days I gave it. All that said, seeing friends was just the best!

All photos from this trip can be found here.