Thursday 28 September (Day Eleven)
Goals today: Go to the new Intesa SanPaolo building and see the highline and view from the top; Go to Superga
Goals achieved: None 😊
Some days just don’t pan out the way they are supposed to but there are nice things along the way. We set out for the tram but when we got to the stop, there was a 16 minute wait, so Krish scrapped that idea in favour of a walk.
Through the Quadrilatero, which is so quiet on a week day compared to evenings and weekends. The narrow streets give way to some wider roads with not much contrast along the way. The architecture stays mainly the same with the pale yellow colour dominating the view. There are abandoned open spaces that would quickly become street art galleries in London…but not here.
Eventually we wander into the Piazza Statuto. I’ve seen this on my map a lot but this is the first time I’ve actually been there. This is a porticoed square with a park in the centre. At the far end of the park is an amazing statue, like a grey rock mounted by several white statues. It’s quite beautiful and I stop at a bench for a while to look at it and take some photos. There are some art shops too but I haven’t brought along my trusty Skechers backpack so I don’t buy a sketchbook, which I’d have to carry around all day. I must buy one when I can carry it properly.
From here there are several ordinary Torinese main streets leading to Porta Susa station. I’m surprised it really isn’t all that far. The Porta Susa area doesn’t do much for me. There’s no particular architectural interest so I must go armed with some things to spot along the way or I won’t be in this area very much.
The new Porta Susa station is impressive but somehow lacks soul. We decide to skirt it and head straight for the surprisingly plain Sanpaolo bank tower. It’s 37 storeys high and the tallest building in Torino as far as I know or can see. We’re not sure why the architects chose something so plain with all the inspirational buildings they could have drawn from. It is, after all, the most eco friendly building with incredible potential for being emulated in other ways. We head towards it and, like with most tall buildings, it appears closer than it actually is and it’s very hot.
We go around the building and find the entrance but once inside, within tantalising view of the escalator leading to the upper levels, we’re turned back. No public entry. Oh no. Krish had read that there are public tours once a month – I’d checked and the next one wasn’t available and there were no others until the new year. But it seemed that, apart from booking the top floor bar or restaurant (Piano35), the public could look around. Not so.
We take it with good humour considering the heat and head towards the station. Inside it reminds me of the Hauptbahnhof in Berlin. It has the glass and steel structure and the barnlike feel and look. The comparison ends there. The station is as soulless on the inside as it is from the outside. I hope they find a way to pull it together. For such an immense building it’s also remarkably empty. Where are all the people.?
I go onto the train platform, where we would have arrived the first day. The platform is as clinical as a hospital corridor. There are two young people each with laptops on their laps, doing some work. One takes away his iPhone to make room for me to sit. I’d like to take photos but of what. We go in search of signposted toilets that aren’t there, so instead we head down to the metro. It’s also quite cavernous and plain. No art or anything interesting to see. At the bottom of the stairs to our metro line it’s a fairly small space – not much room for commuters here. The set up is like for the Jubilee line with a glass wall separating the track from the platform and sliding doors that allow acess to the train once it’s stopped.
Only three stops to Porta Nuova from here – the carriages are clean and the voice announcements are clear and in Italian and English. Nice touch.
At Porta Nuova I buy batteries for my fairy lights and we head for the number 4 tram. Our first instinct is to go find the garlicky tongue sandwich we’ve heard so much about but then Krish lets me know he has a sudden craving for fritti misti so we stay on the tram a couple more stops. He runs to the fish shop and I go through the Orologio market hoping to get some Russian salad and cheese. Most counters are closed and the open ones I need have someone buying massive quantities of food. So not today then. I just wait for Krish and, after a visit to Carrefour for salad, we head up to the flat.
The fritti misti (shrimp, sardine, squid) is lovely. Even lovelier when hot, I’m guessing. We wash it down with a Chinotto.
For some reason, every afternoon after lunch it’s nap time. I nap for I don’t know how long and Krish naps for a lot longer. Something is tiring us out. Is it the sun? The change of atmosphere? The walking? The food? It’s OK. I busy myself with blogs and my doll (95% finished) and the time passes.
We settle in for the evening, have the last of the meatballs with leftover troifie, finish watching The Expanse, spend time talking about it and…a year to wait? Then it’s bed time.