This morning I finally made my beef stew – with red wine, whole garlic, red onion wedges, thyme, and some young carrots. I taste it before we leave and am thrilled that it’s much more tender than the original too-lean meat promised.
On the way out we go along Via Milano. We used to be on this road a lot in ‘our’ old flat but haven’t gone along here too often this time. There are still things there that evoke the pure essence of Torino.
We went on the metro to Pozzo Strada. We had no idea what was there – we chose the station at random. Pozzo! Pozzo! Turns out it means ‘well.’ Nothing much around there – lots of low rise apartments. What was pretty cool, though, was how long and straight the road was (Roman roads here in Turin) and straight through to the Alps. Today we could see them.
We came across the Public Music Library (who knew there was such a thing!) but didn’t go in. It’s in the middle of a large park. The library building was apparently built in 1713 and was the private villa of Aymo Ferrero Cocconato, director and chief treasurer of the Duke of Savoy and King of Sicily, Victor Amadeus II, so is therefore called the “Tesoriera” (Treasury). and after that it was occupied by French troops in the Napoleonic era, In 1869, the Villa became the property of Marquis Ferdinando Arborio Gattinara di Breme, Duke of Sartirana, senator of the Kingdom and director of the Accademia Albertina. It was occupied by the Nazis in 1943, became a seat of Jesuit learning, and now houses the music library. It’s apparently beautiful inside with many paintings and frescoes, as well as precious books on botany and natural history.
Along the side of the Tesoriera park, we discovered a road lined with wall art. Interestingly (and hilariously) today is Hallowe’en and the wall art is mostly spooky, horror-oriented. This is a real find for the day.
Walking further into the neighbourhood it gets a bit more villagey and interesting. And again, on today of all days, we find a park with children playing and more spooky wall art. Coincidence? (Spooky music, please.)
We pass a private school on a somewhat impressive street. The children are getting out and many of them are in Hallowe’en costume. One boy looks impressive with a blood red waistcoat and jacket and a long black cape – I don’t feel comfortable taking his photograph, though.
Back on Corso Francia we come across a bakery with some fantastic Hallowe’en treats and I’m almost tempted to buy a couple but pass it by. My legs are getting tired and I’m ready for the tram home.
At home, I bake some potatoes, cook broccoli and heat up the stew. And it’s great – phew!
After that supper we begin to falter. Can we really go out into the cool night when we’re so full and warm? We throw the idea around a bit and then I get a message from Liat that she’s almost at Piazza Castello so that settles that. We set out.
Liat is tired so we walk her along Garibaldi, which has one massively long string of red lights with birds along it. We pass through Piazza della Cita where, as predicted, my camera won’t pick up the red light but does well with the blue.
There are many, many adults in fantastic costumes and more witches’ hats than I’ve ever seen before. There are even tours of costumed people, and costumed people on horseback. The whole thing is magical and it’s over too soon, as we head home for bed.
