Wednesday, 1 November (Day Forty-five)
Today is All Saints Day. The market and many stores are closed. And today we have no more days on our BIP card so the first order of the day is to get it filled up again. Then we plan to go see the rest of the Millo pieces in Barriera di Milano.
When we go out, we can’t find a tobacconist that’s open so we readjust our plans. We’ll stay local and visit a church we’ve seen from the tram.
It’s just a short walk away to the west of us. Along the way there are a few Chinese restaurants that we take note of. I’m feeling a bit ‘off’ today and a bowl of noodle soup sounds perfect. We even find a Chinese bakery. No 2 for a dollar bun here, though – Two euros a piece.
This area of Regina Marguerita is scruffy. People beg along here, they sell goods from shopping carts and carrier bags, and we’ve seen small gangs and individuals selling drugs. Not pretty but all part of city life.
Also to the west is Rondò della Forca (Gallows Corner). It’s a very large intersection with five roads meeting at the roundabout. Between 1835 to 1853 public hangings took place here. It’s also said to the birthplace of the square loaf – “Pancarrè” is a type of sliced bread, whose name is synonymous with “Square Bread”. Born in Turin, its origin is really special. Back in the old times, when an executioner went into a bakery to buy bread he was usually met with the resistance of the baker that was not happy to serve those who dealt in such a trade and, as a sign of contempt, would hand him the loaf upside down. Later on, this practice was banned by an ordinance, however, it was soon overtaken by bakers, who started to produce a new type of square bread, equal on each side, in order to continue undetected with their little “benevolent” custom as an inside joke (from “Alla scoperta del cibo” by Fabrizio Diolaiuti, Sperling & Kupfer). That’s some history!
The church we’re looking for is called Maria Ausiliatrice – it’s a beauty!
We wander along some back streets where things look cleaner than on the main road. Everywhere is quiet today, though, with many shutters down and no one passing on the street. At the corner cafes there are a few young people hanging out but that’s about it. I notice a sign for tacos on one of the shuttered shops and wonder what the Italian take on a taco is.
Eventually we find ourselves on the back roads of the Quadrilatero. A mother is sitting on a bench behind a fence for what seems to be a daycare centre. One little boy is pushing his littler brother on a swing and I hear the younger one yell, ‘Higher’ in English. It’s very peaceful.
Today on All Saints Day it’s time for families to get together. As well, it’s customary to visit family graves bringing flowers, particularly chrysanthemums – there are flowers everywhere.
Around the back here there’s another church which I find very pretty – it has a main dome with five domes surrounding it. It’s not grand but it’s lovely and on previous trips I’ve particularly liked it at night so make a note to come back after dark one day. Easy enough since it’s dark by 5:30 or 6 since the clocks changed. The church is Santuario della Consolata.
While Krish is taking photos down the street I decide to go inside the church. The entrance is opposite Al Bicerin in the Piazza Consolata so I’ve seen it dozens of times but have never ventured in.
I’m not a fan of shows of wealth or ostentation in churches. Not when there are so many poor parishioners. I understand the reasons for such displays but I’m always more impressed by simple churches that serve their purpose – and hopefully simple in a lovely and not ugly way. However, this church is opulent. And surprisingly, I love it! It’s stunning. There are several round chambers, each with its own theme. I take one photo and a lady with a badge starts to approach me so I panic and leave!
I now have to go back to see it and take more photos. This time I’ll ask if it’s OK.
We finally get to the Chinese restaurant and are reluctantly shown through to a table at the back. We’re still feeling hopeful since there are quite a few Chinese people in here and some promising photos. We wait and wait and finally give our order – the server doesn’t speak English but we get through it. Wanton soup, braised eggplant, a (Chinese) doughnut, and some tea.
And we wait.
And wait…
More than once Krish says he has to leave and I’m willing to do that but we do stay.
Eventually another server comes through the door and does a double take as she spots us. I have no idea what she said to us when she came over but I manage to let her know that we’ve ordered. She asks what we want and we tell her again.
After another few trays appear and are dispatched to tables and finally we get the doughnut. It’s cold but not greasy. A bowl of soup is put in front of us. It’s fair, nothing more. The eggplant is in a strange oily sauce and isn’t cooked long enough. The tea never shows up. We’re stunned into silence and pay our bill.
That’s it for Chinese food in Turin. It’s just awful!
After we get home my feeling of ‘off’ get worse. Was it going to happen anyway or was it the food? At any rate, no dinner for me. Couch, hot water bottle and a Rennies will do. Until tomorrow.