Wednesday, 8 November (Day Fifty-two)
A mosquito (or many) has been biting us. We’re itching and scratching and I’m swelling up in places since I sometimes have an allergic reaction. Not fun at all, Torino. Don’t your mosquitoes know their season is done? Temperatures are hovering around zero during the night. Enough!
Today was a rainy one so we planned a circuit of the city on a few different buses. However, in the morning we went to the market and picked up some food to last us a couple of days. I looked around for any of my Saturday rescuers but didn’t see any. I buy some smoked mozzarella, and some thin slices of veal to make Milanese. If you throw some lemon slices in the pan, they get caramelised and crunchy. That’s what we have for lunch with a little fresh spaghetti from the local pasta shop.
Our first bus took us to an area where I really felt that autumn had arrived. I’m enjoying the smell of fallen leaves, the colours of the trees, and the different light in the sky (when there is some). The long straight streets, often lined with trees on the main thoroughfares, adds to this feeling. Winter is coming but it’s not here yet but the days are shorter – it’s dark before 6pm.
Today the leaves are sodden. Near a park there’s a building similar to Verde25. The trees and plants on the balconies are trained to grow outwards and the effect is really nice and matches the autumn mood.
We travel further and pass the area were the Juventus Stadium is. It’s a grim, uncared-for looking area and we consider how it must be to live around here. Then, once past there we see the San Paolo tower and everything changes.
Once out of the bus again, we’re in an upscale area full of boutiques – some with Christmas windows already – and fancy food shops. I consider buying a few things but leave emptyhanded.
We’re struck by how many minutes you have to wait for a bus if you miss one. We’re a bit spoiled by the many and frequent buses in Hackney. The thought of waiting more than ten minutes for any bus, especially in the cold and damp weather, isn’t exciting but, on the other hand, we are choosing to walk a stop or two and discovering things we wouldn’t have seen from the bus. Lesson learned.
Today, though, we wait and wait for almost every bus.
On one of the walks between stops we notice a different bus that will pass through Vanchiglia and I think taking that one to see the lights would be a great day so that’s what we do.
Vanchiglia is a trendy area in places. It’s not too far from the university and only minutes from the very centre of town. It also has some cool cafes and shops. I’m guessing that within about five years it will have become more cohesive and probably younger and more expensive! Such is urban life.
For now, the Vanchiglia Luci D’Artista lights are the draw. It’s very pretty along here.
Then we get our final tram of the day back to the market area. I have been thinking about the cosy warm flat, a nice raw vegetable and hummus dinner, and curling up on the couch to relax.
A good day is done!