Posted on

Chocolate! The Caffarel Factory tour

Friday 27 October (Day forty!)

I’ve been looking forward to today. We are touring the Caffarel chocolate factory!

I leave first for the coach, Krish lagging behind this morning. But all is well and soon we are off towards Pinerolo – the factory is near there in the town of Luserna San Giovanni.

It’s another hazy day – the smog level is really high – we can’t see much of the countryside as we speed past the hazy scenery.  Soon enough we are at the factory gates.

Hazy scenery to Luserna
Hazy scenery on the way to Luserna

They lead us into a room and it’s like Christmas. On the table in the centre are plates of Caffarel chocolates and biscuits.  As well, there is still and sparkling water, lemon tea and coffee. I opt for coffee and watch as the inevitable feeding frenzy sets in. People swoop on the plates like they haven’t eaten for months and everything is gone into mouths and pockets in minutes!

The room houses some lovely historical objects – tins, spoons, paintings and photographs… the history of Caffarel is fascinating.

Cocoa tin
Cocoa tin

Continue reading “Chocolate! The Caffarel Factory tour”

Posted on

Trendy Vanchigilia

Thursday, 26 October (Day Thirty-nine)

Today was a relaxing day!

We went to Vanchiglia, just a short walk away in the Mole / university neighbourhood.

I was hungry and ran into a student hangout called La Piadonza. Here they make a flour tortilla in a press in front of you, put it on the griddle and fill it. I chose smoked salmon with something called  squacquerone (I haven’t found a translation but it’s creamy) and arugula, and glad I did. It was delicious and light. A great lunch.

I love the little glimpses of the hazy Mole from these streets.

Hazy Mole in Vanchiglia
Hazy Mole in Vanchiglia

Vanchiglia on the surface looks like any other neighbourhood but it’s become trendy. There are lots of little artisan shops and cafes and I feel at home here, like it’s a sort of  mini Hoxton or Shoreditch.  I wonder how it will be in five years. There’s even a little circus that puts me in mind of Arnold Circus – Largo di Montebello.
Continue reading “Trendy Vanchigilia”

Posted on

Lunch at home, the Mole and another bunch of oops

Sunday, 22 October (Day Thirty-five)

The fog is still on the hills so it’s a perfect day for my planned lunch. Liat arrives at noon and we tuck in. It’s been a struggle to make things that I’m very used to having. Things taste different but we eat – matzo ball soup again, then some veg and hummus, mango salad, and burrata with some fresh bread. It’s a success. Phew!

Oops. Esmeralda gets a text that her card has just been used. Suddenly she no longer has any hope that it’s been found. The bad news is that she has to call the bank and sort this out during our lunch. The good news is that now the rest of the day is cleared. No more hunting.

Liat, Esmeralda and I head out for the Mole. Sadly, when we get there there’s a really long queue and we decide not to join it but carry on walking.

Fall in Parco Reale
Fall in Parco Reale

Continue reading “Lunch at home, the Mole and another bunch of oops”

Posted on

BIG OOPS FOR ESMERALDA! Porta Nuova, Al Bicerin, the Markets, L’Acino, and a walkabout

Saturday, 21 October (Day Thirty-four)

This morning we’re up and ready to go when Esmeralda has a nasty surprise. Her wallet is missing. We keep faith and look and look but no, it’s gone. Possibly left on the train, the last place she saw it.

It’s unbelievably hard to figure out what to do next. The sites don’t have much in the way of information. We aren’t sure what to do first but logic tells me you go first to the train company. That would work well if there was a contact point. There just isn’t. And after some phone calls that end in no information, and a vain attempt at an online chat, it’s pretty clear the only option is to go back to the station.

Once there, the queue doesn’t seem long but it takes a while to get to the front. The customer service rep isn’t there at first. Once he is, each customer takes a long time – we can only hope he’s as patient with us. Our turn next but first the rep takes five minutes or so to tidy his desk. The day is marching on.

Our turn consists of Esmeralda explaining that she’s lost her wallet on the train, the rep asking if it contains her ID card, her answering yes, and the rep telling her curtly to go the police office on platform One.

She fills in an elaborate form. The police are polite and friendly and tell us it’s 50/50 if the wallet will be found and returned. No idea, then? We think we’ve done all we can and head off to the market
Continue reading “BIG OOPS FOR ESMERALDA! Porta Nuova, Al Bicerin, the Markets, L’Acino, and a walkabout”

Posted on

Fog! And Lingotto and Eataly

Friday, 20 October (Day Thirty-three)

This morning when I looked out of the window I was shocked to see how foggy it was. I hoped this meant we were in for a warm day.

Foggy morning
Foggy morning

Since Esmeralda was visiting for the weekend, top of my mind was shopping for food. My plan was to consider going from the station to a café (perhaps Cianci Piola), spend Saturday looking around the markets and a bit in the centre, then out for dinner and a bit of evening walking, then Sunday to invite Liat for lunch and go to the Mole. I’d see how it all works out.

Krish wanted to go back to Lingotto and Eataly so off we went. The metro gets you there pretty quickly and once off the train you’re at the side of the Lingotto shopping mall, where the hotel is. We found a funicular to go up to the shopping mall but didn’t stay very long. We were looking for the Hotel since we’d heard that the lobby was very interesting.


Continue reading “Fog! And Lingotto and Eataly”