Category: Turin

Thursday, 9 November (Day Fifty-three)

Today we thought of a plan – we would go to Lavazza to check out the bistrot (cafeteria) and see how the construction was coming along, and we’d tour the opera house – Teatro Regio. We hoped we could dodge the raindrops. It was decidedly soggy but we didn’t want to let this keep us indoors.

The Bistrot is a cafeteria within the Lavazza Complex on via Bologna. We were pretty sure that, although this is intended for Lavazza employees, the public were welcome and we were right. One of the receptionists handed us each a card where we would register the food we’d buy once upstairs.

There are some fancy looking electronic coffee machines on the main floor – one euro for a cup. Then a lobby, a lift, and stairs up to the cafeteria first floor.

Its like a school or hospital cafeteria in there, a sort of food court look. Two stations against the far wall that sell pizzas, pastas, and main dishes. And one central station for salads and soups. We can’t see any drinks and there is only fruit for dessert. Healthy! There is, however, a couple of self service stations for free water (still and sparkling) and a bank of bottles of olive oil and vinegar. Nothing else.

We browse around and settle on a main of grilled calamari and duchesse potatoes, and Krish has a last minute choice of a pizza with no tomato but cheese and walnuts. Then I’m intrigued by a pink vegetable soup so we pick that too.  Verdict: Not bad. Nothing to rush back for. Lavazza, perhaps you could give your employees a price break – our bill was 19.20.

From the window we can see they are coming along quite nicely with the garden that will stand between the cafeteria building and the offices but it won’t be done by the time to leave this city.

From here we wander into town. It’s still drizzling. Krish wants to visit the British bookstore and then we’ll look around before heading for the opera house tour.

First we go through the Parco Reale and I notice how much the terrain has changed since we first arrived.

We’re puzzled by not seeing the lights that are supposed to be between the park and Piazza Castello but will need to check this out another time since the rain has started to get a bit more serious.

The opera house has a fantastic gate and, if you’re lucky, as you walk through they will be playing opera on loudspeakers. I took a video but missed the music this time.

The rain is putting paid to doing very much so we decide to stay more or less inside – in gallerias and under porticoes until 3pm when we can buy tour tickets. It may be raining hard but Turin looks pretty good in the rain with its lovely squares and shops. And the British book store is nicely chaotic too.

Some of the stores have beautiful windows. I wonder who shops in them.

As well, Liat has told me about a grocery store, Fiorfood inside the Galleria San Federico so I go to check that out. It’s very fancy. There are several rooms with expensive food goods, as well as upstairs, a large cafe, then a dining room and kitchen on the mezzanine. It’s eye candy!

Walking past the Egyptian museum we see another free museum that seems to be about space and size. We now don’t have enough time to check it out but  I make a mental note in case we can squeeze it in during Monday or Tuesday.  The rain is heavier again and we’re feeling pretty damp so, although it’s now time to buy our tour tickets for the opera, we’re done! Going back to the flat to dry off and rest seems a much better idea.

I’m really not  minding that the rain forces us to relax and keep ourselves entertained after all.