Languages
So as I head into another country, I find myself not being able to communicate fully again but what was so interesting about this train journey was not so much that I was worrying that I won't be able to speak french but that the passengers next to me on the train were speaking another language altogether. They were signing the whole way from Mannheim to Paris. Pretty cool to watch their hands dance around with all three understanding each other perfectly. So while I thought it was hard to communicate but it goes to show i've still got it easier than others still. I was super impressed with them.
Gloomy Train Ride
As I hopped on the train in Mannheim, the sun had not yet risen. I was Paris bound and very excited about this part of the adventure. The only thing that worried me was that it had started drizzling as we crossed the Rhine France-ward. For the first hour it was raining heavily outside. While most others slept on the ICE I was reading the Financial Times (in German!) and the New York Times. I was reading to take my eyes away from the dreary conditions outside. As we crossed into Saarbrucken the rain cleared. This is where all those on the train were treated to a spectacular light display as the rays of sunshine broke through the clouds and decorated the countryside with golden highlighting. The first and only thing I have seen of France to date is the the Cot d' Azur and parts of the provence. Here further north the land is greener and more agricultural. The sun highlighted the beauty of organised agriculture magnificantly. Moreover whenever a small village or farm house came into site the lovely french countryside really came to life contrasted against the grey background. It was very inspiring morning and subsequently wants me to spend more time here when possible.
Torino - Martino Express - Time to leave
I had a couple of gorgeous short rides into the the mountains behind the Gran Madre to Pacetto but other than the weekend was consumed preparing for the return of Travis and Emily and helping with Fausto's surprise party. Luckily the apartment on Via Monferrato wasn't in too much of a mess so I did some shopping to get the fridge stocked again. I wanted to buy more italian wine but realised having to drag my bags back Germany was going to be hard enough as it was!
The surprise party was called the 'The Martino Express' (after Fausto Martino www.faustomartino.com). I did some food deliveries to Lisa with items that had been stored in our fridge. Once Travis and Emily had arrived home it was our job to distract Fausto to give Catherine space to organise the party. She had to bake a pavlova afterall! Fausto is a stubborn person who, when pushed, becomes more stubborn. This didn't help Travis and my task. We had suggested we head out for some 'boys time' and go to Eataly (a gourmet food expo / foodhall www.eataly.it) where they were hosting a beer tasting. Little did we know that Fausto doesn't go out of his way for beer and "loves to hate" Eataly. With all of us pushing, including Catherine, he soon worked out he wasn't allowed at home for the afternoon and had to do as he was told. Travis and I were enjoying a few regional italian beers (some were ok, but we found more often than not the boutique beers were just too much - you could probably only have one or two in a sitting) while poor Fausto simply had to sit it out! He was very coy about the whole thing knowing full well something was up but he wasn't sure what just yet. We dropped him home around 6pm. We were to pick him up at 7:50 for 'dinner'. While Travis, Emily and I had dressed for the occaison, in protest Fausto dressed as casually as possible in a springboks rugby jersey and shorts. Stubborn! He still wasn't sure what was going on but once we said we were going to Piazza Carlina (?) I think the cogs started to tick as he knew that's where the party-tram always starts. As we turned the corner into the piazza he mentioned the tram and as we walked towards it he finally saw Catherine hop out and had worked out what going on. He was surprised and after being so stubborn about his birthday and not being allowed home for the afternoon he got into the swing of things. The tram was great fun. It was always hilarious to see everyone jolt around each time the tram started off again. We did two laps of Turin drinking sangria, champagne and eating aperitivo's. It was at dessert time when things started getting a little silly. Roberto and Lisa were making Mojitos well into the evening. Roberto's trick of covering a balloon in cream and bursting it meant everyone left covered in cream but at least with big smiles! I was very sad to leave Torino.
Thanks to everyone who made it such a great time. Your generosity was amazing and most enjoyable.
The surprise party was called the 'The Martino Express' (after Fausto Martino www.faustomartino.com). I did some food deliveries to Lisa with items that had been stored in our fridge. Once Travis and Emily had arrived home it was our job to distract Fausto to give Catherine space to organise the party. She had to bake a pavlova afterall! Fausto is a stubborn person who, when pushed, becomes more stubborn. This didn't help Travis and my task. We had suggested we head out for some 'boys time' and go to Eataly (a gourmet food expo / foodhall www.eataly.it) where they were hosting a beer tasting. Little did we know that Fausto doesn't go out of his way for beer and "loves to hate" Eataly. With all of us pushing, including Catherine, he soon worked out he wasn't allowed at home for the afternoon and had to do as he was told. Travis and I were enjoying a few regional italian beers (some were ok, but we found more often than not the boutique beers were just too much - you could probably only have one or two in a sitting) while poor Fausto simply had to sit it out! He was very coy about the whole thing knowing full well something was up but he wasn't sure what just yet. We dropped him home around 6pm. We were to pick him up at 7:50 for 'dinner'. While Travis, Emily and I had dressed for the occaison, in protest Fausto dressed as casually as possible in a springboks rugby jersey and shorts. Stubborn! He still wasn't sure what was going on but once we said we were going to Piazza Carlina (?) I think the cogs started to tick as he knew that's where the party-tram always starts. As we turned the corner into the piazza he mentioned the tram and as we walked towards it he finally saw Catherine hop out and had worked out what going on. He was surprised and after being so stubborn about his birthday and not being allowed home for the afternoon he got into the swing of things. The tram was great fun. It was always hilarious to see everyone jolt around each time the tram started off again. We did two laps of Turin drinking sangria, champagne and eating aperitivo's. It was at dessert time when things started getting a little silly. Roberto and Lisa were making Mojitos well into the evening. Roberto's trick of covering a balloon in cream and bursting it meant everyone left covered in cream but at least with big smiles! I was very sad to leave Torino.
Thanks to everyone who made it such a great time. Your generosity was amazing and most enjoyable.
Sorry
I'll get up to date on things in the coming week. I've been distracted by Paris, Belgium and Emma.
Uni starts on Monday...Very excited.
Uni starts on Monday...Very excited.
Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso
I was invited around to lunch on Thursday by Fausto. It was his birthday not that this meant any fanfare only a bowl of fresh pasta mixed with some walnut pesto (yum). They were meant to be heading off to the mountains the night before but didn't quite get there. Both Fausto and Catherine are tired, although both won't admit it!
It was suggested that I might like to see some more of the mountains and because they were leaving later that afternoon, maybe i'd like to join them.
Instead of going with them in the car, I headed off pretty quickly and rode up towards the Parco Nazionale. After 2600m of serious serious climbing I made it. The stars were closer because I was so high, the air thin and the fact that this is a big lie means I can't write much more about it....in fact I put my bike in the car and we took off up into the mountains. I had no idea what to expect really.
http://tinyurl.com/mrqtfk is the route. Photos are here: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/ajoest/TheMountains#
It was relatively late in the afternoon so if I did want to ride back, which was plan A, I only had a hour to look around before needing to head off. After seeing the Refugio (the alpine hut) and the surrounds I thought it crazy not to stay and see a little more notwithstanding the novelty of waking up in the mountains and do some hiking. So I decided to stay the night. It's not cheap but a nights stay includes dinner and breakfast. They work on a strict time regime in the Refugio Chivasso. It got a bit out of control but i'll write about that later. Dinner was at 7:15 so I had an hour to wander off and check out some of the area. I took lots of great little photos of the flowers. Unfortunately I tried taking large landscape panoramas but with a little camera none really represent the expanse of the place at all. I came across another Refugio and also a shephard watching over his cattle. I was inspired by the place that I built a little stone statue in the middle of the valley alongside a creek as my gift to the mountains gods. Before long it was time to head back for dinner. It was also getting cold and considering I only brought a light jumper I was worried that might have been a little foolish.
Dinner was a three course extravaganza. Buonissimo!!! A hearty minestrone soup to start, a plate of polenta, potatoes and chicken and for dessert - wow....a buonet (?) a mousse made with chocolate, coffee, amaretto...seriously amazing!
After playing cards for a little, Fausto asked whether we could have a ......(i'll track down the word for it later)...coffee liquer type thing. This caused a bit of a stir because the Refugio manager didn't want to break tradition and serve this drink out of season. Fausto reasoned with him saying that I was all the way from Australia and that it would be a nice gesture. We got the drink with a lot of grumbling. The ......came in a friendship mug. A large wooden bowl with four drinking points. Needless to say, it was worth the haggling as it was a great end to the evening. Lights out at 10pm.
I woke up this morning to a knocking on the door. We had overslept out 7:30am curfew. Our breakfast had been put on the table already deliberately so it would be cold by the time we got out of bed. I slept pretty badly for some reason but Catherine didn't sleep at all so she was not impressed with their 'tradizione'...I was just going with the flow and didn't mind other than the bread was stale and the coffee was worse than International Roast.
Catherine and Fausto were aiming for the Refugio Rossetti (I think) so I joined them for the first section up to Lago Rossett. I was a gorgeous still blue-sky day and so walking into the mountains was an absolute joy. We saw many marmots, birds and insects. The flowers at that alitude (over 2600m) are very vibrant and fun to photograph. The lakes are crystal clear and each has a different hue. Lago Rossett is of an emerald hue while the others darker again. I turned around at Lago Rossett and headed back to the Refugio. Fausto and Catherine headed onwards and upwards. They had to tackle a mountain pass around 3200m high before heading back down into another valley.
I got back to the Refugio and was greeted by the hut manager. He was trying to be nice but in the end gave me a massive lecture on how I had to respect the tradizione of the mountains and that it was not a place to be commercialised. All I had done was lock my bike up. This inferred to him that I didn't trust the mountain people; it wasn't like the city he pointed out. Unfortunately I really couldn't communicate with him, as I would have really like to point out that he moved my bag earlier that morning because he didn't want it to get stolen! This guy was a real grump. He had commercialised his hut as it was the most expensive of all of them and they served lunches for extra cash. It really put me off. I admit I didn't turn up in full hiking gear and wasn't there to hike specifically however it was annoying to leave feeling somewhat unwelcome.
With all of that behind me, I was back in my knicks and punching downhill, deep into the Ceresole Valley. The switch backs were pretty intense with plenty of traffic coming up hill on very narrow roads. Looking down at Lake Surra is equally as spectacular as looking back up to where I had come from. It was 600m of altitude between the coll and Lago Serru (although the road was switching back on itself for all those people who had already started trying to calculate the angle!). People were climbing it by bike but it would have been seriously hard going grinding away.
I was happy going the other way sitting in the 54:11 (gear ratio front: rear!) smashing out some fast speeds particularly through the 3.5km tunnel. It reminded me of the morning we rode through the Heysen tunnels last Christmas with Amber shouting with joy at the top of her lungs in the tunnel. I did the same! It was exhilarating!
The temperature difference was very noticable when I got back to the low-lands. It was cool up the top. I needed a light jumper even in the sun. At the bottom it was low thirties. Suffice to say, I sweated it for the remaining 70kms home once I had reached the valley floor.
Once home it was time for some refuelling. I hadn't eaten since the stale bread and grumpy hut-manager breakfast and was starving by the time I was back just after 4pm. I sit here writing this blog and posting photos very grateful for Fausto and Catherine to take me with them. It is accessible and yet few people venture up the windy roads.
I hope I will continue to get inspired to head up the windy roads and experience more of the open spaces and beautiful scenery in the very near future.
It was suggested that I might like to see some more of the mountains and because they were leaving later that afternoon, maybe i'd like to join them.
Instead of going with them in the car, I headed off pretty quickly and rode up towards the Parco Nazionale. After 2600m of serious serious climbing I made it. The stars were closer because I was so high, the air thin and the fact that this is a big lie means I can't write much more about it....in fact I put my bike in the car and we took off up into the mountains. I had no idea what to expect really.
http://tinyurl.com/mrqtfk is the route. Photos are here: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/ajoest/TheMountains#
It was relatively late in the afternoon so if I did want to ride back, which was plan A, I only had a hour to look around before needing to head off. After seeing the Refugio (the alpine hut) and the surrounds I thought it crazy not to stay and see a little more notwithstanding the novelty of waking up in the mountains and do some hiking. So I decided to stay the night. It's not cheap but a nights stay includes dinner and breakfast. They work on a strict time regime in the Refugio Chivasso. It got a bit out of control but i'll write about that later. Dinner was at 7:15 so I had an hour to wander off and check out some of the area. I took lots of great little photos of the flowers. Unfortunately I tried taking large landscape panoramas but with a little camera none really represent the expanse of the place at all. I came across another Refugio and also a shephard watching over his cattle. I was inspired by the place that I built a little stone statue in the middle of the valley alongside a creek as my gift to the mountains gods. Before long it was time to head back for dinner. It was also getting cold and considering I only brought a light jumper I was worried that might have been a little foolish.
Dinner was a three course extravaganza. Buonissimo!!! A hearty minestrone soup to start, a plate of polenta, potatoes and chicken and for dessert - wow....a buonet (?) a mousse made with chocolate, coffee, amaretto...seriously amazing!
After playing cards for a little, Fausto asked whether we could have a ......(i'll track down the word for it later)...coffee liquer type thing. This caused a bit of a stir because the Refugio manager didn't want to break tradition and serve this drink out of season. Fausto reasoned with him saying that I was all the way from Australia and that it would be a nice gesture. We got the drink with a lot of grumbling. The ......came in a friendship mug. A large wooden bowl with four drinking points. Needless to say, it was worth the haggling as it was a great end to the evening. Lights out at 10pm.
I woke up this morning to a knocking on the door. We had overslept out 7:30am curfew. Our breakfast had been put on the table already deliberately so it would be cold by the time we got out of bed. I slept pretty badly for some reason but Catherine didn't sleep at all so she was not impressed with their 'tradizione'...I was just going with the flow and didn't mind other than the bread was stale and the coffee was worse than International Roast.
Catherine and Fausto were aiming for the Refugio Rossetti (I think) so I joined them for the first section up to Lago Rossett. I was a gorgeous still blue-sky day and so walking into the mountains was an absolute joy. We saw many marmots, birds and insects. The flowers at that alitude (over 2600m) are very vibrant and fun to photograph. The lakes are crystal clear and each has a different hue. Lago Rossett is of an emerald hue while the others darker again. I turned around at Lago Rossett and headed back to the Refugio. Fausto and Catherine headed onwards and upwards. They had to tackle a mountain pass around 3200m high before heading back down into another valley.
I got back to the Refugio and was greeted by the hut manager. He was trying to be nice but in the end gave me a massive lecture on how I had to respect the tradizione of the mountains and that it was not a place to be commercialised. All I had done was lock my bike up. This inferred to him that I didn't trust the mountain people; it wasn't like the city he pointed out. Unfortunately I really couldn't communicate with him, as I would have really like to point out that he moved my bag earlier that morning because he didn't want it to get stolen! This guy was a real grump. He had commercialised his hut as it was the most expensive of all of them and they served lunches for extra cash. It really put me off. I admit I didn't turn up in full hiking gear and wasn't there to hike specifically however it was annoying to leave feeling somewhat unwelcome.
With all of that behind me, I was back in my knicks and punching downhill, deep into the Ceresole Valley. The switch backs were pretty intense with plenty of traffic coming up hill on very narrow roads. Looking down at Lake Surra is equally as spectacular as looking back up to where I had come from. It was 600m of altitude between the coll and Lago Serru (although the road was switching back on itself for all those people who had already started trying to calculate the angle!). People were climbing it by bike but it would have been seriously hard going grinding away.
I was happy going the other way sitting in the 54:11 (gear ratio front: rear!) smashing out some fast speeds particularly through the 3.5km tunnel. It reminded me of the morning we rode through the Heysen tunnels last Christmas with Amber shouting with joy at the top of her lungs in the tunnel. I did the same! It was exhilarating!
The temperature difference was very noticable when I got back to the low-lands. It was cool up the top. I needed a light jumper even in the sun. At the bottom it was low thirties. Suffice to say, I sweated it for the remaining 70kms home once I had reached the valley floor.
Once home it was time for some refuelling. I hadn't eaten since the stale bread and grumpy hut-manager breakfast and was starving by the time I was back just after 4pm. I sit here writing this blog and posting photos very grateful for Fausto and Catherine to take me with them. It is accessible and yet few people venture up the windy roads.
I hope I will continue to get inspired to head up the windy roads and experience more of the open spaces and beautiful scenery in the very near future.
The BBQ
I mentioned 'BBQ' in conversation at dinner on Sunday night and within an instant it was requested that I put on an authentic BBQ on Tuesday night. In fact they all knew that there was a BBQ where I am staying and more the question was: "Do you know how to use it" as though it was some sort of high tech machine.
Travis and Emily have imported a BBQ from Melbourne, that is they brought it with them. Although Europeans go silly over the idea of BBQ very few have a gas-BBQ. Many use disposable 'grillers' that are fired by coals. On the weekends you will see in Germany and Italy (i'm sure all over Eastern Europe) people sitting in the parks grilling sausages basically on a big tin foil BBQ with some coals glowing in the bottom. So they gas BBQ is a bit of a novelty notwithstanding they have a fantastic balcony / terrace from which to host said cooking events.
The pressure was really on. I mean Italians are famous for their food and considering the places i've eaten with those who were coming I felt under the pump to produce a suitable meal of a suitable quality all under the mandate of a Authentic Australian BBQ.
With the help from Catherine, I bought most of the ingredients at the markets save the meat. Italian butchers make fantastic sausages usually is a big roll. The concept of tasteless, fatty, homogenous, synthetic skinned Coles Beef BBQ sausages are a little foreign to butchers and supermarkets here. So I settled for good quality sausages, mince to make some patties and some chicken breasts to marinate. Similarly, white square bread of any decent quality doesn't exist here. It's either 'toast' tiny pale coloured rock hard almost super sized croutons or very flakey white bread loaves. The later I bought but only to find that wrapping a sausage in one slice would inevitably end in tears as the bread would tear. I mean the Italians make fantastic bread but nothing that resembles Tip Top Wonder White, suitable for a BBQ.
Dodging the finer issues of preparing for a BBQ, I had five guests turn up, James a Sydney-ite who has been living in Torino since the start of the year, Catherine, Fausto and Carla and Roberto (the later four, Em and Trav's friends that I somehow inherited as part of House-sitting duties).
After arrival and drinks were served, I offered around some breads. I offered around some ciabatta that I had bought earlier today as well as some ciabatta I had baked earlier that day. I asked who liked what and they all preferred the second one. No one believed me that I had baked it until I showed photos of the dough. Proud as punch!
Soon after showing off, I fired up the BBQ. Roberto was having a close look at how things were playing out. I offered him the tongs but he insisted I continue. Food from the BBQ was onions, sausages, patties and chicken marinated in an Indian herb and spice mix. From the kitchen we had sliced potatoes with salt and herbs from the provence roasted as well as a big salad (an italian one!).
Conversation varied from topics of Torino to the differences between the way Maoris are treated in NZ compared to the way Aboriginals are treated in Australia. So needless to say, there were many touchy subjects covered and much explaining to poor Carla whose english wasn't at the level required to manage the finer points of the conversation.
Because we had so much bread left over, I whipped up a bread and butter pudding. With a coffee to finish it all off everyone was happy. The moral of that situation is that although it's hard to go past Italian food, when it's new, it's a novelty and hence it can compete!
Travis and Emily have imported a BBQ from Melbourne, that is they brought it with them. Although Europeans go silly over the idea of BBQ very few have a gas-BBQ. Many use disposable 'grillers' that are fired by coals. On the weekends you will see in Germany and Italy (i'm sure all over Eastern Europe) people sitting in the parks grilling sausages basically on a big tin foil BBQ with some coals glowing in the bottom. So they gas BBQ is a bit of a novelty notwithstanding they have a fantastic balcony / terrace from which to host said cooking events.
The pressure was really on. I mean Italians are famous for their food and considering the places i've eaten with those who were coming I felt under the pump to produce a suitable meal of a suitable quality all under the mandate of a Authentic Australian BBQ.
With the help from Catherine, I bought most of the ingredients at the markets save the meat. Italian butchers make fantastic sausages usually is a big roll. The concept of tasteless, fatty, homogenous, synthetic skinned Coles Beef BBQ sausages are a little foreign to butchers and supermarkets here. So I settled for good quality sausages, mince to make some patties and some chicken breasts to marinate. Similarly, white square bread of any decent quality doesn't exist here. It's either 'toast' tiny pale coloured rock hard almost super sized croutons or very flakey white bread loaves. The later I bought but only to find that wrapping a sausage in one slice would inevitably end in tears as the bread would tear. I mean the Italians make fantastic bread but nothing that resembles Tip Top Wonder White, suitable for a BBQ.
Dodging the finer issues of preparing for a BBQ, I had five guests turn up, James a Sydney-ite who has been living in Torino since the start of the year, Catherine, Fausto and Carla and Roberto (the later four, Em and Trav's friends that I somehow inherited as part of House-sitting duties).
After arrival and drinks were served, I offered around some breads. I offered around some ciabatta that I had bought earlier today as well as some ciabatta I had baked earlier that day. I asked who liked what and they all preferred the second one. No one believed me that I had baked it until I showed photos of the dough. Proud as punch!
Soon after showing off, I fired up the BBQ. Roberto was having a close look at how things were playing out. I offered him the tongs but he insisted I continue. Food from the BBQ was onions, sausages, patties and chicken marinated in an Indian herb and spice mix. From the kitchen we had sliced potatoes with salt and herbs from the provence roasted as well as a big salad (an italian one!).
Conversation varied from topics of Torino to the differences between the way Maoris are treated in NZ compared to the way Aboriginals are treated in Australia. So needless to say, there were many touchy subjects covered and much explaining to poor Carla whose english wasn't at the level required to manage the finer points of the conversation.
Because we had so much bread left over, I whipped up a bread and butter pudding. With a coffee to finish it all off everyone was happy. The moral of that situation is that although it's hard to go past Italian food, when it's new, it's a novelty and hence it can compete!
The Aperitivo
One thing the Italians do particularly well is the concept of the Aperitivo. Unlike Australia's eating and drinking culture where you always make a big night of it, here in Italy the Aperitivo is a relatively small, low key approach to meeting up with friends, having a small nibble of a variety of buffet presented foods and a drink or two. Most bars offer the aperitivo such that after buying a drink, the food comes 'free'. The drink usually includes an extra amount to cover the food. Sometimes a lot!
Food includes salads (pasta, rice, cous cous based), meats, small pizzas, roasted vege, fruits (sliced apple with cinnamon was my favourite), small rolls, you know all the stuff you might find at a stand up cocktail party. Some cafes or bars have good aperitivo's others not so. It's a great idea and is probably a bit better than sucking down 400 pints, not eating and having a massive night mid-week after work to catch up with your mates.
Food includes salads (pasta, rice, cous cous based), meats, small pizzas, roasted vege, fruits (sliced apple with cinnamon was my favourite), small rolls, you know all the stuff you might find at a stand up cocktail party. Some cafes or bars have good aperitivo's others not so. It's a great idea and is probably a bit better than sucking down 400 pints, not eating and having a massive night mid-week after work to catch up with your mates.
Photos of Turin
http://picasaweb.google.com.au/ajoest/Turin#
Finally i've got some photos of Turin up. Had to use another internet connection. Thanks McDonalds!
Finally i've got some photos of Turin up. Had to use another internet connection. Thanks McDonalds!
Today I went to Italy...
Isabella, a friend from St Mark's is from Turin and her parents still live here. Isabella put me in touch with Kate and Angelo who have kindly shown me around for the past two days. On Wednesday they had arranged to play golf and being a non-golfer I was asked whether I would like to come along and when they were out on the course, I might like to swim at the pool. I gratefully accepted this offer as Turin has been very hot over the past couple of days. We went out to Cherasco and after a bowl of white spaghetti (plain spaghetti with olive oil and pepper) they set off to hit a white ball around. I followed for the first 6 holes but once my shirt was soaked in sweat I retired to the pool while they carried on. Incidentally, a family friend of theirs Federico was with them. I sat by the pool reading my book and cooling off every now and again with a swim. Five hours later they returned after their 18 holes and Fedo having won the 10Euro bet on who would win playing stableford. The temperature had hit 40degrees so by the time we headed home all four of us we finished. I came home and cooked up a calzone filled with sliced Italian sausage before drinking litres of water!
Kate and Angelo offered on Thursday (today) to show me around the Langhe region. It is a wine and agriculture region south east of Turin. It was of interest to them because they had just bought a house in Calooso and are in the process of moving from Turin to the country. Heading out on the motor way there was no sign we were close to a wine region. Obviously as the city ended there was more industry and as the industry ended there was more agriculture. However it wasn't until we went through a tunnel that suddenly we were in the vineyards of the Lunghe.
It's a tightly knit area with some family enterprise vineyards only a hectare in size. The soil looks very limey and is the terrain is very undulating and in some cases very steep indeed. The vines were all pruned to form a canopy that was green and tall but very narrow on each trellis. The grapes all hung reasonably low on the vine. There were many old (roman) farm houses scattered around and on nearly every high point was an old church tower or castle. We searched Barbaresco for a coffee and the well known wine bar but like the rest of Italy the town was pretty much closed. Touring through one certainly got a sense that things happened pretty slowly and that not a lot had changed in a long time. The houses were all in good condition and so too the land. It must be close to harvest as it has been a hot winter. Harvesting on such steep land must surely mean hand picking. That is the way of life here. I had in my mind that I might be able to get to some cellar doors but not here. Most growers and makers sell to cooperatives who then distribute on. This is because most places are so small. I don't know they survive economically at all making 10 barrels a year. Some less I’m told.
We arrived in Calosso and after having said hello to the restaurant manager a discussion erupted between Angelo and the restaurateur. Angelo has a question about the tunnels that were set into the back of many of the buildings that served as cool places to cure meat and cheese. Before we knew we were sitting face to face with the mayor of Calosso! The restaurateur went upstairs briefly and arranged that we meet the mayor. For Kate and Angelo this was their first meeting and for me...well I had no idea what was going on. The office was very unassuming. The desk was small and on an angle to the room. An old computer sat on a small desk in the corner while an Italian flat and a European flag hung side by side behind the Mayor. As new house owners in the area they discussed many things with this somewhat dry typical politician. Apparently the town wanted to use their new house for a function later in the year because it had more space due to these tunnels than their venue last year. A lot of hand waving and animated Italian went on before matters were presumably settled and we wandered downstairs to lunch.
Lunch was delicious antipasti of cold roast beef with creamy sauce, roast / dried capsicum with anchovy paste, lardo, finely cut beef fillet tartar with parmesan shavings. For a main Angelo and I each had a plate of veal and sage ravioli. To try some wines and considering the heat we had a go at a local Arneis and local light red. The local reds (Barbaresco and Barolo can be very brutal apparently...in line with a Barossa baseball-bat red). Kate and Angelo ordered dessert out of politeness and while I declined, Kate handed me hers anyway. It was a cold formed cream with berries and lots of icing sugar. Totally delicious. The restaurateur happened to used to own the wine library on the street when I am, Via Monferrato, one of Travis's favourite places.
I have a terrible memory of all the villages we drove through but we headed toward Asti and saw more of the country side. The landscape changed to more open less steep land with more cropping. In fact it was very similar to Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills. All very beautiful with scattered Italian / Tuscan / Roman farm houses with their terracotta roofs breaking up the green fields. We stopped for a revitalising coke and gelato high on a hill in a village with a big square (I forget the name). It must have been around 40 degrees again as the bitumen and all the stone walls were radiating significant heat around us.
It was home then for a two hour break before dinner. Fedo's mother owns a restaurant called Ponte Vecchio (the bridge in Firenze). It's a classical Italian restaurant favoured by locals with a strong loyalty base. Because of Kate and Angelo's friendship we were seated on the family table. That is, the table where friends and family dine on a nightly basis. The atmosphere was very family based with everyone knowing everyone. All the staff knew those at the table. Another family was seated at the end nonetheless everyone knew everyone. Subsequently the service was exceptional and the food was as authentic as I could hope to imagine. I had a minestrone type relatively (purposely) luke warm soup to start (pasta, beans and a thick creamy tomato sauce. Fredo allowed me to taste his octopus dish. It was so simple with only tomato and chopped red onions with some seasoning and oil. Very light appropriating the heat of the day. For mains Angelo and I shared some fish with sides of potato. All dishes were lathered in olive oil to ensure our bodies were well lubricated. Italian words were flying around the table while Kate did an amazing job of translating between everyone. Fedo loved practicing his English along the way.
We retired to the back table so that everyone could smoke. The back table is the normal family table but because of the low trade during August the family table was moved to the front to make the place look fuller. Mirror neuron marketing for you. The chef was playing cards with a regular. We enjoyed a coffee and a very good vodka. While Kate and I rabbitted on for hours, the others got suitable animated in Italian hand waving and card playing. Soon all the staff and owners were involved; playing cards, smoking and drinking. Kate and I covered numerous topics but one of note was the idea of how much better Italians are at communicating. It's a way of life and creates the stereotype images of the hand waving and what look like constant arguments. Part of that is the family meals consolidated in this case by the 'family table' at Ponte Vecchio.
It was a most enjoyable day and I thank Isabella for arranging that I meet Kate and Angelo. Their hospitality and generosity has been huge and very kind. I am sadly starting to feel at home in Torino. Sad because I leave in under a week and a half.
Kate and Angelo offered on Thursday (today) to show me around the Langhe region. It is a wine and agriculture region south east of Turin. It was of interest to them because they had just bought a house in Calooso and are in the process of moving from Turin to the country. Heading out on the motor way there was no sign we were close to a wine region. Obviously as the city ended there was more industry and as the industry ended there was more agriculture. However it wasn't until we went through a tunnel that suddenly we were in the vineyards of the Lunghe.
It's a tightly knit area with some family enterprise vineyards only a hectare in size. The soil looks very limey and is the terrain is very undulating and in some cases very steep indeed. The vines were all pruned to form a canopy that was green and tall but very narrow on each trellis. The grapes all hung reasonably low on the vine. There were many old (roman) farm houses scattered around and on nearly every high point was an old church tower or castle. We searched Barbaresco for a coffee and the well known wine bar but like the rest of Italy the town was pretty much closed. Touring through one certainly got a sense that things happened pretty slowly and that not a lot had changed in a long time. The houses were all in good condition and so too the land. It must be close to harvest as it has been a hot winter. Harvesting on such steep land must surely mean hand picking. That is the way of life here. I had in my mind that I might be able to get to some cellar doors but not here. Most growers and makers sell to cooperatives who then distribute on. This is because most places are so small. I don't know they survive economically at all making 10 barrels a year. Some less I’m told.
We arrived in Calosso and after having said hello to the restaurant manager a discussion erupted between Angelo and the restaurateur. Angelo has a question about the tunnels that were set into the back of many of the buildings that served as cool places to cure meat and cheese. Before we knew we were sitting face to face with the mayor of Calosso! The restaurateur went upstairs briefly and arranged that we meet the mayor. For Kate and Angelo this was their first meeting and for me...well I had no idea what was going on. The office was very unassuming. The desk was small and on an angle to the room. An old computer sat on a small desk in the corner while an Italian flat and a European flag hung side by side behind the Mayor. As new house owners in the area they discussed many things with this somewhat dry typical politician. Apparently the town wanted to use their new house for a function later in the year because it had more space due to these tunnels than their venue last year. A lot of hand waving and animated Italian went on before matters were presumably settled and we wandered downstairs to lunch.
Lunch was delicious antipasti of cold roast beef with creamy sauce, roast / dried capsicum with anchovy paste, lardo, finely cut beef fillet tartar with parmesan shavings. For a main Angelo and I each had a plate of veal and sage ravioli. To try some wines and considering the heat we had a go at a local Arneis and local light red. The local reds (Barbaresco and Barolo can be very brutal apparently...in line with a Barossa baseball-bat red). Kate and Angelo ordered dessert out of politeness and while I declined, Kate handed me hers anyway. It was a cold formed cream with berries and lots of icing sugar. Totally delicious. The restaurateur happened to used to own the wine library on the street when I am, Via Monferrato, one of Travis's favourite places.
I have a terrible memory of all the villages we drove through but we headed toward Asti and saw more of the country side. The landscape changed to more open less steep land with more cropping. In fact it was very similar to Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills. All very beautiful with scattered Italian / Tuscan / Roman farm houses with their terracotta roofs breaking up the green fields. We stopped for a revitalising coke and gelato high on a hill in a village with a big square (I forget the name). It must have been around 40 degrees again as the bitumen and all the stone walls were radiating significant heat around us.
It was home then for a two hour break before dinner. Fedo's mother owns a restaurant called Ponte Vecchio (the bridge in Firenze). It's a classical Italian restaurant favoured by locals with a strong loyalty base. Because of Kate and Angelo's friendship we were seated on the family table. That is, the table where friends and family dine on a nightly basis. The atmosphere was very family based with everyone knowing everyone. All the staff knew those at the table. Another family was seated at the end nonetheless everyone knew everyone. Subsequently the service was exceptional and the food was as authentic as I could hope to imagine. I had a minestrone type relatively (purposely) luke warm soup to start (pasta, beans and a thick creamy tomato sauce. Fredo allowed me to taste his octopus dish. It was so simple with only tomato and chopped red onions with some seasoning and oil. Very light appropriating the heat of the day. For mains Angelo and I shared some fish with sides of potato. All dishes were lathered in olive oil to ensure our bodies were well lubricated. Italian words were flying around the table while Kate did an amazing job of translating between everyone. Fedo loved practicing his English along the way.
We retired to the back table so that everyone could smoke. The back table is the normal family table but because of the low trade during August the family table was moved to the front to make the place look fuller. Mirror neuron marketing for you. The chef was playing cards with a regular. We enjoyed a coffee and a very good vodka. While Kate and I rabbitted on for hours, the others got suitable animated in Italian hand waving and card playing. Soon all the staff and owners were involved; playing cards, smoking and drinking. Kate and I covered numerous topics but one of note was the idea of how much better Italians are at communicating. It's a way of life and creates the stereotype images of the hand waving and what look like constant arguments. Part of that is the family meals consolidated in this case by the 'family table' at Ponte Vecchio.
It was a most enjoyable day and I thank Isabella for arranging that I meet Kate and Angelo. Their hospitality and generosity has been huge and very kind. I am sadly starting to feel at home in Torino. Sad because I leave in under a week and a half.
A day in the life of...
I was in the Torino zone today!
Tough day at the office....
- Woke up at 6am...dozed til 10am!
- Muesli and a tea
- Emails to the world
- Walked to markets a different way than I normally go to see some other stuff
- Bought fruit and vege
- On the lookout for a thief riding a silver bike they stole at the train station...didn't see one
- Had a beautiful onion and cheese 'white pizza' at a shop near the markets
- Focaccia Milanese, coke and a machiato at another cafe in the city and read the Financial Times.
- Headed home
- Made a coffee and wanted to start baking but didn't have yeast.
- Started reading: My years with General Motors sunbaking on the back verandah in the sun
- Bought some yeast when the supermarket opened. Opening hours are 8am - midday and then 4pm til 8pm. Bless the unions!
- Made the starter dough for baguettes (needs to stay over night ready for making final dough and baking tomorrow)
- Tried making piadina but not the same as the lebanese lady in the markets. Needs to be made with lard not olive oil and almost layered like pastry. This recipe would be great to make burettos at home rather than buy them.
- Made pizza dough.
- Did some sketching while it rose.
- Made proscuitto, mozarella pizza and also a margherita pizza. The dough was amazing - finally think i've cracked the code. The right recipe helps!
- Did some more sketching
- Cleaned everything in the kitchen and organised laundry
- Had a shower (it's very hot here still!)
- More emails and reading papers online
- Contact insurance company and ask what my options are
- Read book
- Sleep
Tough day at the office....
Sunday thoughts and activities
Fat people on Sky
Thanks to Sky channel, when i'm bored I resort to Sky cable TV (it's always the last resort particularly when I watch what i'm about to explain). There are some good things among the 900 channels but my favourites are the cooking shows. I did flick across to a show about the obesity epidemic in the US and ended up watching it for a while. What was presented as a documentary about one 14 year old girls 'struggle' with obesity in my eyes was actually a comedy about how stupid people are.
This 14 year old American girl was 300 pounds (or something like 150kgs). She complained that she was unable to go out socially and that the world was against her. She had been in contact with a surgeon who had promised to perform liposuction on her. Her mother, (single mum) was working two jobs to keep this 14yo in school, fed and looked after.
The surgeon promised to perform surgery if this girls iron levels improved. With low iron levels, too much blood loss during surgery could add other complications.
All this sounds fine....however for a 14yo girl, I think the surgeon should have offered brain surgery.
In further footage, the girl was seen eating deep fried food when her mum wasn't looking - actually the 'mom' was at the casino gambling. When her mum presented good wholesome healthy food the 14yo was looking at a tomato asking what it was. Told to try it, she did but spat it out. Her 'normal' looking meal was wasted. Was it the first time her mother had cooked a healthy meal? I'd say so. Just for the cameras.
If you like food, by looking at this kid you could tell she liked food....then learn about food. Learn about all different types of food. International cuisine, market food, exotic fruit and vegetables....learn why Italians eat so much great food and they are all skinny....
This girl wasn't able to improve her iron levels with good food or even supplements. So no surgery for her. The doctor wisely suggested her do some exercise and eat less. I would have sent her next door for that brain transplant.
Lakes District - Australian Team
Upon chatting with Nick Hudson, a mate from Sydney, I decided to head up to Varese to check out the lakes (again) and see if I couldn't meet up with the Australian Team. Varese is 50odd kms north of Milan and is the poor mans cousin of the bigger Como and Maggiore lakes. Nonetheless it is a beautiful area and a rowers heaven! Because I hadn't looked up the directions I simply jumped off the train and headed toward to the water. I expected Varese to be right on the water, similar to Como but this wasn't the case. So after I found the water, I looked for the first rowing sheds. It turned out the first shed I got to was where the British team were based. Asking them for help, the send me to the other end of the lake to where the Aus team was based. The British team coaches were actually Australians I think! Once I got to the Gravirate sheds, i found the Aus team boat man who said they had finished for the day and had just headed back to their hotel on the other side of the lake!! It was cool to check out the sheds. After watching the Ginn and Tomkins video from 2003 which shot many scenes of them training in Varese it was very cool to see it in person. It is certainly a gorgeous lake. It was a bit smelly and could have done with a clean but mirror flat.
I rode around to Biandronno to the Hotel Continental to where the Aus team was having lunch! It was a little strange walking into the dining room as I knew quite a few of them and it took a little while before people processed that I was there unexpectedly! A bit surreal but I said hi to Osti, Bolty, Bryn, Alice Mc, Dave Crawshay and some of the other SUBC and MUBC people I had met over the years. They were all going really well and pumped for Senior A Worlds in Poznan in a week or so. Bolty had just finished his Under 23 trip before getting a call up to be reserve. He's over doing the work loads for those injured and although looked tired was certainly looking strong. What a great opportunity for him. Huddo is feeling strong in the quad although they are up against the Polish in their home country. The Polish won at Beijing and the last 3 world champs with the crew unchanged.
I left those guys to chill out at the hotel and hopped back on the bike and rode around to Lake Maggiore. Here I just trundled around the beautiful lake. It was dinner time so people were all around eating outdoors or wandering licking gelato! Superlative lifestyle!
I slept most of the way back on the train. The parts that I was awake I looked out the window across the rice fields and at the old roman style farm houses wondering how different life would be now for these guys as it would have been when Caesar was fighting people coming across the mountains. I doubt not much other than they have tractors to do the hard work instead of slaves!
Thanks to Sky channel, when i'm bored I resort to Sky cable TV (it's always the last resort particularly when I watch what i'm about to explain). There are some good things among the 900 channels but my favourites are the cooking shows. I did flick across to a show about the obesity epidemic in the US and ended up watching it for a while. What was presented as a documentary about one 14 year old girls 'struggle' with obesity in my eyes was actually a comedy about how stupid people are.
This 14 year old American girl was 300 pounds (or something like 150kgs). She complained that she was unable to go out socially and that the world was against her. She had been in contact with a surgeon who had promised to perform liposuction on her. Her mother, (single mum) was working two jobs to keep this 14yo in school, fed and looked after.
The surgeon promised to perform surgery if this girls iron levels improved. With low iron levels, too much blood loss during surgery could add other complications.
All this sounds fine....however for a 14yo girl, I think the surgeon should have offered brain surgery.
In further footage, the girl was seen eating deep fried food when her mum wasn't looking - actually the 'mom' was at the casino gambling. When her mum presented good wholesome healthy food the 14yo was looking at a tomato asking what it was. Told to try it, she did but spat it out. Her 'normal' looking meal was wasted. Was it the first time her mother had cooked a healthy meal? I'd say so. Just for the cameras.
If you like food, by looking at this kid you could tell she liked food....then learn about food. Learn about all different types of food. International cuisine, market food, exotic fruit and vegetables....learn why Italians eat so much great food and they are all skinny....
This girl wasn't able to improve her iron levels with good food or even supplements. So no surgery for her. The doctor wisely suggested her do some exercise and eat less. I would have sent her next door for that brain transplant.
Lakes District - Australian Team
Upon chatting with Nick Hudson, a mate from Sydney, I decided to head up to Varese to check out the lakes (again) and see if I couldn't meet up with the Australian Team. Varese is 50odd kms north of Milan and is the poor mans cousin of the bigger Como and Maggiore lakes. Nonetheless it is a beautiful area and a rowers heaven! Because I hadn't looked up the directions I simply jumped off the train and headed toward to the water. I expected Varese to be right on the water, similar to Como but this wasn't the case. So after I found the water, I looked for the first rowing sheds. It turned out the first shed I got to was where the British team were based. Asking them for help, the send me to the other end of the lake to where the Aus team was based. The British team coaches were actually Australians I think! Once I got to the Gravirate sheds, i found the Aus team boat man who said they had finished for the day and had just headed back to their hotel on the other side of the lake!! It was cool to check out the sheds. After watching the Ginn and Tomkins video from 2003 which shot many scenes of them training in Varese it was very cool to see it in person. It is certainly a gorgeous lake. It was a bit smelly and could have done with a clean but mirror flat.
I rode around to Biandronno to the Hotel Continental to where the Aus team was having lunch! It was a little strange walking into the dining room as I knew quite a few of them and it took a little while before people processed that I was there unexpectedly! A bit surreal but I said hi to Osti, Bolty, Bryn, Alice Mc, Dave Crawshay and some of the other SUBC and MUBC people I had met over the years. They were all going really well and pumped for Senior A Worlds in Poznan in a week or so. Bolty had just finished his Under 23 trip before getting a call up to be reserve. He's over doing the work loads for those injured and although looked tired was certainly looking strong. What a great opportunity for him. Huddo is feeling strong in the quad although they are up against the Polish in their home country. The Polish won at Beijing and the last 3 world champs with the crew unchanged.
I left those guys to chill out at the hotel and hopped back on the bike and rode around to Lake Maggiore. Here I just trundled around the beautiful lake. It was dinner time so people were all around eating outdoors or wandering licking gelato! Superlative lifestyle!
I slept most of the way back on the train. The parts that I was awake I looked out the window across the rice fields and at the old roman style farm houses wondering how different life would be now for these guys as it would have been when Caesar was fighting people coming across the mountains. I doubt not much other than they have tractors to do the hard work instead of slaves!
First Full week in Torino
Errors from last email
I think I got a few things wrong in my last blog. Torino is in Piedmont. Milan is in Lombardia. Both areas house the super powers of Italy in terms of industry and this wealth. I'll need to research what the crazy Napolean was up to when he tried his hand at joining Italy to France.
Food
Most days for me here in Torino revolve around food. I have been checking out cook books and watching people at restaurants in the hope I can learn to make the food I cook and love 'more' Italian. Most days I try to make a new bread / focaccia / pizza base. I've been trying a few Indian dishes as well as I find their food has the same simplistic rich taste philosophies. My biggest challenge is finding what each ingredient is in Italian. Once I work that out, i'm all good. It's been great and I think i'm getting better at bread. I clearly will need a wood fired oven in my house (when that all happens!) and a good source of flour, yeast and vegetables!
Chiuso
Chiuos is a word that is seen on most shop fronts at the moment. While you might think that the Italians would want to be doing everything in their power to stimulate the economy actually they are on holidays. I estimate 80% of shops are closed at the moment. In the touristy spots most things are open but everything else is closed. I don't know if it is a rule but the shops all show when they are closed until. Some have said they won't open until September! The little bakery below me here on Via Monferrato has a ?? marked where it should have a re-opening date! It is bloody hot here in Torino so I can see why people are leaving...
Milan with George
On Friday, the 14th I headed across to Milan to meet Georgie Mitchell. She had been hanging in Lausanne and was keen to meet up. We thought Milan would be good as all the main train lines head through there. Feeling somewhat like a local I was able to show her around the main bits of the city and all the fancy shops. Luckily for her credit card most of the big shops were closed for the holidays. Nonetheless we found respite in the air conditioned Ralph Lauren shop among others. We had lunch in front of the Duomo and also checked out the Design Super Market in La Rinascente. Unfortunately our trip was short but we got to do the main things and hang out which was great.
The only bummer was getting back to Torino to find Trav's bike missing where I had locked it up in front of the train station. This meant trying to deal with the train station security and the police. All very hard with no Italian! Not sure what i'm going to do now but presumably owe Trav a bike! Bummer.
Bike rides with Falsto
Falsto has been taking me on short little bike rides around the hills of Torino as well as along the River Po. He rides a mountain bike so it's a little hard to keep up on my roadie on the dirt tracks! In any case it's been fun. On Saturday we followed the River Po south. It was great seeing the back-blocks of Torino. Sections of the track were lined with huge apartment blocks clearly built for the working class who operated the former Fiat plant here in Lingotto. A great side of Torino and Italy to see.
He had to head home but pointed me in the direction of Avigliano which is a small town to the west of Torino with some gorgeous little lakes. Although it was pretty warm by then I decided to head around to the huge old church/cathedral San Michele perched high up on the cliff above Sant Ambrogio. i couldn't find a way up there from where I was so ended up riding along the main roads to Susa. The road to Susa follows a large valley running west of Torino. It is one of the main exits to France and Switzerland. Also in the valley is a mountain stream. I got to Susa, rather exhausted mind you, and found a bakery to refuel. In fact it was a sensational bakery and one of the best i've been to in Italy. Lots of sweets! The Focaccia di Susa (sugar coated sweet Focaccia) was amazing.
I had planned to head back to Torino (as Susa is 50kms from Torino by main road) but on my way saw a sign pointing into the mountain saying Colle delle Finestre. This road also had road signs pointing to France! This excited me...anyway it was some serious climbing. It was about 12kms of switch back after switch climbing to 1500m altitude. Luckily much of the road on the way up was in the shade and there were water stations along the way. I was sweating seriously hard and constantly out of the saddle punching the 39-25 wishing for a 28! I was hoping to get to the top which is at 2200m or something but unfortunately the road turned to very rough dirt road stopping me. This was probably a good thing because I needed to get home as well! So I punched back down the switch-backs on the brakes a lot of time. The front wheel was scorching hot from the friction brakes when I got to the bottom in Susa and stopped for directions. I pointed my front wheel in the direction of Torino and hit it into a stiff headwind all the way home. By the time I crawled onto the couch in Torino and checked google maps i'd done 158kms. Once again, it was great to see different parts of the country side here. It turned out I was only 20kms from the Swiss border! Next time...
I think I got a few things wrong in my last blog. Torino is in Piedmont. Milan is in Lombardia. Both areas house the super powers of Italy in terms of industry and this wealth. I'll need to research what the crazy Napolean was up to when he tried his hand at joining Italy to France.
Food
Most days for me here in Torino revolve around food. I have been checking out cook books and watching people at restaurants in the hope I can learn to make the food I cook and love 'more' Italian. Most days I try to make a new bread / focaccia / pizza base. I've been trying a few Indian dishes as well as I find their food has the same simplistic rich taste philosophies. My biggest challenge is finding what each ingredient is in Italian. Once I work that out, i'm all good. It's been great and I think i'm getting better at bread. I clearly will need a wood fired oven in my house (when that all happens!) and a good source of flour, yeast and vegetables!
Chiuso
Chiuos is a word that is seen on most shop fronts at the moment. While you might think that the Italians would want to be doing everything in their power to stimulate the economy actually they are on holidays. I estimate 80% of shops are closed at the moment. In the touristy spots most things are open but everything else is closed. I don't know if it is a rule but the shops all show when they are closed until. Some have said they won't open until September! The little bakery below me here on Via Monferrato has a ?? marked where it should have a re-opening date! It is bloody hot here in Torino so I can see why people are leaving...
Milan with George
On Friday, the 14th I headed across to Milan to meet Georgie Mitchell. She had been hanging in Lausanne and was keen to meet up. We thought Milan would be good as all the main train lines head through there. Feeling somewhat like a local I was able to show her around the main bits of the city and all the fancy shops. Luckily for her credit card most of the big shops were closed for the holidays. Nonetheless we found respite in the air conditioned Ralph Lauren shop among others. We had lunch in front of the Duomo and also checked out the Design Super Market in La Rinascente. Unfortunately our trip was short but we got to do the main things and hang out which was great.
The only bummer was getting back to Torino to find Trav's bike missing where I had locked it up in front of the train station. This meant trying to deal with the train station security and the police. All very hard with no Italian! Not sure what i'm going to do now but presumably owe Trav a bike! Bummer.
Bike rides with Falsto
Falsto has been taking me on short little bike rides around the hills of Torino as well as along the River Po. He rides a mountain bike so it's a little hard to keep up on my roadie on the dirt tracks! In any case it's been fun. On Saturday we followed the River Po south. It was great seeing the back-blocks of Torino. Sections of the track were lined with huge apartment blocks clearly built for the working class who operated the former Fiat plant here in Lingotto. A great side of Torino and Italy to see.
He had to head home but pointed me in the direction of Avigliano which is a small town to the west of Torino with some gorgeous little lakes. Although it was pretty warm by then I decided to head around to the huge old church/cathedral San Michele perched high up on the cliff above Sant Ambrogio. i couldn't find a way up there from where I was so ended up riding along the main roads to Susa. The road to Susa follows a large valley running west of Torino. It is one of the main exits to France and Switzerland. Also in the valley is a mountain stream. I got to Susa, rather exhausted mind you, and found a bakery to refuel. In fact it was a sensational bakery and one of the best i've been to in Italy. Lots of sweets! The Focaccia di Susa (sugar coated sweet Focaccia) was amazing.
I had planned to head back to Torino (as Susa is 50kms from Torino by main road) but on my way saw a sign pointing into the mountain saying Colle delle Finestre. This road also had road signs pointing to France! This excited me...anyway it was some serious climbing. It was about 12kms of switch back after switch climbing to 1500m altitude. Luckily much of the road on the way up was in the shade and there were water stations along the way. I was sweating seriously hard and constantly out of the saddle punching the 39-25 wishing for a 28! I was hoping to get to the top which is at 2200m or something but unfortunately the road turned to very rough dirt road stopping me. This was probably a good thing because I needed to get home as well! So I punched back down the switch-backs on the brakes a lot of time. The front wheel was scorching hot from the friction brakes when I got to the bottom in Susa and stopped for directions. I pointed my front wheel in the direction of Torino and hit it into a stiff headwind all the way home. By the time I crawled onto the couch in Torino and checked google maps i'd done 158kms. Once again, it was great to see different parts of the country side here. It turned out I was only 20kms from the Swiss border! Next time...
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