April 24, 2025

Torino, Italia

Good morning. Spent the morning finishing up the packing. Packed up our travel things to leave at Serra and Pietro’s. The Moka pot, milk frother, dish towels, and the like. The don’t need to open until we reach Sonoma suitcases are packed and ready to go.

We met Serra, Pietro and the girls at Tortreia 40 on via Giuseppe Mazzini for cappuccino and brioche. Pietro was off to get some testing done, so we walked with Serra to Piazza Madama Cristina to help out with the girls while she did her marketing. Pietro joined us just as Serra was finishing up.

They walked us back towards the apartment and then we split up. We headed to our apartment and they headed home. Back at the apartment we talked some more about the trip to Jordan in January. Will probably spend some time in Torino in February before heading back to Sonoma and then on to Japan. It will be a quick turn around between getting back from Antarctica and off to Jordan.

We prepared lunch with our leftovers. Need to clean out the refrigerator. Then we were off the take care of the girls this afternoon. We walked Amadea and Luisa down Corso San Maurizio to the Giardini Reali bassi. Nonna got to chase Luisa around. Two-three-year-olds are faster than 70’s some things.

We did finally corral her. She calmed down a bit when Nonna offered her gelato if she would sit properly in her seat. We walked up Viale 1° Maggio to Piazza Castello, then down Via Accademia delle Scienze to the Venchi store. There was an incredible line out the door.

Luisa didn’t notice us passing the Venchi store so we turned left and walked down Via Cesare Battisti , left again on Via Carlo Alberto and right on Via Po towards her favorite gelateria, Nivà, on Piazza Vittorino Veneto. Amadea was very obliging and fell asleep on the way. I sat outside the shop while Nonna and Luisa got their gelati.

Afterwards we walked back to Serra and Pietro’s. Got back and Luisa was on Nonna’s iPad within seconds. Luisa and I sat for a while, then I remembered how much she liked Bing Crosby’s Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo. I put the song on and both of us fell asleep.

After our nap we had an aperitif on the deck outside. I made fresh salsa and we had some corn chips we picked up. Turns out it is very difficult to find cilantro, or coriandolo, here in Italy. Apparently, fifty percent of the population is allergic to it, and the other 50 percent think it tastes like soap. I get it, but it is necessary for a good salsa. I used basil instead – the Italian substitute.

We finished up, said our goodbyes, Luisa was giving us the cold shoulder for leaving. She knows were are off to Sonoma and we will see her this summer, but she was having nothing to do with saying goodbye. Back at the apartment I put the last load of laundry in, finished packing. We played some cards and went to bed.

Buonanotte e ciao, Enrico e Maria