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Saturday, September 7, 2024

Torino, Italia

 

Last night we did learn that this apartment isn’t in such a great location. There are three or four bars or restaurants with outside dinning and drinking on the same block. There is one right below the bedroom window. Friday night was apparently do out and be loud night. If the apartment had air conditioning, we could have kept the window closed, be alas that isn’t the case. Something to remember when booking an apartment.

 

Otherwise, the location of this apartment is good. Not too far from Serra and Pietro’s, and near all the shopping, major parks, and tourist spots. We decided to look and see if we could find an apartment near here for when we return in October. We shouldn’t need air conditioning in October, but we will want one with heat. A lot of cities in Europe don’t provide the steam for heat until after November 1. Again, we may need air conditioning anyway. Most of the electric air conditioning units also provide heat.

 

After doing a search on Booking.com, I had a list of five or six different address around Piazza Vittorio Veneto. This isn’t the least expensive area, but it is close to everything as was pointed out before. I got dressed and walked around the neighborhood looking for the addresses. They were easy to find, but there really wasn’t much to see from the street.

 

Is it quiet? Well, you can assess the street noise fairly easily. Maybe! There maybe a streetcar, restaurants or bar with outside seating, or just a lot of automobile traffic. But where in the building is the apartment? In the rear, no where near the front of the building? On the 4 or 5 floor, way above the noise? It is very difficult to determine from the street view.

 

October is an interesting month weather wise in Torino. It starts out at 17º C at the beginning of the month as high (64º F), by the end of the month the high becomes the low for the beginning of the month or 11º C (53º F). The low at the end of the month is 6º C or 43º F. So, we don’t have to worry about air conditioning, but this would probably mean leaving a window open at night. So, having air would be convenient if there is street noise. Also, it has been 5º or 6º warmer this year than in the past summer. So, maybe it will carry into October?

 

I stopped at Caffetteria Antonelli on the west end of Piazza Vittorio Veneto, one of Serra’s favorite coffee shops, and had my morning cappuccino and brioche. The Place had better brioche. Back at the apartment I made Mary her morning coffee, and she got dressed and we rewalked my route looking at the possible options.

 

We decided on a place called Al Cit, biocale nuovo (2 room), at 71 Corso San Maurizio, about 200 meters from Serra and Pietro’s. I sent the owner a text asking if we could see the unit. The response wasn’t quite as positive as expected. The owner basically said that the photos show you everything you need to know. That they don’t preview the apartment until after booking. After booking? How are we supposed to know if we want to book it? Yes, it says it is quiet, but it is on Corso San Maurizio which is a busy street with a streetcar running down the center.

 

It does say it is a first floor unit. Does that mean ground floor, as it would in the US, or the 2nd floor, again as it would in the US? It also says it is 50 square meters (538 square feet) which makes it about twice the size as the suite on the Splendor. There was a comment about not being able to use the washer. We’ll have to find out about that. However, there is a lavanderia automatica, Lav@sciuga, which is open every day from 08:00 until 22:00. It has both washers and dryers. The washers take only thirty minutes, as opposed to the hour or more for the home washers. The dryers can dry a load in 25 minutes, as opposed to air drying all day. So, even if it doesn’t have a washer we can use, there is actually a better option right on the corner.

 

We took the plunge and booked it for October. We then sent another email asking to see the apartment. This time they said sure. How about Monday about 10. Well, our train leaves Torino at 10. Back and forth for a while and finally agreed on Sunday at 17:00. We shall see.

 

Then we went for a “walk”. We are supposed to have hiking boots for the Ice Cave in Iceland. So I thought maybe I would get a pair of kicking boots just for waking around town. It might be more support for my feet and help by back. So, I looked at where Timberlake was and we headed there. It was only about a mile away on Via Roma, one of the main shopping streets. We wondered a little, and along the way we stopped for lunch at Planet Risto Café on Via Principe Amedeo. A touristy place. Menu in Italian and English.

 

The food was surprisingly good. I order the Tagliere di salumi e formaggi assortiti, a plate of assorted salami and cheese. Mary got the caprese di mozzarella di bufala. Both were enough for four people, each. Neither of us actually finished all of it. Unfortunately we also ordered another dish. Mary had ordered not only the spaghetti alla carbonara but also ordered some focaccia. I ordered risotto ducale. This is made with boletus, asparagus and saffron. I had to look up boletus. It wasn’t too much help. I suspected it was a mushroom of some type, but apparently there are 100 different species of the mushroom. Further looking revealed it is what we would call a porcini mushroom. Learn new things every day.

 

Moving on we continued walking to Timberlake. It wasn’t much further on. Apparently, they only carry the wide shoe. Length was fine, but I need more support than a wide shoe can offer. So, we struck out. We then walked to Rinascente, like an Italian Macy’s, but they carried Timberlake. So, we decided to walk back.

 

All in all, we did five miles for day, which isn’t bad. On they way back we stopped at PAM and picked up some more melon and prosciutto for my dinner, and a yogurt to Mary’s breakfast. Back at the apartment we played cards, Mary lost. We both spent some time organizing and packing.

 

We are on WIZZ Air on Monday. It is the Hungarian version of the Irish Ryan Air. Not sure exactly how it is going to work, but I am sure it will. We made reservations for the train on Monday. Taking the 10:00 Frecciarossa to Milano Centrale, then switching to the Malpensa Express. We should be at the airport by 12:30 for our 15:25 flight.

 

We have packed light. One carryon sized roller bag and one small soft sided carry on. Technically we could have carried it all on, except for the hassle with liquids. Like Ryan Air it costs extra, as much as the actual flight, to check a bag. However, that is a small amount to pay. The winter clothes being at Serra and Pietro’s.

 

Ok, time for bed. Buonanotte e Ciao Enrico e Maria

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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