Warm in Turin

Here I am in Turin, visiting my parents.

I had planned to go to the Basilica of Superga this afternoon (that's the one on the top of the hill in this picture)


but it is 3 buses and a rack tramway from parents; as I missed the first bus and the tramway is only every hour, I though it best not to go in the end.
Besides, it is warm and muggy and hazy, and one should really go to Superga on a clear day to admire the Alps. Next time, maybe.

I wandered around the city centre, somewhat aimlessly going where the spur of the moment took me. 
I started from the old church of San Domenico, probably the only Gothic church left in the city



Don't be fooled by the colourful bunting; the Dominicans wore black on white and were the arm of the Inquisition


Nearby is the Piazza delle Erbe, also known as Piazza Palazzo di Città which is home to the city hall and was the forum in Roman times.

Even here they are reminiscences of killings. The very un-PC statue of Amedeo VI, aka il Conte Verde (because he always used to wear green). The count is depicted slaughtering the Turks in the mini-crusade known as the Savoyard Crusade: he took Gallipoli - one of london1952's favourite places in Puglia - from them but never made it to the Holy Land and ended up attacking the Bulgarians (sorry tilia_tomentosa!)
 

But if you look at him from the right angle, he seems that he's only striking a pose, and a camp one to boot!



My legs took me to Piazza Castello where I wanted to visit the Giardini Reali. Sadly they are still closed for renovation.

The square was taken over by CONI (the Italian Olympic Committee) 

promoting the Italian team at London 2012. 
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! There's no escape from the bloody Olympics, not even abroad!

This is the Galleria Subalpina which was apparently inspired by a bazaar. The result of course is very Torinese


I then stumbled across a small church that was opened for guided tours: the church of Santa Pelagia. It left me quite unimpressed.

I walked down to the river Po


and decided to climb up to the Monte dei Cappuccini, which is the hill topped by a church on the right in the picture above.
(It takes its name from the convent of the Cappuccini friars - and not from the foamy drinks! lol)

I crossed the river on the bridge, although at week-ends there's now an option to 'fly' over it, attached to a rope. Nah, my swimming is not that good! lol







There are good views of the city from the piazzale in front of the church


The plan for tomorrow is a big lunch at my parents, who have invited my oldest friend and his parents. I'm feeling full already.