Oh so much to recount!  But first...10 days til I fly home!  Yay!!

Now I have to go back a bit.  A few weeks ago I went to have my arteries checked for blockage and clogging and all that stuff.  Where you may ask?  Well, in a Heart Van which is actually a converted camper.  Italy, which is all about preventative medicine as a way to keep costs down, has things like this all the time.  This was a two week period where one could go to the HV, conveniently parked at different locations around the city, and have a thorough screening for blockage with a sort of ultrasound machine.  All very high tech and profession packed into a Winnebago.  I was early for my appointment so sat out on a park bench under the Linden trees (that smell great) with a couple of other folks shooting the breeze.  The cost?  Nada, niente, nichts.  Gotta love it. (I'm clog free by the way).

Heart Van

This past weekend GP and I played tourists.  Saturday, Torino hosted Open House Worldwide, an annual event that takes place in cities all around the globe that permits free entrance into all sorts of architectural gems from palaces and noble homes to new construction.  Unfortunately it was only for 1 weekend.  There were so many places I would have loved to see but they were spread out across the city and burbs and the lines were terrible in some places.  We only got into 3 places on our "wish list".  The first was a gorgeous old villa built in the 1600's and owned for the past 3 generations by one family.  They live in a large part of it but rent the functions rooms and the garden out.  Then we saw the inside of one of the thousands of administrative buildings in the city.  It's from the Baroque period and it's "salas"are incredible.  Lastly we went to a newly renovated 17th century building that is now a NH hotel and it's VERY nice.  The views from the rooftop terrace are incredible.

Villa D'Aglie'

NH Hotel

Courtyard of Torino admin building

View from the rooftop terrace of NH Hotel

That same evening we drove to Castello Masino near the Aosta Valley for a looksie.  They have sunset evenings with actors in costume and period music.  The actors stay in character and wander the grounds.  They start conversations with the visitors and flirt and argue.  The musicians were young guys from Torino's conservatory.  They played chamber music on original instruments. It was wonderful. 

Actors in the tower

the castle village

the great hall (thinking of painting my ceilings like that)

sunset over the mountains

the entertainment

Something that grabbed me was this family crest from the 1700's.

You can just make out the name on the upper right hand side.  Trotti!!  What are the chances our Trott family spent time in Northern Italy??  Those Brits did get around...


More on last Sunday later.  xxoo me