The Weird Shapes of Torino

While walking around Torino, I spotted some odd buildings and interesting geometry. A lot of Italy is pretty in a classical or romantic way so it was interesting to see these angular shapes. The Mole Antonelliana is a landmark in the city. Started as a huge Synagogue at the end of the 1800's, it now houses the National Museum of Cinema. One floor is dedicated to the science of optics, demonstrating the progression of inventions leading up to motion pictures. The main hall is dedicated to movies but the most amazing part of that, for me, was watching the glass elevator rise up from the basement, into the huge main hall and through a tiny hole in the ceiling. Of course I went. I was too stunned to photograph what it looks like to be so close to the giant walls at the top of the dome. You'll have to go and see for yourself. And then you get to see the city from the viewing deck. Totally worth 4 dollars and waiting in line with middle school kids.

What's Not To Love About Torino?

Torino. Underloved. Industrial northern city of Fiat and chocolate. With cafes as pretty as Vienna's. Cakes and handmade pasta. Parks. A river. I stopped at the castle for a minute, former home of the Savoy family, because historically, some of the French got along with some Italians.

Torino also has arcades. Under some of them, revolutions were plotted, or Mark Twain wrote, or, hidden in the back of this galleria is a beautiful art nouveau theatre.

In the main piazza there are an assortment of monuments--black egyptian statues, a larger-than life soldier commemorating past battles. And if you look over the edge of the medieval castle walls--a secret moat garden.

Lastly, as a postscript to yesterday's post about weather, this is a photo of the gorgeous evening we are having here a few hours after it HAILED not golf balls, but heavy sheets of icy marbles. Happy spring.