My company writes software for the communications systems used by many broadcasters, including NBC, who use a large system for covering the Olympics. This is my 5th trip to the Olympics providing support to NBC inside the IBC, and these are my ramblings on what's going on in Torino and at the Games.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Torino - A Walk Downtown

Someone noted yesterday that we are living the movie Groundhog Day here. Every day is the same; so much so that there are photocopied signs posted on the walls in the IBC daily that say "Today is Friday, February 24th", just to remind us, as it is so easy to forget. In a scary turn of events, someone else posted a sign today that read "Only 895 days to Opening Ceremonies" (in Beijing).

More groundhog imagery... every morning we get up and hope to see our shadows (meaning there is sunshine). Sadly, it was raining again this morning. Jeff and I went to see the Biblioteca Reale (Royal Library) where there was an exhibition of some Leonardo da Vinci drawings and a carving by Michaelangelo, but we were unable to take photos (even as Giornalistas). It was very interesting.

When I first got to Torino, I said it was old (and kinda ugly), but when you walk around downtown, there are many beautiful buildings that just pop-up out of nowhere as you walk down a road and come unexpectedly to an open piazza. The piazza (plaza) is the centre of the Italian city life, and even some of the "ugly" rectangular buildings often have "hollow" centres with a park inside.

I'm going to take you on a pictorial walk downtown, starting from the train station, which is where the bus from the IBC lets me off in the morning...

Station

Note the portico (arches into a covered walkway) that runs along the front of the station. This architectural feature is ubiquitous here. It allows the public to walk and shop in shelter from the rain, snow, and sun.

The train station faces north into Piazza Carlo Felice, which contains a grassy park (unlike many of the piazzas, which are open squares), where I found a nice Torino 2006 sign...

Logo

At the north end of the piazza begins the most famous shopping street in Torino. Via Roma is home to the high-end stores for clothing, shoes, and leather goods. Note that the walkways on Via Roma are laid with marble...

Roma

Here's a typical store on Via Roma selling leather goods. Even the smallest wallet here costs about 40 Euro ($55 CDN)...

Shopping

Via Roma opens up into Piazza San Carlo, a huge piazza where the TODAY Show set is located. The centre of the piazza contains a statue of Emmanuel Filaberto, and the entrance from the piazza to Via Roma is flanked by two beautiful churches...

San Carlo

The two churches are San Carlo, and Santa Christina (I will have pictures of both on Sunday). Santa Christina has the more elaborate facade, and was originally the church for nobility, while San Carlo was the church for the servants (who had mass before sunrise, so they wouldn't be late for work).

Via Roma continues north of Piazza San Carlo, and terminates in Piazza Castello, which is where the Medals Plaza is located during the Olympics. This piazza is where I sampled the Barolo the other day, and also home to numerous shops with some beautiful jewellry (Susan, that was foreshadowing, hint hint). The east side of Piazza Castello contains the Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace), which is supposed to be beautiful inside, but is closed to the public during the Olympics (I think because the entrance is inside the Medals Plaza)...

Palace

The palace is also attached to the library where we saw the da Vinci exhibit this morning. I've spent most of my time exploring the outsides of these buildings by walking around (and the insides of churches when I can), but I've been told that the inside of these buildings are also something to behold. Based on my experience at Canada House (also located in a former Palace), I'd have to agree. Here is a picture of the ceiling in the stairwell at Canada House...

Ceiling

I still have yet to visit the Mole Antonelliana, because the weather hasn't been conducive to seeing anything of the city from an aerial view, but I do have some nice city shots from the hills on the east side of the city (across the river Po) that I'll save for another post.

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