Torino is Borino

I missed the first train to Ventimiglia - the lineup at the ticket office was incredibly slow. I should´ve booked ahead. Almost missed the 2nd train - I thought that it left at 10:40, not 10:30. Just made it on. Grabbed lunch at a supermarket during the changeover. Strazzapreti alla rustica (pasta salad with tuna, olives, pickled onions, bell peppers, sundried tomatoes) and foccaccia podorini (bread with herbs and tomatoes). Bread was good, pasta mediocre. Lunch was quick, cheap, and dirty (just like me!). Boring train ride to Turin; wished that I had an Ipod.

A

Arrived in Turin; called hostel but they were full. Wandered around looking for a hotel/private room. A guy in an electronics store (Marco) walked up to me and asked if I needed help. He explained that the private room advertised on his block was shut down for prostitution (nice!). He called his friend to see if she had a room for rent. Got a bad feeling as he kept "adjusting" himself while on the phone. Also saw a picture of him on the cash register - looked like a mug shot.

B

Turned out there was nothing available and that he was a really good guy. He suggested that I go to a free concert that night and also suggested an alternative accommodation. 1 € per night, it´s a dorm for people that can´t find a place to live. I worried that safety would be an issue so went elsewhere. Found a hotel for 40 € so I will be eating crap for dinner tonight!

There´s a big market in Turin but I missed it because of my late arrival and accommodation issues. Walked to Olympic atrium. Nothing there but some lame exhibit. Alanis Morrissette songs were playing so it HAD to be lame. Grabbed a quick sandwich - prosciutto, lettuce, cheese. Pretty average.

C

Walked along Garibaldi - pretty lively. Over to St. Giovanni where the Shroud of Turin is kept. You can´t actually see it, but a picture of it is supposed to be kept outside. I could not find it. Sadly, I came to Turin for the shroud, because it held the Olympics, and little else. Quite disappointing overall.

Lots of museums to see here, but nothing really intrigued me. There was a cool building - Mole Antonellana - it´s the largest structure in the world built using traditional masonry techniques (whatever that means). Also is the tallest museum in the world. Walked along the Po river. Pretty dead, but it´s probably very fun later at night. Lots of bars and outdoor patios along the river bank.

D

This seems to be a common theme with cities that host the Olympics. They celebrate at getting the Olympics and wind up with beautiful facilities (that are never used again) and a huge debt. The promise of improvements and a better future is never fulfilled. I honestly can´t say that Turin is a world-class city ... it is actually crumbling in some areas.

Off to bed ... it´s nice to stay in a hotel once in a while ... a good time to relax and recharge.

E

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J