Rest Day in Asti—Excursion to Turin

May 27, 2022

Today we made sure we wouldn’t void our rest day by going for a ride. We left our bikes in their dungeon-like garage (hoping they’d forgive us) and took the train to Turin. Why? Well, Scott Anderson wrote a glowing review of the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum) back when he and Rachael visited Turin in 2018 and I decided I had to visit. I didn’t really want to go to Turin for any other reason so this was the plan.

Our apartment in Asti is just a few blocks from the train station and it was only 11€ and 36 minutes each way for both of us to go to Turin. On the way there, Al said he was happy not riding into the city and I wasn’t tempted to come back and spend time there at all. However, that could have been caused by the crowds and the heat. I’m not a fan of either.

When we bought our museum tickets online yesterday, there was only one time slot available, 11:20 We had allowed time for getting lost or something else going awry and consequently were there early. A crew was jackhammering the street just outside the museum building and the street was full of school groups. Maybe that’s why so few tickets were available—Friday near the end of the school year is field-trip day.

We escaped to the plaza at the end of the block furthest from the jackhammering but it was also full of school groups and there was nowhere to sit except the ground, as the kids were doing. Maps showed another piazza on the other side of Palazzo Carignano but it was also devoid of benches or any other place to sit. How un-Italian!

So we walked over to see Mole Antonelliana. The crowds here weren’t so bad but there were still a few school groups. Then it was time to head back to enter the museum.

Detail, Mole Antonelliana. It was tall; I have a series I hope to combine in Photoshop when I get home. Finally got around to it; see below.

Mole Antonielliana vertical panorama (from 3 photos--it's a big building)

At first, it was awful. Loud groups of kids everywhere and if they were quiet, it was because they were listening to their teacher or guide explain something, all gathered around an exhibit so nobody else could see it. One group like this or maybe two is okay, but the first section of the museum had a different group of kids around almost every exhibit.

I was hot and the kids were everywhere and I was ready to leave, but on the way out we came down a level (you start on the top floor) and there were fewer kids, the rooms were cooler, and the exhibits were even more interesting. I’m glad we saw the whole thing. A few photos, all of which were taken after I decided not to leave:

The occupant of this one was a (female) singer.

There were many animal mummies on display but this partial mummy of a cow caught my eye.

From a later period. This one was small; perhaps a child.

This and the next few are from/about Merit’s tomb.

Outside, the temperature was in the thirties. We found a Chinese-Italian restaurant for lunch and it was mediocre, but the price was right and the room was comfortable. Then back to the train station and home to Asti.

The part of Turin we walked through had many arcades. I liked the decoration in this one. The reverse of each banner advertises an art festival.

It’s a good thing the trip isn’t very long because masks are mandatory and the AC couldn’t keep up. (I could swear the train was air-conditioned when we got on.) I was melting by the time we got off the train and headed up for our reasonably cool apartment to hide for the rest of the afternoon.

In the early evening we went for a walk to see the town. Although the corner we’d explored last night was pleasant, once we got beyond it we observed what Scott and Rachael did: it’s not a pleasant place for pedestrians. We walked as far as the cathedral because I wanted to look inside, but it was closed.

On the exterior of the cathedral was this sundial. At least, that’s what I think it is. I’ve seen a few of these in Italy but I prefer a clock face if I need to tell the time.

These people wanted to go in too. They had no luck either.

It really has some interesting architectural details.

We came back to the same piazza and the same restaurant we ate at last night but skipped the grappa tonight. I didn’t mention the grappa yesterday? Well, Al wanted a digestif but something local but the only offer was grappa. They had a golden and a clear so Al ordered one and I chose the other. It was good but a smaller quantity would have been sufficient. Tonight, though? No, thanks.

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Scott AndersonInteresting observations about the museum. It was very quiet when we were there. We’ve thought many times about how exceptional it was to travel during Covid. There are places we visited then that we’ll likely never go again because we know they’ll never be the same.
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2 years ago

Jacquie GaudetTo Scott AndersonI think you were there pre-Covid, in October 2018. I think the difference might be the month and day of the week. I doubt Italy is any different; field trips are near the end of the school year when the kids are getting antsy.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Jacquie GaudetOh, of course. I can’t believe it’s been that long since we were there. Amazing how fast the years are slipping by.
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2 years ago