As unbearable as getting up at 5:15am to catch my 7:41am train was, the views I witnessed as we crossed the Alps from France into Italy were breathtaking.  The train traversed through dramatic rugged mountain peaks dusted with some of the first snow of the year.  The mountain sides were painted with the colors of  the tree leaves in their vibrant fall colors – a wonderful array of greens, yellows, rusts and oranges.  Dotting the countryside were quaint, ancient towns that charmed with their stone houses, tile roofs and quintessential little churches.  It was the most beautiful train ride I have ever taken…simply stunning.

My Italian cousin, Cristina, had said the trains from Paris are always late…thankfully I was on one with a time conscious conductor who got us to the Torino Porta Susa train station right on schedule.  Cristina was there waiting for me!  The last time I visited Torino was over 3 years ago with my Mom and Aunt Peggy….I was overdue for another visit and catch-up, although brief, with my relatives in Italy.

Susanna, my 17 year old cousin, took the 2 days that I was there off of school to practice her English :)…so together with her mom, us 3 girls re-explored the great and beautiful city of Torino.

My first cappuccino in Italy! Yay!

Cristina, Me and Susanna inside the Veneria Palace.

This imposing palace was a former royal residence of the the Royal House of Savoy. It is one of the largest royal palaces in the world, comparable in size and structure to Versailles. It was commissioned to be built in the mid 17th century by Carlo Emanuele II as a hunting base for his expeditions in the hills north of Torino.

Susanna did an amazing job of being my tour guide…I was so impressed with all her knowledge of the history of Torino, and even more impressed with how well she communicated all that knowledge to me in English.

The Galleria Grande inside the palace was so incredible!!

If Susanna wanted to rent this hall out for her 18th Birthday party (in less than one month!!) it would cost 20,000 Euro….hmmm, maybe best save up that money to come visit her cousin in Seattle :)!

2 cute girls on the streets of village outside of the Veneria Palace…the 3rd cute girl, Cristina, was taking our picture!

After lunch at home (prosciutto rolled up in rabbit, haricots, grissinni, baguette, a yummy chocolate flan-like dessert called Bonnet and sparkling water), Susanna rushed to her BELLY DANCING lessons near her private Catholic school :).  Cristina and I arrived a few minutes before it ended so I could see Susanna “shake her thing!”  Wow!  did it look fun…those women shimmied and jostled their upper and lower bodies quite well…the teacher, Aziza, was particularly amazing.  I think Susanna inspired me to give it a go at home!!

Susanna is the one on the far left with the purple scarf around her waist….she doesn’t know I took this picture!  Ha!

Italians have lots of great ideas….but I think this may be one of their best!

Cristina’s car is parked in a spot designated ONLY for women!!  The sign (which I don’t think is legible) reads, “place reserved for women.”  As we dig this more, it is close to the entrance/exit of the parking garage – Get your lifestyle garage door screen from here….and the detail I particularly get a kick out of is the pink line that distinguishes the spot!!!  I need to talk to the Seattle City Council when I get back!

Downtown Torino at night…it simply sparkled.

This evening we walked the streets and window shopped.

For dinner we ate at a little cafe and enjoyed a typical Piemontese “happy hour”.  For 8 euro we could order a drink and then got access to a buffet of delicious salads, cheeses, pizzas, bruschetta and desserts. I am really not sure why we don’t have something like this in the US…it was perfect as a snack or a meal… you could go back as many times as you liked (I went back twice…plus a dessert run!).

No matter the country, we love our wi-fi and laptops!

Cristina was on the computer on the other side of the room…it was quite funny with all of us on a computer while Bruno, my cousin and Cristina’s husband, was watching t.v.

Ah, some things just  always feel like home!

The following morning we went and explored one of the big markets in Torino.

As a note, at produce markets in Italy you are not allowed to touch the fruit!!  Instead you tell the vendor what you would like and he/she selects the best ones from the pile.  I know last time I was at the market 3 years ago, I was scolded for touching fruit…trust me it didn’t happen this time.

Before spending the rest of the evening with family, we made one final stop at EATALY.

This fabulous high end shopping market specializes in everything relating to Italian food.  It has aisles of different pastas, caves of wine and Italian beer, refrigerators full of fresh Mediterranean fish and little tasting areas all over.  Susanna and I stopped for some gelato and Cristina got this amazing zabaglione in a little paper cup :).  I had to get this picture of the truffles they had on display…and yes, you are reading the prices correctly :).  An Eataly just opened in NYC a few months ago…but this one, the original, will always be the best!

In the evening we took Cristina’s one year old niece, Cecilia (or “earthquake” as Cristina calls her!), to her swimming lesson.  Her mom, Francesca, wasn’t able to splash around that afternoon…so Susanna took her place in the warm pool with the teacher.  I am not sure I have seen anything cuter…little Cecilia in her wee pink swimming cap playing with the toys, swallowing water, doing little kicks and sucking her thumb in between all the big smiles.  I would have gotten a picture…but it wasn’t allowed…I found that out when I took out my camera and the teacher looked at me and started shaking her finger.  It was Italian I understood :).

The evening wrapped up over pizza in the kitchen at Bruno and Cristina’s house.  Cecilia, Francesca, Andrea (Cristina’s brother and dad of Cecilia), Cristina, Bruno, Susanna, Mariucca and Fiorenzo (Bruno’s parents) and I all shared my last evening together.  It was quite wonderful, just like the last 2 days I had spent there.  As I sat there in the kitchen just taking in all the melodious Italian, I felt so happy and so lucky.  Cristina, Bruno and Susanna had all completely opened their home and hearts to me…and made me feel so welcome and so at home.  I only hope they all come to visit me soon so I can return their incredible hospitality. In the meantime, a big American hug to all of them!!!!!! Their generosity and kindness is unforgettable.

The following morning Cristina dropped me at the train station so I could head to Modena in Emilia-Romagna for some gastronomic indulgences (which is where I am writing this post from!!).  Her last words to me were, “Do well with your life.” Ah, I pray to the good Lord everyday the same thing.