The Salone del Gusto Turin 2004

Turin airport is a strangely quiet place there are no teeming crowds and the whole building seems to be quietly laid back. Immigration control for EU passport holders makes a mockery of free travel.

My first task was to purchase a street map of Turin. A search around both floors of the airport did not discover any bookshops only a sort of 'Drug Store' amongst a duplicity of duty free and gift shops and they did not sell maps. Returning to the lower floor I approached the Information desk and they were glad to give me a map. Next task, to buy a bus ticket for the bus into town. Tried the car hire and they were glad to oblige - 5 euros. Eventually we found the bus stop which had a very small sign on a very large pillar, fairly typical it transpired, as most of the direction signs appeared to be a lot smaller than those in the UK. The bus arrived, dumped bag in boot, boarded bus, time stamped ticket after a bit of a fumble and off we went.

The actual journey from Aberdeen had been punctual. At the change of aircraft in Gatwick it quickly became apparent that the aircraft to Turin was full of Salone fans, much meeting of old friends, much chatting and much hugging. I met an Australian (Adelaide) couple who were ex Sussex and had included the Salone in a duty journey to mother in Sussex and an onward jolly to Sicily. The food on both aircraft was pitiful. Totally lacking in quality taste and wholesomeness – the pits! Anyway we got there on time and my case was there when we got to Turin.

The bus from the airport was very full and I was aware that it would make two stops at the two main Turin railway stations – I did not know which one came first. After we left the airport perimeter and its associated gaggle of buildings the countryside was initially suburban rustic with what appeared to be rumbled down smallholdings each doing their little bit to feed the world. Even quite small plots of less than half an acre were planted up with maize which at this time of year is quite dessicated and awaiting the tender mercies of a combine to give up its grain. As we approached the city the rumbled down buildings got closer together and the little patches of crops were replaced by small vegetable gardens or untidy looking yards sheltering an awful lot of rubbish. These were replaced by blocks of flats some 6 -8 stories high as further progress was made. All of the buildings that I had seen had shutters or some form of external curtains to protect them from summer heat. I noticed that the rainwater pipes from the roof all disappeared into the buildings before they reached the ground and I can only assume that they collect rainwater in some sort of cistern to use later. I subsequently noted that a lot of the gutters and downpipes were made of copper even on quite humble buildings.

In the older parts of the city the streets became broader and they had extensive plantings of large mature trees. Again in the centre of the city most of the buildings were old traditional styles set on either side of broad avenues interrupted from time to time by large Piazza's or Squares many of whose grassy or ornamental centres were accessible to the public. I noticed a number of very significant earth works within the city and eventually I discovered that they are building a new underground railway to be finished in time for the winter Olympics in 2006.

Only two people got down from the bus at the first stop but at the second stop the bus emptied - here we were at Porta Nuova. I thanked the driver and he asked me where I was from. On being told that I had set out from Scotland he rolled his eyes and said that he had always enjoyed going to Scotland – so much nicer and more friendly than England. I asked him where about the station was – where I should head to find my Hotel. There is the station hidden behind that enormous hoarding and there is your hotel just across the road. Further enquiries elicited that the bus stayed there until it was time to go back – sure enough there was another small sign saying Airport Bus and a tatty timetable was displayed beneath the sign.

Across the road was across several lanes of fast moving traffic going in all directions. The bus had stopped close to the traffic lights and there were pedestrian lights to enable you to cross in safety. I later discovered that jay walkers were fair game! The hotel door was immediately opposite the traffic lights and I was soon esconsed in Room 15. The room looked out of the back of the hotel into a closed courtyard and the noises of the city were reduced to a faint murmur. After settling in I went off in search of food and information about bus stops and things. The lady who ran the hotel, I think that there were two sisters and a brother, warned me about pickpockets. “Be careful they are very good”. I was told.

My first task was to go to the station and get my bearings so that I could find the road leading to the Salone. The station was hiding behind a large hoarding within which there were two monster cranes excavating the ground in order to build the underground. The hoarding ran right along the frontage of the station and some of the services for the excavations were obviously drawn from the station as a raised walkway crossed several large pipes emanating from the station building. The first part of the station building was a large concourse which was virtually deserted with a few shops around the perimeter. I tried the tobacconists for some bus tickets and bought five tickets for my travels during the week. Each ticket gives you 70mins of bus ride not necessarily on the same bus. When you board the bus you put your ticket into a time stamping machine should you board a second bus you put the other end into the next machine. Tickets are sold in many shops and cafes. Beyond the station concourse you came out into the Via Nizza which leads away to the Salone. Just outside the station there is a bus stop where I can get a choice of buses or trams which will take me to the exhibition. Many of the bus routes have been 'split' so that the roads are not too congested. Parts of the routes may use different roads depending upon their width. The buses are both normal buses and bendy buses. Some of the bendy buses are so old that they are going rusty some of them had three sections. Similarly some of the trams are very old but some of them had four sections. They are both very crowded at times. When I found the bus stop there were two men and a pressure washer cleaning the pavements and the bus stop furniture, perhaps that is why there is no chewing gum on the pavements.

There was quite a miscellany of shops around the precincts of the station along the Via Nizza. Most of them were a bit scrufffy there was a pharmacy a nick nack shop various small shops selling tobaco or clothes and a fair smattering of cafes and wine bars. There was a large butcher's shop selling all sorts of meats pork, beef, lamb, cows trotters, bleached tripe, fresh chickens complete with heads, liver, panchetta, sausages, salamis, what looked like sheep's willies all looking very fresh and wholesome even at 7o'clock at night.

I opted to eat at a wine bar, The 'Rio Negro', that was offering microwaved 'one plate wonders'. So I settled for a plate of chicken with potatoes and a cream sauce with a glass of wine, 500ml, followed by a chocolate cream dessert and coffee. All very tasty 11 euros, about £6.50. Whilst I was in there two ladies came in for a drink and that was it. He closed up just after 8 o'clock and told me that he had been there for 13 hours. I looked at several more eateries and the more up market establishments charged about 8-15 euros per course with a meal price of around 35 euros, about £23.