Christmas Wishes

Every year at the main train station, Porta Nuova there is a huge Christmas tree elected in the entrance hall. People place their wishes on to the tree and it is very entertaining reading all those wishes, especially this year....

Many wishes are to have a job, a boyfriend/girlfriend or to be able to travel abroad...

Some are really very specific, such as these :

 She asked to make Stefano to marry her....Bet by now all the Stefano in Turin are under stress...

 The one wishes his/her ex will love him/her again....

Merry Christmas 2018

Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!!!

May 2019 brings back all the good and leave the bad behind.

Christmas Blue

Blue seems to be the chosen color for the Christmas decoration in Turin, the Mole is colored in blue light, the under side of the bright also painted with blue light and various locations in the center are decorated with blue light bulbs too....

Christmas Lights Are On

Just some of the Christmas lights decorations around...Some olds and some news.

Via Roma

It seems initially there was no intention to install any decoration lights on Via Roma, but after some serious consideration, they realised that they just can't leave the main street of the town center naked.

Via Lagrange

Also, in via Lagrange, the lights were installed after some late reconsiderations.

 Via Barbaroux

 As in via barbaroux, the same old lights are installed as per past few years, but these lights suit well with these narrow old streets.

Le Nuove

The Museum of Prison "Le Nuove" is located at the former prison of Turin, called precisely Le Nuove, built between 1854 and 1869, inaugurated in 1870 under the reign of Vittorio Emanuele II and remained in operation until it was replaced in 1986 by the most modern prison "Lorusso e Cutugno" located in the Vallette district.

View of " Le Nuove " from Piano 35

The museum itinerary is divided into the various structures of the former prison.Designed by architect Giuseppe Polani, it had been conceived, according to the criteria of the time, as an individual segregated prison. It had 648 cells, thirteen branches, including those of those condemned to death, as well as two chapels, one for men and one for women. The cells also had the characteristic of having the windows "wolf-like", which allowed to see only the sky. His first director, Marinucci, allowed to use the internal church for the school lessons: the prisoners followed the lessons held by the volunteers of the Archconfraternity by the cells designed for individual participation in religious services. During the Fascist period, opponents, partisans and Jews remained there, like Ignazio Vian and Emanuele Artom, deported and sentenced to death. Notorious was the German arm, managed by the SS, where the inmates were tortured. Until the fall of fascism, no changes were made to the structure; subsequently, with the new constitutional rights, the prison was slowly made more livable, eliminating the internal walls of the courtyard and making important changes to the cells, including the expansion of the windows and the provision of radiators and water.Currently in the structure, in addition to the prison museum, there are also some judicial offices.

CDP December Theme Joy

For the Dicember Theme 'Joy', I have chosen this photo taken during the wedding ceremony of my friends. 

No explanation needed.

Please click here to see the other entries....

Lights Up

The Christmas season lights are up on the streets, many have been transferred away from the center, to areas where nobody goes, especially after dark. The remainings are trying hard to bring up the atmosphere of the season, initially in via Roma, the main street which directs people from the main train station to the center was not inteneded to place any lights, but after some protests, they found some lights and fixed them up the street.

Via Roma

 Via Carlo Alberto

Via Garibaldi

 

TDoR

Transgender Day of Remembrance, as per last year, Torino held the Trans freedom March in November.

 It is particularly important this year to take this occasion to remine us of treating people with respect and kindness, with equality and no discrimination, since the present government is heading towards spreading hatres and discrimination towards minorities.

often people says : Be who you are, but then when regarding sexual orientation or wanting to be the gender you identify yourself to be, many still can't simply accept and respect individual's choice.

 

 

 

 

Cubo della Verità

A static and peaceful manifestation, similar to an artistic performance. "The Cube of Truth" took place in Piazza Castello, in Turin,  an event which through a method that triggers the curiosity and interest of the public, it tried to guide the spectators towards the vegan choice through the use of movies related to local and usual practices of animal exploitation, and the use of an approach inspired by the sale of a product.

Masks, cartels and printed material were distributed to raise awareness during the event.

It is essential, explained the organizers, to wear black clothes suited to the climatic conditions.

Radure

In the courtyard of the Rettorato (entrance from via Po 17 and via Verdi 8) it is possible to visit the Radura installation designed by the architect Stefano Boeri. Radura is an idea of ​​public space for decongestion in which to stop, rest and wait. Radura is the project of an open space with a permeable perimeter, located within a larger open space. Radura is an urban device to dilute the intensity of flows and movements. Radura is an experience of sound atmosphere in counterpoint with urban rhythms.

  
Next to the work of art, information points and projections about the situation of the forests in Italy and on the importance of the management of the wood, the installation is in fact realized within the IV National Congress of Silviculture that had taken place in Turin from the 5th November to the 9th with several off events including meetings, screenings and a walk through the woods of Turin.

Flooded Torino

A week of rain, Torino is full of water gathered on the roads, the river is overflown, nothing unusual really, just same as last year.

New Whale

In Turin , on a façade at Porta Palazzo emerged a whale made of waste , or rather a sperm whale, judging by the features and the vertical way of diving, which leaves only the typical tail out of the water. It is the work of  streetartist Mr Fijodor who comes from Liguria, and he is familiar with the sea and its inhabitants, including those of the Sanctuary of Cetaceans that is right in front of his city of origin, Imperia.

As the Goal 14 of the 17 Global Goals to be reached by 2020, to promote awareness of the unsustainability of the current model of development, from an environmental, but also economic and social point of view.
The Goal 14 - life below water is entrusted to Ligurian Mr Fijodor with his work which focuses on the sea and its creatures.
The Goal 14 has among its many objectives that of prevention and reduction of marine pollution of all kinds.
The artist writes:I have interpreted the theme of Goal 14 - Life Below Water - placing a whale as the main character, the largest marine mammal but also one of the most vulnerable. She is for me to represent the fragility of the marine ecosystem and to be the spokesperson of the distracted and short-sighted exploitation of men.Even its location is anything but random.The wall is located in via Cardinal Cagliero, or between the area of  ​​Balun and the Porta Palazzo market in Piazza Della Repubblica. It is said that "if Turin had the sea the port would be right here, at Porta Palazzo".
Life below water wants to be a denunciation, a personal synthesis and at the same time a huge circle of hope for life and for the affirmation of its diversity.

CDP Novembre Theme : Friends

For the theme day, I have this photo taken last week in via Mercanti, where 3 friends were enjoying a after meal chat at the restaurant ' Cantina Barbaroux '.

They looked so cheerful and in good company.

Please click here to see the other entries.

Under Different Lights

After 21 years of restoration, the cupola of the Duomo of Turin has finally reopened to pubblic viewing.
It was damaged by fire in 1997, progress of the restoration was extremely slow, explanation is that the original materials were hard to find and replace.

On the night of the re-opening, the cupola was shown in different colored lights. Personally, I found it beautiful, but some other people thought that it was horrible....

Piano 35

Piano 35 is a public restaurant, alongside a roof garden and a panoramic terrace that provides far-reaching views over the city and it is located at the top floor of grattacielo Intesa San Paolo.

The price is on the high end, but they serve some rather unique cocktails....

Grattacielo San Paolo

Grattacielo Intesa Sanpaolo in Turin, Italy is a skyscraper as well as the headquarters for the banking group Intesa Sanpaolo. 

The building is the third tallest in the city, after the landmark Mole Antonelliana which has held the record since 1889, and Piedmont Region Headquarters.
Renzo Piano, Grattacielo Intesa Sanpaolo's architect, described the skyscraper as "bioclimatic building", being naturally ventilated and cooled; with a substantial amount of its power requirement to be generated from photovoltaic panels that cover the southern façade. It was awarded the LEED Platinum rating, making it the only high-rise building in Europe to hold such a certification.

Grattacielo Intesa Sanpaolo, some consider it as a sore in the eye, some consider it as symbol of modernization of the city....

Goodbye Anna

Sadly, the famous Anna of Turin has passed away, leaving Turin sadder and a bit greyer.

  
( Photo From Web )

She had been the joy of Turin, always happy and always hyperactive, participated in all kind of parades and marches, entertained people with her dance on the street with the music of the street musicians.
She seemed crazy but extremely friendly, she was small but very daring, she was a symbol of Turin.
As the Torinesi say : You are not from Turin if you don't know Anna.

Anna Dancing

( Video From Web )

CDP October Theme : Change

As the season changes, the first sign I see is the color of leaves of my vine. 

This is the first red leaf appeared as the Autumn is approaching....

Please click here to view the other entries....