3 weeks, 21 days!
It was raining in the morning, by noon, the rain had stopped, but the sky remined partially cloudy and partially clear.
As usual the streets were pretty empty, however there is always a group of people going around town.
The riders who deliver food are still working, maybe even more than usual.
They do have concern about the Covid 19, they are protesting against the lack of protection precaution from their company.
Another group of people who are still on the streets are the homeless, I don't see them anymore, since in these days I mostly stay home. I did see one of them left her belongs by the pillar under the arcade near to the supermarket where I wnet to. Hope that she has found a shelter to keep herself safe.
There is this indian guy ( I suppose he is indian or pakistan ), he often walks around under my block. The other day I saw him again, walking around on the street alone.
Location : Via Pietro Micca/Piazza San Giovanni
The 20th day. The clock was adjusted an hour in advance for the daylight saving time.
There was an earthquake of about 3.4 magnitude in the area in Coazze which is about 46 km from Turin.
The whole day was rather sunny, there were people took the chance to go out for a walk, which is not illegal, as long as they are not in a crowd of more than 2 persons.
In the morning, the street was deserted, then people began to come out for a walk....not many, but in time like this, it is pretty notable.
Noticed that, an apartment at the opposite building has put up an italian flag on their window. Later in the day, someone from my side of the street did the same.
Again today I did my part by staying home.
Location Via Pietro Micca
The 19th day, Saturday. Didn't go out, it was sunny, a beautiful day. From the balcony, could see that there were more people going to shop and some were obviously just taking a walk. At the same time, there were also more police cars patrolling.
Spotted a guy was checked by police just below my block. Meanwhile, there were some people waiting for the bus at the bus stop nearby. Why would the police check on someone just passing by alone and ignored those who were taking bus to go further?
Afternoon, a guy was jogging along the street. This is allow, as long as he is jogging alone and just around the block where he lives.
This morning, there was an earthquake in the zone about 40 km from my house.
Location : Via Pietro Micca
Is sunny today!
Yesterday was the eighteenth day and was rainy. Regardless, we still had to go to the supermarket to top up food. Was better to go on Friday than Saturday to avoid long queue.
Went to the less queue one, which was also near to home.
We were the only one queuing up, so it was pretty fast to able to get in for our purchase. I waited outside so as not to take up the space for other people.
While waiting, decided to snap some photo with my phone. The supermarket was not the only shop opened, also a news stand was opened, somehow the news stands are considered essential, perhaps is because they also sell bus tickets.
At one moment, a police car was stopping while I was taking photo by the road side, it seemed that the police took a look at me, then decided that I was not worth the trouble to be checked on, so they drove off.
On the way home, noticed that there was actually a fresh fruits store opened under the arcade.
Anyway, there were more cars on the streets that I had expected.
Location : Via Pietro Micca/Via Cernaia/Piazza Solferino
The 17th day, thanks to the Siberian winds, we are back to winter again. Some areas wre snowing yesterday, in Turin there was just some fine rains.
It was sunny in the morning when I went to buy some breads, later in the afternoon, the sky begun to turn dim.
The bread shop was within 200 meters from home, it was the only shop opened in the whole street. When I reached there, there was a guy waiting outside and a woman doing her purchase inside the shop, so I waited outside a distance away from the guy.
There was a police car at the corner of the street, but the police just sat in the car and didn't bother anyone.
Confined at home for days and nothing seems to happened, all cosy and quiet, yet the report on the news reminds us that there is a storm outside, an invisible harm that we have to fight against with patience.
Location : Via Mercanti
The 16th day. The weather was rather indecisive whether to be cloudy or to be sunny, the spring was still hestitating whether to arrive or not, the spring flowers were already in blossom and yet there came the Siberian winds.
Looking down from the usual balcony, there were as usual few people and cars.
An old man slowly crossed the road, went to the mailbox across the street, and dropped a letter. What was the message?
With the speed of Italian post service plus the current situation, I wondered when will the letter finally reach its destination....
Before noon, looking down from the usual balcony again, an old man with his back slightly hunched, was dragging a seemingly full trolley bag slowly crossing the street.
Realised during the lockdown, there are quite a numbers of older adults on the streets, either alone or in couple, some even waiting for buses. Why are they out and where are they going in this critical time?
A pandemic is spreading, and the older adults are in a group that is more vulnerable to become victims. It is really inadvisable to go out.
Are they mostly living alone that they have to do the errands by themselves or they are just bored to stay home all the day long and just needed to stretch their legs, or....?
Location : Via Pietro Micca
15th day, two weeks and one day, more or less half a month. Went out to the ATM 200 meters away and took some photo on the way with the phone.
Not sure if I will continue to post daily, as I stay home most of the time, so the possibility of taking photo beyond from my balcony is slim.
Location : Streets Of Turin
The 14th day.
It was windy and cold, the temperature dropped to 6 °C.
Not even sure if I have nothing to do or just have no desire to do anything...
Look around the house, there are actually things to be done, just maybe lack of the will to get it started.
Will one becomes lazier after a long period of confinement?
Before the lockdown, there were more people on the streets, whenever I came across some streets which were cleared of the crowd, I would feel soothing and peaceful.
Few days ago, I walked throught those streets, instead I felt a sense of emptiness and uneasyness.
Same streets, different time and different feeling.
Heard that some days after the lockdown, the water in the canals of Venice has became much clearer, even Dolpines were spotted visiting the canals. In Milan, hares which usually hidden were out to reoccupy the parks. In Trieste, wild duck daringly bringing their ducklings for a walk on the streets.
It seems during the lockdown, the space that we have been occupying is gradually returning to the nature.
After the crisis, are we still willing / can we continue to share this world with nature?
The situation in Italy seems to be slightly improving....
Location : Streets of Turin
Sunday, the thirteenth day. Stayed home the whole day.
I think the supermarket were opened only for half a day, therefore
there must have bene long queue at the entrance. Starting from today the
open air fresh food markets will be blocked and closed.
Saturday was a fine day, the weather was warm and the sky was bright. Still very few people on the street, an elderly man was waiting at the bus stop patiently and the guy living on the second floor on opposite side of the street, was taking photo of the view from the window with his cellphone.
Sunday was dim and moody, the temperature dropped to 11 degrees. Nobody came out to the balcony except a guy from the opposite building facing the courtyard came out to have a smoke.
Heard that there are more policemen patrolling on the streets and piazza, they would question people the motive of being out and would forbid crowds of more than two persons.
Location : Via Pietro Micca
Stayed home the whole day. Received a bad news in the morning, a dear friend of us had passed away in the ICU. She was in her 80+, was suffering for some illness for quite some time, she was sent to the hopsital because she was not feeling well, then she was tested positive and they placed her in the ICU.
The day before, after the pharmacy, I actually went to the market at Porta Palazzo to get some fruits.
It is just a short distance from the cathedral and have to walk pass the ancient Roma Gate, Porta Palatina.
The market is usually crowded and the stalls are many and close to each other, and there are all kind of people, including lots of pickpockets, so usually I try to be very careful when I am there.
There were fewer stalls at the market and they were arranged spaciously between them. The stalls own by the chinese and italians seemed to have disappeared.
People were actually very compliant to staying in a safe distance between them in front of the stalls, No rushing, just orderly. Perhaps it was also the fact that there were policemen and police car around
patrolling.
Only the food stalls and shops were opened, the other stallsand shops were all closed, afterall, people have to eat to live.
All the way home passed through the Galleria Umberto I and via Conte Verde, both were pretty deserted with only few people around. I did however encountered some Africans and Gypies asking for money.
Daily news reports on the number of people recovering, infected and deceased can be staggering, especially regarding the death toll. However, when these numbers are connected to people we know, when these numbers match with familiar faces, then the real sense of relevant arises, is it then we can really feel the sadness of how close the crisis is onto us.
These are not just numbers, they are individuals who had a life, had families and friends, had history, had future, who had loved and be loved....
So PLEASE STAY HOME
Location : Porta Palatina/Galleria Umberto I/Porta Palazzo
