Goodbye for now to Torino

Final thoughts about Italy from back in the US....

On my last day in Torino, I took a long walk in the neighborhood again and it struck me...

When you live in a country with so much history it is an amazing experience 

that sometimes I think people overlook. 

I've mentioned it before, but you take a walk, 

turn a corner and there's another historical thing of beauty, 

A doorway...

A piazza with tables, or a statue....     a pasta maker in a window...

A fall display of candies and chocolate...

An interesting way to screen bugs out of a restaurant...long fringe...

 

Grappa and alcohol brewing...

Piazza Castello and some Christmas decorations put up early...

A music store...

Palazzo Subalpina....

More statues and another beautiful building...

A patient dog waiting in the sunshine...

Another statue and roundabout...

And another church with beautiful statues...

Just turn a corner...

Stresa and Lago Maggiore...last days for this trip in Italy!

My last day in Italy...sad to leave and a drive to the airport in Milan. We decided to see one more beautiful place - Lago Maggiore.,,another lake not far from Como, where George Clooney's place is. 

We stayed in Stresa, the airport in Milan is about 45 minutes south. 

The hotel was UNreal, great view from the Grand Hotel. 

The day is a bit misty so I couldn't get some great pictures of the islands in the lake. 

The view from the hotel's balcony, of the islands in Lago Maggiore. 

Lake Maggiore's islands are called the Borromean Islands, including Isola Bella, Isola Madre,  Isola dei Pescatori (Fisherman's Island) and  Isolino di San Giovani. 

We went off to find lunch, a bit north of Stresa and found a little town with some great views. 

Statue of a stone cutter near Stresa, with Isola Bella in the background. 

Isola Bella on the right, Isola Madre on the left. 

Bella was built up in the 17th century by Charles Borromeo. It features a four story palace and gardens which were built to resemble a ship. 

The ferry taking you to the islands was closed for the season, so we had to see them from afar. 

On the way back from lunch, I notice a cable car going up the mountain...I thought Tim would balk since he is somewhat afraid of heights. But no, it was the Mottarone Cable Car that you can take to the peak of the mountain in the Italian Alps! SO cool....

Used to be a cable car train trip, now it's in the air! 

With some help and new batteries from this guy, off we go up the mountain! 

We took a cable car up halfway..then got off to another one, then on a chairlift to the TOP. 

THE peak! Markings on the top that show NSEW

On the way down...

And back home!