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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Alba - Giorno 1

We've been to Porta Susa before so we thought leaving the station to meet up with our host Mario would be easy - we didn't foresee the fact that Porta Susa is pretty much a bomb site.

Through a serious of what must have been wrong turns we end up on a street somewhere in Turin - with no train station in sight. It was like walking out of the Flinders Street underpass and finding yourself in Ringwood.

It's in the mid 30's and humid and the thought of dragged our bags back down those stairs in the hope of finding another exit was beyond us. Luckily we had Mario's number and eventually managed to find the name of the street we were on.

Fifteen minutes later we where in Mario's car being happily quenching our thirst with chilled bottles of water (he really did think ahead!) and making our way through Turin's street towards our final destination - Alba.

We've rented an apartment from Mario and we'll be here for 3 weeks - and just like Paris, we have an excellent view.




After showing us around the apartment Mario leaves to let us settle in - after freshening up it's time to hit the streets and see just what is around us.

We get a pleasant surprise as walk down the main street to spy this in one of the windows



The black truffles are actually available and we actually break up into a little mad giggle as we notice the prices. A truffle that would probably cost over $50 in australia, is for sale here, in a shop, for about $5! You might be thinking well, they are probably rubbish, I can assure you they aren't. Naturally enough, we had to buy one - it eventually ended up here



That is tomorrow's breakfast settled!

We then head to the tourist office to find out where the nearest supermarkets are - shock horror, supermarkets aren't regarded as the product of satan like they are back in oz. Where else are you going to buy 6 one and a half litre bottles of Lauretana for 1.50!

When Mario returns later in the day, we quiz him in regards to markets and butchers and am extremely happy to find out that there are street markets here 3 times a week - on Saturday there is an extra large one that basically runs through the town and you can buy just about anything. The Tuesday and Thursday markets are smaller and mainly food with some other items - there is a real "farmers market" in one of the squares - this is where the local farmers sell their goods.

With this excellent intel and with tomorrow being Thursday - Paalo knows he is going to be a pack horse as I go nuts at the markets.

Mario also offers us some dining advice - pointing out all the interesting bars and restaurants about town and tonight for dinner we end up at one of his suggestions La Bottega del Vicoletto.

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