EU after 12 years (9): The Gaza Supporters of Turin

Italy is synonymous with fashion, opera, dancing, art, history, great food, cinema, stars and all the glamour that a country can offer and everything pleasant that one would go to this country to see. However Europe, and Italy included, I've read, and seen to some extent, have changed a lot in the past 10 years or so. First it was the Syrian Civil War which poured millions into Europe and then the constant crossing of asylum seekers from Africa, war-torn or economically devastated countries to Europe. I will write about many refugees that I saw in Italy in a separate post but as you might have heard, the support for Gaza has been overwhelming in many European cities. 
I saw lots of graffiti and the so-called Palestine flags, if we agree that was and still is a country, in some neighbourhoods in Turin. I think it was my second day in that city when I noticed demonstrators in Piezza San Carlo and then in Via Antonio Bertola (Via in Italian mean Street). The funny thing is that the number of riot police squad members and the officers escorting this group was more than the marchers! 

Anti-riot police in full gear was following the small group of demonstrators. 

It's no doubt that all the Arabs who live in Italy and some Africans are supporters of Gaza but the fact is demonstrations in a country too far away from the conflict zone results in nothing. I condemn the Oct.07 attacks on civilians but then when Israeli forces started killing the civilians, particularly the innocent kids, women and elderly and their Prime Minister was charged with War Crime, my eyes got open. However, I still do not believe chanting slogans, waving flags and writing graffiti solves any problem. If any of those people who got engaged with riot police, threw rocks at them and burnt garbage cans and car, left Europe, got a weapon and stood against Israeli occupants, the story would have been different but none of them would like to live their 5-star hotel(!) in the slums of any European city because they have reached there from absolute zero! People are free to express themselves but that does not give them to calm their anger by damaging public or private property.
As per the demonstrators of Palestine or Gaza on that specific day in Turin, I can say that they were majority teenagers who simply wanted to walk the streets, smoke and laugh instead of sitting in a classroom and listen to their teachers and that's pathetic but I think that's cultural. I remember when i was their age, more than %98 of my classmate either were planning their future in colleges or as it was the war time, thinking of going to the front to stop the enemy, not walking and blocking the streets and shouting meaningless slogans! 

Graffiti on the wall in Sep.20 street in Turin in English!

Nevertheless this short demonstration did not result in any damage. Stratta, the cafe next to my hotel, closed just for a few minutes, just in case some of this hot shits is motivated to throw a rock or something at their store and then everything went back to normal. However, demonstrations, looting and clashes occurred in the next few days in some European cities including Milan as a result of price hike. I didn't have to witness any.

(Photo, top: This small group of teenagers, mostly, I don't know who were directing them were marching in Turin, I guess on the second day of my arrival. They were not more than 35 to 40! I know bigger rallies had taken place but I'd be embarrassed to be seen among this small group on the streets. You can see their banner and flag. I took this picture from too far away because I was not sure what the reaction would be)

EU after 12 years (8): Muzeo de Egizio (The Egyptian Museum)

It is said that the Egyptian Museum in Turin is the biggest Egyptian museum outside Egypt. That was not the only reason I decided to see it though but here are a few things about this museum:

1) I realized that if you really want to see the majority of the displayed objects and read, learn and listen (as there are explanations through an App in English) and that's not what most of the visitors do, you need to have enough rest the day before and assign enough time. I spent nearly 03:30, if I'm not exaggerating and despite many things I saw and learnt, I think it was not enough.

2) I don't think the museums allow beverages or simply water but that would've help to do the visit much easier.

3) This museum despite being great and organized had a very little gift shop. There was a cafe as well. I checked both and nothing was much appealing to me. 

4) Be patient as people just take a few pictures and selfies and pass quickly. Download the app and listen, more than once and take your desired picture when everyone is left. 

Videos show locals helping the team of archeologists in their discoveries and ask for donation was shown on a screen

The museum has a lot to offer and I personally learnt a lot. It definitely worth whatever the admission is. I was dead tired after that and wasn't able to do much. I think I went somewhere with not much intent and then on my way back I got something for supper and that was the day! I remember a few years ago Egyptians asked a European museum to return their objects and I don't remember how it was settled but here as said earlier, thousands of objects are on display which were all found and analyzed by Italian archeologists decades ago and they seem not going back to Egypt. In fact one of the reasons many visit this museum is that they believe it saved them from the trip to the country, the heat and the filth that they would face there! 

(Photo, top: One of the many coffins on display in Muze de Egizio with full description which I don't have it here!)

The Defeat of the Alberta Sewer Rats

I don't know if I have participated in the recent Alberta referendum, if I was in Canada, or not, although I have received the documents, simply because I hate staying in lines but I think I could've probably voted in advance. It doesn't matter now because the referendum is all gone and the rats are back to their stinking holes. A majority of %79.4 of the voters which were %70.4 of the people eligible to participate, voted against separation. There's this talk that these nasty sewer rats were being supported by some American House reps or other politicians at other levels. Trumpet Guy's people. He is the one who has started a trade war and wanted to annex Canada! 

If you look around the world and read history, you will see that in every separation attempt there's a foreign government who benefits from that. An example of that is former Yugoslavia which is now divided to 7 freaking countries, each smaller than Alberta and struggling for their basic needs! The Khalistan Separatist Movement which has lots of advocates in Canada is being supported by Pakistan and perhaps other countries and secret services who benefit from a weaker India. Turkey and Azerbaijan were backing some separatists in the Provinces of Azerbaijan in Iran. The situation in under control. The former USSR did the same to that province of Iran, decades ago. They also took other parts from Iran to make it weaker. 

The examples and their detailed stories can fill out a book. The point is the gnawing rats are out there and use every opportunity to carry on with their filthy separatism mindset and hand out everything to the Americans and benefit from being good servants to them. 

(Photo: A separatism supporting board south of Calgary near the town of Okotoks. I wonder what they all do with these board? Burning as fuel?!)

EU after 12 years (7): Food Experience in Turin; Stratta

One thing you need to know when you're in Italy is that food, or perhaps I should say good food, is expensive. This is a general fact that good food is expensive but Italy has a higher level. You can go to Wal-Nasty-Mart and get all sorts of packaged food and cheap, nearly rotten fruits for less money or spend a little more and get a better quality. It's a bit different in Italy now that the economy is bad everywhere and people are demonstrating in Italy and France and setting fire on trash cans and everything! There was a time that I was struggling a bit as well and that was back in 2008 when I had a very low-paid job but I survived but I never understood how breaking the windows or throwing rocks at riot police could help! Nevertheless here are a few food examples of Torino's food sources:

1) Stratta: This is a small pastry and chocolate shop in the famous Piezza San Carlo area, next to the hotel I was staying. The term Piezza in Italian (should not be confused with Pizza!) means a public square that is very common in Turin and I assume other Italian cities. There's where the locals and the tourists hang out. They drink, eat, socialize, enjoy the weather or a cigarette(!) or listening to live music, etc. The hotel I was staying at had a sample chocolate for me and it tasted amazing but considering the general public, it is considered an expensive place. I had breakfast, and when I say breakfast you need to understand that Italian breakfast is completely different from North American breakfast, twice there and I think it cost something like €12! What was the breakfast you might ask: A cup of coffee, a small piece of pasty and a small Ham sandwich. This, compare to the breakfast served in Canada (or the US) is a very small portion for the price but that's how Italians eat and I think that's why there's no obesity there! 

A shot of different chocolates and candies inside the store

Stratta has a little space in front of the shop that you can sit to enjoy your coffee but nothing indoor. I didn't buy any candy or chocolate because it would have been ruined on the way back but should have tried as much as I could. You do. I'm sure you won't regret. 

(Photo, top: My first meal or breakfast in Turin consisted of a small cup of Cappuccino, the size that is usually served in Italy, give or take, a very fresh and delicious Pistachio pastry which I don't know what its called and an Italian style Ham and Cheese Sandwich. A small shot of water usually accompanies the coffee. The funny thing I thought that number 17 written on the bottom left corner of the receipt was the total cost while in fact it is the table number! The receipts, as you can see do not reflect the individual item's cost when it is printed but I think it was some €12 or even more!)

EU after 12 years (6): Returning to Malpensa (Italy)

I had my breakfast for the last time in Hotel De Gruyeres in the morning of Wed. the14th. I had already packed. I paid my bill, said good bye and went for the vehicle. The three-night stay with breakfast cost me CHF 540 equal to $322.54 per night (Canadian dollars). Now if you look at some luxury hotels in the country, you will have something to compare but I'm not here for that! 

My destination was a tourist office in Montreux with the hope that I can find the former Iranian diplomat and prominent politician Ardeshir Zahedi's residence named Villa Les Roses but when I reached the address, without paying attention to the fact that whether it was the correct address or not or were they open, I drove by because there was absolutely no spot to park. I didn't want to be late for the car return and I knew I had about 3 hours drive ahead of me and being daylight and a sunny beautiful day didn't give me much confidence. The only thing I did was stopping at the side of Lake Geneva for a few minutes. Montreux, despite its beauty, has attracted many tourists and that is what I dislike. If I go back for the hike that I've already written about it or any other hike and finding the villa, I will make sure I get he hell out of the place that now is one of the targets for the damn, and loud Oriental tourists! 

I encountered a group of Swiss soldiers before leaving the country and took this picture from the two of them. It's interesting that Switzerland has always considered neutral yet they always practice getting involved! 

My journey was continued until Google Maps directed me to a station that the drivers who did not want to go through Simplon Pass, would load their cars and by paying a fee, would skip the drive. The lady who was the attendant there told me that I had the option of just simply take the pass and encouraged me to do so since it was a nice a sunny day and I did. I just had to be very careful not to be misdirected by the damn Google Maps and when I got on the road and started driving up, I realized why nobody wanted to drive the road and I already had driven it in late night and pitch dark! It was very steep and very narrow. I only saw a couple of bikers on the road. One was carrying some groceries(!) and the other one whom I asked about the road was just enjoying his bike ride. I once stopped at a sort of cafe (or as it's said in Italian caffe!) to make sure whether I was on the right path. I didn't stop for coffee or lunch. I was stopped at what used to be a border control by a police officer. It was the same spot that I had passed without seeing a single soul three nights earlier. The officer checked my passport, the truck and after asking a few questions let me go. My next stop, rather a few times that I pulled over to take pictures was at a tool booth and I don't know whether it was the same one that I had passed that night or not but it seems this time I did not have to pay! I guess the attendant on the intercom asked me something and I told them that I was driving a rental. 

This sign which says that speed is controlled electronically in Italian was seen repeatedly on the roads in Italy!

Finding Parking #2 to return the rental to Enterprise in Malpensa was not very difficult but I went the wrong way once and everything went as planned. I got a train ticket for Turin (or Torino in Italian) or I thought it was a ticket for that destination and got in. It was only after 2 stops that I realized I was going to Milan instead! I asked the conductor, if he really was the conductor what I had done, while we were stopping at the third stop and he said I would have no other choice by going to Milan to by a ticket for Turin! That's what I did! This, again, resulted in reaching the destination, Turin's Porta Nuova station at dark! Fortunately the distance between the hotel and the station is only 10 minutes and by the instructions I had received I was able to check into my hotel, San Carlo Suite. 

(Photo, top: I took this picture from Ganter Bridge in Simplon Pass before driving over it. The construction of the 150 meters height bridge started in 1970 and finished in 1980! Remember that I still was in Switzerland)

EU after 12 years (5): Le Moleson

One of my goals during my trip to Switzerland was hiking Rochers de Naye near Montreux where you can see the entire town and look over Lake Geneva (Lac Leman) and part of France. It didn't materialize! Why? The answer is simple: The hotel I was staying at in Gruyeres is nearly 40 minutes from the trailhead but breakfast was part of the deal! So considering that was my main or perhaps I can say the only meal of the day since there was not many businesses around and I was too lazy to go anywhere, I decided to switch to a closer hike named Le Moleson. 

Le Moleson is approached, at least from two different sides. The side that you get the cabin and go up and the side that you can hike up. It is a little shorter than Rochers De Naye but it still is a good exercise and the views are really nice from the top. In fact you can get 360° from summit and also the observation deck of the cabin. There's a good restaurant with good food on the top as well but I only go a 1.5, if I remember correctly, bottle of water for nearly €8.5! 

I went down for the breakfasts as usual, I think around 08:00 and breakfast was very good at Hotel De Gruyeres. The staff were great and the variety was considerable but don't think of the sort of breakfast that you see in American and Canadian hotels. Small portions but tasty and quite interesting. I tried not eat too much to attract attention! I already stuck out like a sore thumb, despite the fact that there were not many guests. The staff did not speak a word of English but I made them understand although there was not much to talk about! 

Part of the breakfast buffet at Hotel Des Gruyeres. So colourful and so delicious! 

I didn't want to make the hike miserable by hauling too much up, besides it was a very short one, So dressed, went down to the car, set up the map and drove to the trailhead. The road was so narrow, after I left the village (or town, if you like to call it!) that if a car came from the opposite direction you would have to pull to the shoulder to the right as much as you could to let the other car by and in fact this happened one. That is why big cars are not seen in rural Swiss area. In one case I tried to ask the driver of an old car about the trailhead to make sure Google Maps was not misdirecting me by saying Le Moleson, repeatedly! He seemed to understand but he pointed at the opposite direction! I think he thought I was going up the gondola. I ignored the French speaking Swiss(!) and continued until I saw a few cars parked! There I was! 

The area looked is incredibly beautiful and despite being a cloudy day, the hike was not bad. In fact it prevent sunburnt. I tried not to get lost and after a while I reached what looked like a restaurant. I always try to be seem to be interested. The guy said something about making soap and pointed at a menu while cutting something like vegetables! I realized I wouldn't get anything regarding the route from him, so said goodbye and told him I'd be back. Then there was this cabin station. There was a crew lady who showed me the path and gave me a map which was not very helpful because the route numbers on the map were not found on the ground. I then simply followed my route finding skills and went the wrong way twice which wasted a total of perhaps half an hour at the most. I then checked a couple of people including a pretty young Swiss girl named Geraldine (she's not going to read this!) who wanted me to join her in her community sort of festival on Sun. but I told her that I was heading back to Italy. 

The view from the summit, or to be correct the view from one side. I think this is looking southeast

The entire hike takes nearly 2 hours to the top and probably 1 hour of a little longer on the way back down and there you have nice views as I said earlier. I first went to the restaurant and the observation desk and then to the actual summit. There's nothing special about going down but multiple stops to take pictures. I also met a Swiss old lady with her little dog who told me with her thick French accent that she was 73 and was trying to reach the top and then going back down using the cabin but I never saw her on the top. I hope she's okay wherever she is. I admire someone at that age. Short hike but worth the effort and time.

(Photo, top: Le Moleson from the last cabin station before reaching the top. The route that hikers should take is seen on the bottom of the picture going right)