EU after 12 years (8): Muze de Egizio (Museum of Egypt)

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)

EU after 12 years (4): H. R. Giger in Gruyeres

I had three goals in mind when I was planning for Switzerland. Driving at night, the way I explained in a post earlier, was certainly not one of them! Here are (or to be correct, were!) the three:

First, going to the H. R. Giger Museum and possibly pay my respect to him by visiting his grave, in Gruyeres. Secondly doing a hike near the town of Montreux, or specifically hiking Rochers de Naye and finally seeing Villa Les Roses in that town. The hike of the little mountain near the town of Montreux was changed to the hike of Le Moleson in Gruyeres but I was not able to see the Villa of the Roses. 

Giger's simple yet greatly designed tombstone in the nearby church cemetery. The museum has placed a small card in French and English asking not to put anything on the stone.

Hans Ruedi Giger was a Swiss artist behind the design of the most terrifying monster of the science-fiction world, the Alien. I wanted to go to the museum for the past 2 years when I accidentally realized the museum located in this small village of Switzerland. The question that I could not have found the answer for is why he ended up in Gruyeres while he was from the town of Chur which is 300 km away and he passed in Zurich which is 185 Km always! 

The museum is great and unique and definitely worth watching. It's small and located in an old building in the village. It doesn't require much time to see all of the objects on display, perhaps a little more than 1 hour. I saw families with little kids in the museum, perhaps because they felt obligated to do something and since this is one of a very few limited things that the families can do in the village, they were doing it. The museum has a store but I didn't buy anything or perhaps I should say I didn't find anything to purchase that fits a guy like me! I don't wear caps and hoodies and I certainly don't were short sleeve T-shirts! Rings and jewelries are out of question but a nice jacket would have been considered but I'm happy that I had the excuse to avoid spending Swiss Franks on some merchandise! 

I took a stroll down the village after that. This is the place that you don't see visitors and tourists. A very nice a clean village with big houses and grassland with cows and also deer! I went down to a main road and came back up. There's a castle or fort on the top of the village which you need to pay admission to get and that's how it's supposed to be but having paid for the museum, I skipped that and instead went to nearby church with a small and very clean and beautiful cemetery attached to it. That is where H. R. Giger is rested. I asked the museum guy and he told me with his strong accent where I would find the grave. I first didn't want to enter the cemetery because it is fenced but then I said what's the worst that could happen? I will tell whoever questions me what I'm looking for. I started looking at the tombstone and here he was, away from everyone, at the corner with a small shrub of Tomatoes grown on his grave: H. R. Giger! No photo, nothing else. Just his name and the days he was born and passed. It was much easier than how I found the two Japanese artists two years earlier. I, first wanted to take a couple of tomatoes and taste them but I thought I should leave them there! 

A Xenomorph model hanging from the museum's ceiling

The next day I tried the bar. It's actually a very small bar with not more than, I would say, maybe, a total of 10 tables and a counter, of course. The design is amazing. I ordered a couple of very simple things because I'm generally, not all the times, afraid of spending money! I was just there to be there and be able to take a couple of pictures. I asked one of the girls about the ownership of the bar and she said that his wife owned it which means his second wife but the girl, herself looked like Giger! Here's a picture of here tell a couple of kids the get away from the counter. 

My bill was about CHF 18 or something, I can't remember but she agreed to get €18 which was in my favour, I told her. She grabbed the money and put them in a sort of wallet or purse! I now regret that I didn't buy anything from the museum just for the sake of buying something and didn't order more in the bar but that's how I am. I don't do things and then later regret them! The thing is I would like to visit Switzerland again so perhaps I will stop by and do what I wanted to do next time! 

(Photo, top: One of many portraits of Giger on display in the museum)