9, 10, 11, & 12 September--Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

eylarson

Sep 14

4 min read

We wish we could blame the lack of entries on the internet service, but the truth is we've been traveling, EATING, drinking and seeing some wonderful sights, art, landscapes and architecture. In the end we've been too tired to make an entry.

Great weather temperature in the low 70s. Some trees beginning to turn color.

9 September was our last full day in Turin. We visited the Castello di Rivoli Museum of contemporary art in the unfinished castle of the Savoy family. I was surprised to learn that usually the family lived in part of the castle while it was under construction. This family was built most of the historic buildings we visited in Turino, and this unfinished castle was a summer getaway that they decided they could get along without it. It has a long gallery intended to house the Savoy picture collection. The art here wasn’t as “far-out” as our previous experience. The representation of a melting glacier fills the long gallery.

We returned to Turino and after lunch had the afternoon off on our own and visited the city’s Egyptian Museum.

We walked in the rain to dinner at The Circolo dei Lettori, a literary club for dinner. Our only raining day to date. It was pouring after and we took cabs back to the hotel.

10 September started with a road trip to Sanuario di Oropa. It is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Italian Alps. A series of shrines in individual buildings that featured terra-cotta statues telling the story of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Many of the vignettes were taken from stories recorded by St James, brother of Christ. These are not part of the gospels so many were new to us. The site also has a black Madonna in the chapel and guest rooms for pilgrims.

After lunch we arrived at our hotel, a 5-star classic, Villa e Palazzo Aminta. Our room in Turino was very nice and as noted huge for a hotel in Europe. This is a two-room suite with balconies in both the living room and the bedroom. We will be spoiled forever.

11 September We took a short van ride to a pier for transfer to on of two islands on Lake Maggiore to see the Isola Madre and its English style gardens followed by a short ride to the other smaller island to Borromean Palace and its gardens,.

The former had plants and trees, including a giant sequoia for North America, from around the world. In the early 19^th century, there was a store in Milano that specialized in importing plants for wealthy Italian noblemen. They in turn had a large staff of botanists and gardeners who would plant and maintain these imported rarities. At one time pineapples were grown here.

12 September the eight of loaded on to a full-size tourist bus for a trip to Orta San Giulio a chapel known for it well preserved frescos. Families would “buy” a wall space and hire artist to commemorate a saint or biblical story of meaning to them. Over the course of time another family might “buy” the same space and have their artist plaster over the old work and paint their story. St Jerome, who did the translation that became the standard Bible, misread the Hebrew word for “rays” so Moses has horns coming out of his head as he returns with the Ten Commandments.

We visited one last small chapel that included a fresco focused entirely on Judas. Not the usual subject matter, but according to our historian, was there to show the results of his betrayal.

Chandeleir in Castle

Castle Garden

Hotel, not ours, along the lakefront

Another during my walk home from dinner

Stuffed squash blossoms

Our hotel

The bath

The living room with balocony overlooking the lake

Bedroom with balcony over looking the parking lot

Remeber I said there were four kinds of honey

The long gallery in the unfinished castle with an art installation depicting a melting glacier

Art made with mud from the site

Contrmporary art

Stone "bread"

View from unfinished castle

Unfinished castle

Unfinished castle

Judas Fresco. Receiving the coins just left of the window and riding with the devil on the right

Remenents of the 12 Apostles at the windo level. Jesus is first on the left

In front of the abby, still in use

Orta San Giulio Frescos

Moses with horns

Orta San Giulio Fresco