We are now in Italy after a 250km drive to Turin (Torino) which had us traveling through and under the French Alps, a drive that turned out to be anything but cheap!
The total cost in road tolls was €71.70 ($NZ118.67) which included one toll of €43.50 to travel 13kms through the Tunnel de Frejus.
In all we travelled approx 37 kms through numerous tunnels which meant that 15% of our drive was underground
It has to be said that the Alps are a majestic sight from all angles
Arrived in Turin around 1 pm and unloaded - the drive from the outskirts of the city into the main central city was not at all inspiring but once we were on foot one got a very different opinion
There are 3 or 4 main piazzas of significant size and the same number of main streets
One walks under cover of arcades in the main, which is well received because of the searingly hot temperatures in the open (34 degrees as I write at 6.30 pm) with the main roads leading to one of the piazzas.
Towards the end of our ambling we came to Via Garibaldi which is a pedestrian zoned street of maybe 10 blocks with retail shops down both sides - if anyone needs a dose of retail therapy then they only need to go to either Grenoble or here to Turin.
We had dinner in the open air in Piazza Vittorio Veneto and on the walk home came across a prize giving for a body painting competition.
After walking for nigh on 11.5kms since we arrived in Turin we have a good feel for what she has to offer and we will be at it again tomorrow!
We both feel a little strange here as having been grappling with the French language for three weeks Italian sounds so much more foreign and it is difficult to remember the polite Italian words - saying Merci to an Italian instead of Grazie is rather useless!
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