I did indeed, Chris. Was just jotting down some thoughts and posting pics to FB last night.
First Impressions
WARNING: If you don’t want to have to speak Italian, Torino is not for you. In the six days I was there, I can count the number of English conversations on one hand: the hotel front desk, the visitor center, and a fortuitous conversation on my last day with a girl behind the counter of a café. Beyond that, man, it was tough! Mostly, I got by with Itanglish, or at least the waiter or salesperson came to an agreement on what I wanted. In fact, I often found myself making assumptions like, “My Italian is good enough,” or “Surely, the waiter or salesperson speaks English.” Much to my surprise, wrong on both counts, repeatedly.
I was absolutely shocked to see so many tourists and not hear a single word of English, not to mention French or German. Torino used to be a major European political centre, being Italy 's first capital city in 1861 and being home to the House of Savoy, Italy 's royal family. That might help explain why it’s a major destination for Italian tourists.
Overall, I find it truly brilliant. Magnificent piazzas and palatial buildings abound; window shopping galore; pastries and gelato everywhere.
