Portofino, near Genoa, is a jewel on the Mediterranean coast.
Be warned - if you are going to drive here: be prepared for many, narrow hair-pin bends with on-coming suicidal Italian drivers playing "chicken" with you.
Portofino with Castello Brown overlooking it on the high headland.
The small harbour area is very picturesque. We ate outside and even though it was October, we were too hot and moved into the shade. When.........
....... Silvio Berlusconi, came by & sat a couple of tables away from us. He is not very tall.
We managed to spot six of his bodyguards hanging about nearby. Not the sort of guys you easily ask to "push off" when you want a quiet pizza.
We only spent a few hours in Turin on our way back to the airport. We didn't do it justice. This is really a very stylish city.
The Mole Antonelliana is one of the symbols of the city & is its tallest structure.
There are lots of grand civic buildings in the centre.
A well earned rest in the oldest (?) coffee house in Turin, Baratti and Milano by the Galleria Subalpina. Great coffee and delicious chocolates.
Ann. OK, the chocolates will come later.......
The ambience of Turin was very relaxed. These policemen were more concerned about chatting up the traffic wardens than chasing any criminals. Maybe that's why Michael Caine thought this was the suitable venue for the Italian Job.
This was a theatrical anti-climax. Within the Cathedral, this side chapel was curtained off. So we waited for "opening" time. When the curtains were eventually drawn, all we could see was this giant photograph above a rustic altar behind bullet-proof glass.
So, Arrivederci Turin & Piedmont.
A lovely holiday - all thanks to Edward's hospitality and his great sense of La Dolce Vita. Thanks again Edward.
