Torino 2006-Jeux Olympics

A week ago, a group of 14 students and 4 profs arrived in the region from Portugal. The students are involved with company internships and courses at local high schools. Two of these students are station in my high school and so to welcome the group the school planned a snowshoeing outing on Saturday. About 22 of us went to a local ski resort called Seythenex to shoeshow. We took the ski lift up to 1700 meters and then followed the very wet trails down to the chalet. The weather is really getting warm so the snow has been melting fast. Our snowshoeing was almost like skiing because we slipped so much. During much of the descent, we slid down on our butts as if sledding. It was a lovely afternoon and one moment in particular will forever stick out in my mind. I was walking along behind the group and all the sudden i hit a hole. My leg disappeared in the snow! Three Portuguese came to my rescue. One started digging me out, and two others, one on each side started pulling. It took a good 5 minutes to get me out of there! I was exhausted, embarrassed, and soaked but ill never forget it. After our walk, we had a drink in the chalet. I had a grog which is a mix of rum, lemon juice, hot water, and honey. Its quite tasty and especially good for you if you are sick. (not that im sick but...) During our beverges, the Portuguese Profs invited us to Turin or Torino the following day. So thats how i found myself in a mini bus with 4 Portuguese and one frenchwomen on Sunday headed for Italy.
Turin is about a two hour drive from Ugine. But with the Portuguese who are very found of coffee breaks it took us three. At midday, we visited the centre of the town including the Piazza Republicca, San Carlos, the cathedrale which contained a representation of the shroud of Jesus' burial, ruins of a roman city, the site of the 2006 winter olypmics, and also the site of an international chocolate festival! We were surrounded by booths of chocolate from all over the world and it really thought id died and had gone to heaven. After about an hour of searching in vain for stores or pizza place we ate at an italian cafeteria. I had pasta and quiche that was super good.
In the afternoon, we visited the Museo du Cinema or the Cinema Museum which also the tallest building in Italy. You can take an elevator to the top of the spire to see the panoramic views of the city. We unfortunately only had time for the museum. It was pretty fun however to walk through the themed rooms to view different fims, to see photos and costumes of famous characters and actors, and thanks to technology, play a role next to Keanu Reeves in the Matrix! After the museum we had to return to France. My day in Italy proved to me how little of the language i know. I want to go back at the end april so am now hitting the Italian books!