Monday, May 18 - Saluzzo

We set off in the bus for Saluzzo in the morning. As we got near the town there were many rows of trees with netting over them. We later learned they were apricots and peaches. The nearby shorter trees without netting were kiwis (which are apparently heartier while growing, so don’t need the nets). It is a fruit area. Our tour of Saluzzo was mostly outside, as Monday is a closed day for most museums. We were hosted by the President of the club, Domenico, and a guide. We started off at a beautiful church with many eras worth of frescos visible. One small portion of a fresco of Mary and baby Jesus dates from 1300 (the part of Mary) and the rest from 1500. Saluzzo is a beautiful town spread on a hillside, so it is a wonderful place to view from the outside.

Claudia, our guide, points out sights on a overlook.

Stephanie and Jim on the streets of Saluzzo.

Ruth by a well.

Entering the church.

With Domenico Girello, club president, on the church grounds.

We managed a quick peek inside a museum with a view of the city as an employee was leaving when we walked by. The culture and dialect of the area are more French than Italian because the local Marquis kept marrying French women. The advance vehicles for the Giro d’Italia were parked around the commercial area of town, preparing for the tour to arrive the following day. Lunch was at a lovely, understated but quality restaurant.

A fresco restored by the Rotary club.

Ruth and the club president relax at the cafe.

The group, our guide, and our host at a cafe.

The Saluzzo crest - it was on EVERYTHING (this is the side of a trash can).

We then parted ways with our guide and followed Domenico’s car to the Victor Silva harp museum and factory. It was an amazing visit! The museum’s collection of harps spans the globe and eras, all beautifully kept and playable (if you would ever be allowed to play them!) We then toured the factory floor. No one was working except one of the sculptors and his apprentice. We saw harps in every stage of completion, then went to the other building where gilding takes place and the finished harps are given a final quality check before shipping out. It had rained briefly while we were touring and there was a low rainbow visible for some of our drive back to Torino.

Our tour guide at the Harp museum.

Jim trys a harp.

I try a harp.

Harps in the showroom.

Guilding on a harp.

Carving on a harp.

The group in front of the Harp factory and museum.

Back in Torino we had to prepare for an official club meeting with the Torino Europa club. We set off for the Galleria Rocca for a presentation on Antiques and the Restoration process. Although hard to follow the explanations, the scope of it all was clearly visible in the pieces on display around the room (some “befores” and some “afters”). We then moved on to the Hotel Sitea for dinner – a very elaborately decored place. We gave the short version of our presentation (meaning telling about our own lives and families only rather than also covering Iowa’s agriculture, arts, crafts, tourist highlights, and 2008’s disasters).

Back at the hotel (late!) I had “Lucky Number Slevin” on in the background (showing on TV, dubbed in Italian) while journaling. A note on dubbing: Morgan Freeman’s voice should NEVER be dubbed! It is too distinct, expressive, and beautiful – otherwise I enjoy watching movies dubbed in other languages.