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I was too tired last night to write anything, so today is accounting for yesterday too.
Yesterday was the first time that I've been let out alone in central Turin. I caught the metro (very easy because there's only one line) into the city and, armed with three maps, tried to find my way to the Mole Antonelliana which is the building that holds the Museum of Cinema. I got a wee bit lost, but really I only had to follow one road so it was ok, and the museum was very cool. The Mole is a huge cathedral type building, and o the central atrium is all open and super high. Because I was feeling brave and touristy, I payed a little extra and went in a glass elevator that takes you up 85m to the top of the atrium and onto a little deck area where you can take photos of the whole city. Big mistake. I didn't know that I was a bit nervy around heights, but apparantly I am because I was more scared in that elevator than I have ever been in my entire life.
After that, I thought I knew where I was headed so I ignored my maps for a bit, which was another huge mistake. I ended up getting seriously lost for almost two hours, talking down these dingy alleyways near the motorway and crying a lot. Finally I got up the courage to go into a little cafe and ask for directions, but OF COURSE the owner didn't speak any english so I only understood half of his instructions! Anyway, I made is back in the end and I'm trying to forget that little blip. Otherwise, it was a really good day! I walked for about six hours solid and only ate gelato because I was too wimpy to go to a cafe and have to speak italian, but never mind. There's always tomorrow.
So today was a quiet morning for me, but a bit interrupted for the rest of the family because Angus somehow managed to forget the time difference and called to talk to me at 2am. Meredith laughed it off, but apparently Amedeo was swearing under his breath for quite a while, although when I apologised to him he seemed to be over it. This afternoon Meredith dropped me off at La Venaria Reale which is a huge palace with big gardens only about ten minutes from the house. It was really pretty, but inside you weren't allowed to take photos (I snuck a few anyway), and outside they were doing pre-high season maintainance on the gardens so there were tractors everywhere and lots of mud. I just got home from there about half an hour ago, and then at 7:30pm Amedeo's niece Valentina and her boyfriend Glauco are coming to pick me up and take me out for dinner and then to their friend's 18th birthday party at a nightclub. I've never met or seen or spoken to either of them ever, and even though I'm sure they're both lovely I am quietly terrified, actually to the point where I cried quite a bit in private and had to text Madayday and Mum. As she said, it's only one night and I will actually have a lot of fun, I think (hope). I don't even know what italian teenagers wear to clubs when it's below zero at night!
Wish me luck!
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