Stefan and I saw a tourist map of the city last night and realized how little of Turin we have seen, so today we want to walk more of it.

Lillian, my mom and I go out for breakfast this morning. We want some girl time, and we want to see how the Italians eat breakfast. The coffee bars are all very cool, with copper bars and baristas manning the helm. I get a delicious cappuccino while we enjoy tastes of different Italian treats, many similar to a croissant but filled with creams and jams.

We go back to the apartment to collect the guys and find them still in pajamas. We finally leave to walk the city. We head in the direction of the Egyptian museum, but this time we walk much farther. There is a small park at the end of the street, where we turn around, but not much space for the kids to play. We have yet to find a playground in Turin. We walk back up a side street. Shops fill every street. And unlike the frenzy of New York, this seems to be a lovely place to shop. We stop at only one shop, though. Superga, which we learn is based in Turin, has shoes in every color. Stefan and I are both in need of new walking shoes, and we each find great ones here.

Grandpa notes> We can only all wish that Stefan would wear pajamas.

Eventually we walk past the city version of Eataly. It’s much smaller than the one we visited yesterday, but it has a restaurant on the patio. We excitedly sit and await a great meal like yesterday’s. Oly picks the lasagne from a case of prepared food inside, and it turns out to be the very best thing on the table. I’m excited to try a true Italian tiramisu, and it doesn’t disappoint.

After lunch we walk to the Mole Antonelliana, a must-see landmark in Turin. When we finally reach it, we find it closed. No panoramic view for us today. Without going inside, I don’t find this landmark to be anything very special. It’s not far from other things in town, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it.

We walk back toward the house through the Giardini Reali, which were landscaped by the same man who planned Versailles. Much of it is open to the public and looks like any other city park. We attempt to use a public toilet, which my mom notes is very clean. Then when my dad goes in, an alarm of lights and sound shames him for not paying his 20 cents. Ha! Then when he pays and re-enters, the toilet begins to clean itself, with fluid running down the walls and across the floors. The toilet retreats into the wall. It’s hilarious.

Grandpa notes> It’s not nice to make fun of elderly people who are trapped in the toilet from hell.

Part of the garden is closed due to restoration. We walk around and enter the last part through the gates of Palazzo Madama. A fountain and a very large statue of a whale sit in the square garden. There isn’t a lot to it. I wonder if the most impressive part is the closed portion.

I’m not feeling very well, so I go home to rest.

The whole house rests, and the kids get a movie. It’s warm, so someone (probably Stefan) decides they should watch their movie without any clothes.

After awhile, my mom gets bored and asks me to go shopping with her. We walk the streets and get to spend as long as we want in the stores. It’s really nice. I update my travel wardrobe with a couple new shirts from H&M. I love their stuff for summer because it’s stylish and you don’t need it to last very long.

We return to the apartment and separate into two groups for dinner. Date night! My parents leave with the kids, and Stefan and I head to that restaurant we saw last night: Da Cianci Piola Caffe. We grab one of the last tables on the bustling patio. The menu is simple, on a personal blackboard. We order pastas, a strange meat that was soaked in vinegar for 2 days and delicious desserts. The house wine comes in half liters. It’s all very magical, especially when the accordion players start up in the square. 20-30 people wait in the square for a table to become available. This is the perfect spot. When the bill finally comes, Stefan laughs. We are shocked to learn the entire meal was 36 euros. Now that’s a good date night!

Grandpa notes> Date night still ended by 9:00. Lillian and Olaf are bigger party animals than their parents.

We walk around town a bit and stop for one more glass of wine before heading home. My parents tell us they had an even better night than us with the kids. Perfection!