My feet must have had a sixth sense for taxis because without seeing a sign or any direction I walked straight toward an awaiting taxi fleet in front of the train station. There was no possibility that Ross and I could figure out the Turin tram system or how to walk to our hotel so taxi ride it was. The kind Italian stowed our bags, demanded our destination, and sped off for Hotel Alpi Resort. Ross paid attention to the driver, seeming to converse in a half english/italian pseudo-conversation while I stared out the windows drinking in the sights. All the old, gorgeous buildings were lit up with lights to accentuate the magnificent architecture. The Christmas lights over the roads caught my attention immediately. Suspended on wire frames, constellations in blue and white lights rolled by all down one long street. Then we turned onto a street with all white lights in the shape of various circles and symbols. I thought it might be religious symbols and planets but no, just random pretty lights. I vowed to get pictured of such magnificent Christmas lights while in Turin.
We pulled up to the Hotel Alpi Resort, payed the friendly taxi guy, and said our goodnights. When Ross and I entered the hotel building he was very confused. Thankfully I'd done way too much research online and knew that the hotel was located on the third floor of the building, with the first two being residential. We skipped the tiny three by two foot wide elevator that we couldn't figure out how to work and lugged our stuff up three winding flights of stairs. At the top of the third floor we found ourselves at the hotel Alpi, a plush warm place decorated in golds and reds with little rooms but lots of charm! Because of all the travel, I had a splitting headache and Ross and I were both impatient for food. We stashed our things in our rooms and asked at the front desk where the nearest open restaurant was. (I complained enough about the pharmacy being closed that the sweet young gentleman at the front desk gave me a tylenol for my headache from the hotel's supply). The guy told us that we could visit the pub or the take-away pizzeria a couple blocks away. Ross and I opted for the pizzeria but instead stopped in at the first place we saw with a flashing pizza sign conveniently located less than a block away from our hotel.
Inside the pizza place, I stared down in disgust and disappointment at the pizza slices covered in hot dog slices, french fries, and other odd ingredients. Clearly the man behind the counter was proud of his gross assortment of food so I didn't so much as frown while I looked it over trying to decide what Ross and I could order that wouldn't make us sick. Ross was up for anything bless him and I was too tired to care all that much, so we exited the pizza shop with a box of various slices of reheated pizza and two soft drinks. Our first 'dinner' in Turin was interesting indeed, and neither Ross nor I complained as we hungrily munched our pizza while contemplating sightseeing for the next day. I must admit I was proud of us as a couple. A long day of travel, some unexpected glitches, and a dinner more suitable for someone fresh out of the nightclub ...yet we kept calm, positive, and comforting each other throughout. That "what if?" question about us not traveling well as a couple vanished. We were going to be fine, more than fine, traveling together after all. The thought didn't surprise me.
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