2/28/2006 And so there it is, Torino. You saw it, I saw it, wasn't it amazing? I am still very hungover from the huge international avalanche that submerged people from all over with enthusiasm and olympic friendship and competitiveness for weeks. That is, hungover from a huge party I did not attend! Just like I was in Nagano while everyone was still missing the '98 games as if it was the Second Coming, the same will happen when I go back to Turin, when everyone will be missing the craziness and the world's attention. Well, at least - unlike Nagano - Torino will hardly be forgotten as it is and has always been a fixture in European history and business! Here are some exalting facts about Torino that you may have ignored while changing channels during the advertisement breaks between stupid Hughes and trailorman Miller, during which NBC infiltrated some tidbits of culture and history. FACT: Torino, as the capital of Savoy (a kingdom straddling both France and Italy) became the first capital of Italy as it was the Savoy troops who invaded all the Italian states and unified them. FACT: Torino was and is the technological, engineering and design capital of Italy, home of FIAT, aka the parent company of Ferrari and of the strongest soccer team in Europe, Juventus F.C. FACT: Torino is located in Piemonte, a region where Piemontese - an actual language and not a dialect - is still spoken. FACT: Torino is a city of magic, stuck between black and white forces and part of two major "triangles"...what the heck am I smoking you say? ask Nostradamus! FACT: Torino has the best wines and the best foods, hands down...champagne? hah that frenchie crap... FACT: Torino has the 2nd largest Egy museum outside of Egypt - so? well...L.A. doesn't!
If we want to get into the sports, well I have been pleased that the stupid US media went through its usual great lengths to glorify competitors who plainly sucked while completely overlooking really talented American athletes even after they won. My opinion on Bode Miller? He is a great athlete, it's just his staff and US Olympic Commitees who were idiots to let him compete at those levels. Speaking of useless athletes, Japan brought in the most numerous team in years, almost 200, but out of that cloned multitude, only one won, the one with the awkwardly funny-looking face and a really dorky white boyfriend. I mean...her coach! I mean, did you see him trying to make out with her right after the scores were announced? And, with the whole world watching, she just would not give in!! Screw the Olympics brotherhood! Once again, Japan 1 - World/dorky whiteys with asian fetish 0. Germany was fantastic, and so were the nordic countries, as expected of those poor frozen souls. Well, Norway, despite winning a gazillion medals, had so few golds that they practically proclaimed an official national collective lemming-style suicide down their fjords. Boo hoo hoo. And then Italy did pretty well, although below expectation - but eh, not their fault they're not perfectly half asian like yours truly.
Ah, I was personally shocked of the craziness that went on in the hockey tournament, but I thought Finland deserved the overall win, but I gotta give it to the Swedes for busting their viking asses, what a game! man, I love this game!
10:50 PM
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2/11/2006 Phone calls coming in at 3a.m usually just enrage me, just a little bit, but 3a.m. long distance phone calls from inebriated old high school buddies in Italy are a completely different story...purely nostalgic feelings mixed with pure patriotism, that usually come during soccer World Cups, permeate my place, set on stupid NBC, CNBC and USA for complete - delayed and edited for american ads - Torino 2006 Olympics coverage. Indeed, since watching a full 4 hours block of Travel Channel documentaries on Torino last weekend, the olympic fever is on. While growing up and living in Torino for 16 years, Olympics was definitely something that was not even dreamt of, so I really admire the incredible marketing, logistical and overall popular effort to put this often overlooked corner of Italy in the spotlight. And what a show! The opening ceremonies were, literally, a feast for the eyes! So, picture yourself in this really pretty European city, surrounded by fans from all over the world breathing in this electric atmosphere full of anticipation, walking in the porticos in the center of town from one beautifully lit square to paris-like square, drinking a nice hot chocolate in one of the many cafe's, or sipping heart-warming wine in one of those many small restaurants..mmmm oh man, I so want to go back!!!!!!
