Arrivederci Torino

With the Closing Ceremony the XX Winter Olympic Games are officially history. The flame has been extinguished and we have 24 months to go before the world starts again to “Live Olympic” in China. I have a twinge of sadness that this latest journey is coming to a close. But that is more than overwhelmed by the anticipation of being back home in Atlanta.

When I look back over some of the posts on this blog, I realize that the actual work I did here kept me so busy that I didn’t have time to tell you everything that is happening here in northeast Italy. There were so many more stories to share – dinner at San Tomassi 10 where Lavazza coffee started or the special “White Nights” when the entire city turns out on the streets until the small hours or the joys of the arcades that span Turin and the fashion stores along Via Roma or sharing grappa with drunk Fins or the strange renovated FIAT factory or what Nancy Kerrigan is really like or trying to get into the Olympic Club or what I learned about Italian coffee culture. So when I am back in Atlanta, let’s get together for a glass of Borolo and we can share more stories.

Thanks to everyone for reading “Petro in Torino” hope that you enjoyed it. And a special thank you to Eleni – your love and support make these adventures possible and much more meaningful.

Heavy Metal

While at the Medals Plaza the other night, I got into a backstage "Olympic Family" only area. Here is where the athletes are escorted on and off stage for the medals awarding ceremony. It is such a great scene because there are hugs, high-fives and smiles all around. The athletes hold up the medals for the crowds and stare down at the medalion with a look of like pride and disbelief. After all they have been holding them for only a few minutes and are eager to get a closer look.

The entire Medals Plaza concept was the brainchild of the Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games. The idea is that some of the winners are given only flowers at the actual venues and instead receive thier medals in a big party in the center of town, which is then followed by a free concert.

Carabinieri Chic

Even the cops are fashion concious in Torino.

Street Cred

Here in Torino the visitors are identifiable by credentials. Necks festooned with lanyards of media credentials and other passes issued by various organizations. The top of the top is an IOC cred with "ALL" and the "OC" which gets you into the Olympic Club. Here is my credential wich gets me into every venue, the press center, medals plaza and a few other choice places.

Short Track Skating

This is another sport that is head-to-head competition that is gaining more favor at the Winter Olympic Games. Rather than just racing the clock, as in speedskating, the short track has action like the snowboard cross that I was at last week. On Thursday evening I was at the Palavela (where the figure skating takes place) to watch men's qualifying heats and a ladies relay final. Great action. Got to see Apolo Anton Ohno skate.

And then I also watched the ladies 3000 m relay. This race is a blast. The racers each take about a lap and a half each and then keep rotating in and out for something like 30 laps. Each time they switch the skaters inside the "infield" move along side the racer and then jump in and get a push from the previous skater. It gets wildly confusing and when a spill happens it gets crazy. In this race the Italian team was never in contention. The Koreans came in first with Canada and China finishing next. However the Italian skater was blocked by the Chinese who were subsequently disqualified. This met with thunderous approval from the pro-Italian crowd. Lots of fun all the way around.

Winter Days

The other day we had a nice snowfall in Torino. Here are a few pics...


Piazza Solferino with snow


The view from my "office"


Clearing snow from the curling sheet

Home away from home

My post here at the XX Winter Olympic Games is the Coca-Cola Press Lounge where we entertain members of the press, host VIPs, have our student journalists blog and hold the nightly ceremony for our Live Olympic award. And it also serves as our back office. It is located on the Piazza Solferino where the Sponsor Village is. Across from me is the Eurosport pavilion (Eurosport is the ESPN of Europe except they have better programming). Nearby is the GE Ice Skating Rink, the Samsung area where you can try out the next generation of mobile phones (get ready, these things are cool), the FIAT tent were you can check out the latest auto models and the bigger Coca-Cola tent where we have bobsleigh simulators, pin trading and a history display. Here are a few pics.

Deliver the Rock

Ever since its introduction as an Olympic sport in 1998, curling has been the attention of a lot of jokes. After all the play incorporates a broom and the players can hardly be recognized as "athletes". By my view of the game, it would be possible to play while taking sips from your flask of schnapps. Nonetheless there are people passionate about it. In front of my "office" -- The Press Lounge, there is a curling "sheet". A few days ago there was a media frenzy as Stefania Belmondo, an Italian Olympian who lit the cauldron last week, came out for a demonstration. Also Robin Roberts of ABC-TV was out earlier in the week. Check out the pics.

Piazza San Carlo

Yesterday moring I was at a 7:30 a.m. meeting and afterwards took a stroll through the Piazza San Carlo on my way to work. Torino has some great open Piazza's that offer a break from the narrow, car-clogged streets of the city. This is where the NBC Today Show is broadcasting. So if you see the show, you know one of the areas I'm strolling around.