Just Gotta Dance

In Italy, my policy is to seize the day, or carpe diem for you folks who enjoy dead languages.  A few of my roommates were having a bad weekend because their Fall Break plans to venture to Napoli fell through.  I suggested a trip to a church upon a mountain that we'd all been eager to see.  We set out early and found the station where we could take a tram to the top of the mountain to see Basilica di Superga.  The girls spent weeks planning their trip but one of them was randomly called by the Italian immigration office to appear on Monday morning so they had to cancel the trip without being fully refunded their money.  The pilgrimage to Superga was well worth the effort and truly turned the day around for everyone.  We reached the top after a 18 minute tram ride and hiked another 100 meters (ish?) to the church.  What we experienced was amazing.

Basilica di Superga

This incredible church was built in the 18th century and now houses the tombs of the Savoy family.  This site is perhaps most well known for a horrible tragedy in 1949.  The community of Superga used to be home to Torino's airport and on a particularly foggy night in 1949 the entire Torino soccer team, 5 time world champions, crashed into the side of the basilica.  It was a particularly tragic event that is still fresh in the minds of many Torinesi and each year on the anniversary of the crash thousands of fans climb the mountain to honor the fallen team.  Here soccer is as much a religion as catholicism, and in talking with several locals about the event, each expresses the fleeting nature of life and the need to truly experience every day in the fullest.  We eat, we drink, we be merry - and that's the Italian way of life that truly inspires me.

After visiting the church we decided to go to Galleria 8, the local shopping mall, to perhaps see a movie or enjoy a pizza at Eataly.  While walking around I spotted a Wii dance competition happening in the center of the mall and I knew I had to try.  I convinced Natalie to join me in defeating a pair of Italian middle school girls who really didn't forsee their imminent demise.  She was reluctant at first but I assured her she couldn't look more ridiculous than me while dancing, and I was right.  Should be good for a laugh:

Check out the video here.

Sporting the shirt I won after winning the Just Dance 2 competition.

I've gotta say it feels pretty good to just let go and not really care what the passersby are thinking (if you notice, we did draw a small crowd).  Oh, and victory feels pretty good as well.  I had a blast just dancing around with Natalie and she was in such a great mood after the competition she completely forgot about the botched trip to Napoli.  I woke up today really energized and feeling blessed to be in such a lovely city surrounded by such history and such beauty.  I told the girls we should visit another baroque church in the afternoon and go see my friend Elisa who works at a local chocolate shop.  We walked around the bustling center of Torino and ducked inside the Basilica della Consolata, an indescribable church with marble and gold embellishments upon every surface.  

Guilded Ceiling of La Consolata

I silently explored the chapels and corridors in awe of all the beauty and glory inside this single building - this country is so extraordinary.  The locals just strolled in, crossed themselves, and sat down on the pews for individual moments of silence.  To have such a work of art within which they can worship, how blessed they are!  Just as praiseworthy is the chocolate shop, Al Bicerin, directly across from La Consolata where my friend Elisa works.  It was built in 1763 and functioned as a neighborhood cafe' and local meeting point for Alexander Dumas, Puccini, and Nietzche among others.  Back then they served a drink called bicerin made with coffee, chocolate and milk cream which you can still enjoy today.  The girls and I escaped the chilly autumn air and settled into a cozy corner table among locals, each enjoying a wine glass full of this delightful beverage.

Bicerin: chocolate, coffee, creamy goodness.

All in all it's been a fantastic weekend.  I marveled at how blessed the Italians are to walk amongst such rich cultural heritage and feel a sense of belonging.  Then I further ruminated on the ways in which I consider myself blessed - every day I have the opportunity to experience such beauty, scale mountains to revere breathtaking monuments, walk along the bustling cobbled streets of the city, happily sip a historical hot chocolate in a centuries-old shop, and even dance in front of complete strangers with reckless abandon.  There's much to be thankful for, and I plan to embrace each day with the same zealous demeanor.