Road to Torino

Saturday, February 18, 2006
7:21:00 PM EST Wow, I've now been in Italy for 16 hours! Touching down at the Torino airport, seeing the slogal 'Passion Lives Here' and the Olympic rings on the outside of the terminal building, seems like hours ago now. My tour operator picked me up at the airport, brought me to my hotel here in the city center and I promptly took a 3-hour nap to rest up for tonight's short track events at the Palavela.

It's 1am here now and I just rolled in from taking in Apolo Ohno's bronze-medal performance as well as Rusty Smith's new Olympic record time in the 1000-meters, set in an earlier round. [edit: Smith's record didn't last long - Ahn eclipsed it in winning gold in the 1000m final]

The sail-shaped Palavela is home to both the figure skating and short track events in Torino


Looking super-dorky in front of the topiary figure skates that adorn the Palavela's front yard


Initial impressions:

Which language am I speaking badly? I've been speaking three for the past 24 hours... English, obviously. Then I spent the flight over on Air France chatting with a West African soccer agent who I believe is now under the impression that we're engaged... not sure what got lost in the translation there! Then I arrived in Italy and while everyone in the airport speaks English, not everyone in Torino does. Last fall I began Italian lessons and it's been a lot of fun to trot out my rudimentary Italian. It's working so far! My instructor will be proud.

European plumbing still stinks: I love Europe. But man, they just can't seem to figure out how showers are supposed to work. My hotel here has the classic hand-held European setup. Washing your hair takes twice as long when you can only use one hand! Then there is the peculiar-to-Italy shower emergency pull cord. It's not labelled as such, but if you ever go to Italy and notice a long string dangling from the wall of the shower, that's what it's for. I'm not clear on who will come running if I ever need to pull it.

Food? What food? I've had a Luna bar and some cafeteria lasagne so far. I plan on rectifying this situation tomorrow. In fact, I plan on devoting my day to rectifying this situation.

Too many rules! First I get to the media viewing area at the Palavela and learn I'll need tofork over 900 Euros for internet access. Um, no thanks. Then I decide to snap a few photos of the arena before the spectators arrive. Nope! Can't do that, you're a reporter, not a photographer. The photographers might get mad. So I munch on a Luna bar as I contemplate my next move. You're not allowed to eat in here! See those people over there? It's a delegation from Beijing 2008, Vancouver 2010 and London 2012. What would they think if they look over here and see you eating something?

I shudder to imagine. Then, finally, I had to get rid of my water bottle ofall things, because the water brand is not an Olympic sponsors. You have GOT to be kidding me.

So yeah, time for me to get some rest and build up appetite for tomorrow!


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This entry has 2 comments: (Add your own)

• #2 Comment from robhwjr 
  2/19/06 10:37 AM | Permalink

  Congrats on your engagement! To a football agent no less.
  
  Want me to call you family and give them the great news?
  
  Sorry about all the hassles in the press box... you getting everything you need?
  
  BV?
• #1 Comment from sandytrue39 
  2/19/06 9:04 AM | Permalink

  That was a terrible interview with Shani Davis after his winning the gold medal.  He was irrigant, discusting and appeared to be a spoiled child of a single mother.If I were his mother I would have been so dissapointed in his attitude.   I have been watching both the summer and winter Olympics for years now and have never, ever seen a person winning any medal with an attibtude as Mr. Davis had.  He may be very immature and a self-centered young man.   I am very sure that his appearance has not impressed any watching and that will stay with him for a very long time.  He might as well hang it up if he cannot be a proud and happy individual to have represented the USA.