February and the first signs of spring...

Thank goodness because I was getting stir crazy from the cold and damp weather. I had gone with Carlo 2 weeks ago up to the Superga, which is on a hill/mountain(?) northeast of Torino. Normally views from the Superga would yield not only a panorama of the city of Torino but also of the mountains surrounding the city. All we got to see was fog and more fog... There was so much fog we didn't even see the whole structure of Superga! (Superga is a cathedral)

We arrived at the Superga via bus and then a funicular railway. Now, who out there has ever heard of this English word, "funicular railway" before? (Veet, not counting you!) I'd never heard of this word before and saw it for the first time in Prague, then again here in Italy (once in Biella, then Torino). I thought perhaps that it was the Italian or Czech word, but it was actually the English translation! Here is the definition of "funicular railway" from www.dictionary.com...

funicular railway
–noun
a short, very steep railway having two parallel sets of tracks, upon each of which runs a car or train raised or lowered by means of a cable that simultaneously lowers or raises the other car or train in such a way that the two are approximately counterbalanced.
[Origin: 1885–90]

Funky. That should say it all.

The funicular railway running from its base in NW Torino to Superga was a long one, and from glimpses under the fog, we could see an amazing panorama of the city. Sorry I couldn't get a good shot. :-( It's a goal for future visits, though! That and the Capuchin Hill and the classroom at the University of Torino that shows a view of the Mole Antonelliana, city, and mountains.

Back to the spring weather... It's still cold! Just not as damp. And SUNNY. And it takes 1 1/2 days for my laundry to dry as opposed to 4 (before I give up and drag out the electric heater)! :-O

I still say...

...4 more months until real summer. *sigh*