Road Trip to City of Novara in the Piemonte Region

Friday, 14 February, 2020

Before detailing today's fun road trip into the nearby Piemonte region to visit Novara, the home city of our Skorpions Offensive Line coach "Mitico" Leo Pozzato, I must say . . .

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

On to Novara . . .

From the Villa Skorpion II, Novara is located to the southwest about an hour and ten minutes by car, but not the Skorpionmobile.

Novara was founded in 89 B.C. as a Roman colony.

With a population of approximately 104,000 souls, Novara is the second largest city in the Piemonte region after Torino.

Novara sits at the crossroads of important commercial traffic roads between Torino and Milano as well as Genova and Switzerland.

Novara is surrounded by the Piemonte's vast rice producing fields, thus risotto for lunch was on my mind.

 A random saint next

to my parking spot

 Religious icons are all over Novara,

it is an Italian city after all

I wonder, how old is this door?

  

A cookie factory?

I just had to go in and buy a few . . .

 Government House

A modernistic angel hidden

in the shadows

 The same angel's wing

Another random saint, this

time overlooking a piazza

A balcony in need of a little work

As for that plate of risotto, my guide book to Italian cuisine, Italy for the Gourmet Traveler by Fred Plotkin, recommended eating at the Ristorante Monte Ariolo so I headed to it straightaway.

When I arrived at about 1:00 p.m., the ristorante was packed and I was told that it was "EEMPOSSIBLE" to sit just one customer for lunch.

It was not a matter of a 30 or 40 minute wait, it was simply "EEMPOSSIBLE." Of course, it was Valentines Day so couples only did make a little sense.

I opted for my risotto at this

quiet, out of the way spot

It was a solid dish that spurred me on to continue with my exploration of the city.

More San Valentino sentiments

A Camino de Santiago map in Novara?

I entered the Cloister of the Canonica,

home of the local bishop

Nice mural of an unknown crest

 The current Bishop's crest

They just don't make entryways

like this in Camarillo anymore

 A grand statue in the sunshine . . .

 . . . and in the shadows as well

It is a statue of the King of Sardinia Carlo Emanuele III who hails from the local Piemonte region. The King was part of the royal Savoy lineage, he ruled over the Kingdom of Sardinia from 1730-1773.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

The Cathedral is fairly new, dating from only the 1850s.

It was closed for lunch but I would return later.

I wonder if the priest in charge got a table for one at lunch today.

Novara does not forget

its Roman heritage

More Roman imagery

 A lion and two angels

looked majestic to me

 A GREAT feathered hat

on this luminary

 There are lots of arcades in Novara

Novara's quaint Opera House

Chestnuts were being roasted

all over the city

OK, I REALLY have to pick up my

sartorial game in the next few months

Amazingly, Novara has LOTS

of churches scattered throughout

its neighborhoods

The Basilica of San Gaudenzio

with its imposing neoclassical dome

The dome stretches 121 meters/397 feet into the Piemonte sky and was mesmerizing.

Construction on the Basilica began in 1577.

Free public drinking water

Another view of the huge dome

I entered the Basilica to find many beautiful examples of religious artwork.

The Prophet Hosea

He is way too serious, lighten up Hosea.

 Intricate Basilica floor

Jesus Christ

The inside of the Basilica's dome

Lots of old oil lamps are scattered

throughout the Basilica

A colorful bishop

The ornate Nativity Chapel

Skeletal reminder of where

we are all headed

The Madonna di Loreto Chapel

 The Prophet Amos knows his hats!

The Prophet Isaiah looks pensive

The Basilica was as interesting inside as its dome was outside.

Acrobatic street art

Beautiful but not a good

thing if there is a fire

My favorite photo of the dome

Well, I like this one too

A modern mural

 The entry to the Broletto courtyard

A well in the Broletto

The Broletto is interesting with

murals, medieval windows and . . .

. . . and a memorial to Novara's

fallen Partisans

So many names flanked the central figure of this monument.

An angel on the Cathedral's

main doorway

Lunchtime was over, the doors were open, so I entered after looking over the statuary in the Cathedral's courtyard.

Dusty but interesting

Laying about in an eternal repose

A powerful feel as you enter

the Cathedral

Art was everywhere but of course

The main altar

St. Paul

Lots of oil lamps inn the Cathedral,

just like at the Basilica

 A golden side chapel

Yet another oil lamp

 A bust of San Bernardo

Fantastic

A local luminary

Two huge church visits in one day, it made me hungry.

PERFETTO!

A white chocolate canonccino and a macchiato at this small pasticceria answered my needs.

Someone's beautiful Novara home

After a good visit, it was time to head home.

Waze suggested two routes to use in returning to Varese.

I opted for the one that was only seven minutes slower that promised the use of some sure to be scenic back roads.

This route afforded me a spectacular view of . . .

. . . the snow capped Alps

I needed to stop in Varese on the way home to purchase a few items at the Belforte Shopping Center.

Near the men's restroom I saw an unusual thing on the wall.

What do you think that it is?

The Skorpion recruiting

efforts NEVER rest!

Again to all . . .

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

from the Skorpions!