Cheers!
Italy proving to be ill-prepared, but charming, host
*By Ann Killion
Mercury News
*
**TURIN, Italy - **The Greeks should sue for defamation.
That’s my initial impression of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Because the Italians appear to be less ready for the Olympic tidal wave that’s about to hit them than Athens was 18 months ago.
But, so far, Italy is getting a free pass. Which just goes to show what fabulous food, delicious wine and being America’s favorite foreign country can do for public relations.
Hey, it works for me. In 24 hours here I’ve already figured out that a slice of crispy thin-crust cippole pizza and a glass of vino rosso can work wonders to ease transportation woes and construction concerns.
What can I say? **I’m easily bribed. It’s an Olympic tradition. **:hehe:
So, apparently, are the hysteria-mongers. Because there isn’t much outcry about the obvious: This city isn’t ready for the Olympics, which begin Friday. The subway system never got finished. The medals stage is still being constructed. The security at the media village and work area is less than confidence-inspiring. Construction cranes line the skyline. Flights into the local airport were diverted to Milan, because Turin couldn’t handle the traffic. Even the snow hasn’t cooperated – there aren’t more than a few puddles around the city.
It’s not just the visitors who have noticed. The locals are saying it: Turin is a mess. It might be in its worst state since Hannibal’s elephants came tromping through here 2,200 years ago.
So why haven’t we heard any of the hysteria that surrounded the Athens Olympics and the Greeks’ apparent ill-preparedness?
For a few reasons. One, the Summer Olympics are way, way bigger and on a lot more folks’ radar. Also, for reasons of history, timing and location, security concerns were a much greater, bordering-on-panic issue.
And, finally, Greece isn’t everybody’s favorite country to visit – though it should be right up there on the list – and Italy is.
But when the Greeks said, ``Don’t worry, everything will be ready,‘’ they weren’t kidding. The Italians, it appears, are. The joke going around is that if you want to see the Shroud of Turin, come back in 2025, when it will next be displayed. And you can see the Olympics-ready Turin at the same time.
At the Athens closing ceremonies in August 2004, the chief of the Turin Organizing Committee claimed: ``The bell for the last lap is ringing for us.‘’
Maybe no one heard it. Because Turin won’t be ready.
``Is not possible,‘’ my charming cab driver said with a laugh Tuesday.
This may be a lesson in the perils of trying to re-create the Olympic wheel every two years, rather than recycling successful Olympic venues. (Lillehammer, we still love you.)
Italy is a pretty, popular and very charming host. But it last hosted the Olympics a half-century ago (Cortina in 1956) and might not be aware of the deluge of media, the scrutiny of every detail, the discussion of every problem and the need for speed – in results, transportation, everything – in the current Olympic environment.
The Olympics were awarded to Turin in 1999. The spin we’ve been hearing lately is that Italy put together an impressive bid, designed to change the image of its fourth-largest city from Detroit-like to Destination.
But the back story is more complex. Turin beat out the small Alpine town of Sion, Switzerland. The Swiss were convinced that the decision was a backlash against Swiss International Olympic Committee member Marc Hodler. Hodler is the whistleblower whose allegations of corruption in the bid process caused some IOC members to be expelled and made being an IOC member a lot less fun, cushy and rewarding.
It also meant that IOC members were forbidden from visiting candidate cities. That might explain one of the most confusing parts of the Turin Olympics: Half of the events are occurring in the far-off mountains, which in some cases will take four hours to reach. Sure, you can see the mountains in the distance, at least when the gloom lifts. But it’s a little like having Sacramento host the Winter Olympics, without a freeway to get to Lake Tahoe.
The separation of the city from snow, skiing and sledding may account for the lack of buzz in town. Though banners strung from streetlights proclaim ``Passion lives here’’ – why the motto is in English is baffling, since everything, including the name of the city, sounds far better in Italian – there doesn’t seem to be much passion. Just a lot of folks going about their regular business.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t lovely. One of my colleagues complained – and, yes, reporters are already in full competition form in the Nordic Combined Complaining event – ``I don’t see a lot of charm.‘’ But she was saying that from inside the massive media center, which could be easily interchanged with any other massive media center at any other Olympics.
Turin’s centro – far removed from the drab industrial buildings and high rises – is full of Italian charm. Butter-yellow archways line the cobble-stoned plazas. Caffe, enoteche, pasticcerie, gelaterie and stylish shops dot the streets.
At Caffe Torino off Piazza San Carlo, a Bicerin d’Cavour was just the thing on a chilly day. It’s a famous drink here – layers of cold cream, hot espresso and thick, hot chocolate in one small delicious cup. Sure, it costs almost $10, but mmmmm, is it good.
And just enough to make you forget about the construction dust, the endless bus rides and the overall chaos. The Italians know: The solution to any problem can be found in a meal.
