Genova

One of the things I love about Genova is the fact that mass tourism hasn't decimated her soul.

The Genovese go about their lives in a way that feels like forever and familiar .  And there is the sacred and the profane out there as you wander.  The exquisite and the run-down stand side by side.  Take a few steps and you're some place else.

There is ancient grandeur and there are the wilder streets.  Those streets that inspire caution when you consider exploring them. 

Genova is as She is.  There is no pretence.  Grandeur and grittiness co-exist.  You can love her ... or not.  She will not bow or preen for you.

I love that.

The Colours of 'My' Genova

Story-Tellers

Maybe I'm 'involved' in too many things ... is the thought that occurs to me as I try to organise my desk as a viable working space after Italy, on this much-cooler Sunday morning in Belgium.

I'm trying to organise all ...  there are the things I want to blog about from Genova, the photography workshop material I'm printing and organising, the Inspiration workbook material I'm preparing for the 5-day workshop in Italy, and the book on Genova I'm putting together ... and then there's everything else that interests me too. Reminders, notes, the appointments book, and and and.

To my left my bookshelves are overflowing with books read and unread but I love that state of being.  No pressure, just pure anticipation.  There was the secondhand beauty I found just before flying - Pablo Neruda, Memoirs.  And I'm still meandering through Eduardo Galeano's Children of the Days.

Both books were too heavy to take with my camera gear and laptop as hand luggage, as I acknowledged that sad lack of escalators in Italian railway stations.  A lack that has twice made me consider abandoning my luggage there at the bottom of the stairs as I looked up.

Yesterday, pre-massive night-time thunderstorm, I lay on the bed for a while and zipped through the delightful story of a wandering cat and its owners efforts to track it - titled Lost Cat.  Pure lazy luxury.

And I'm still dipping in and out of Paul Kelly's 100 chapter biography (although not the version I've linked to. No cds included in my copy and, sadly, too heavy to contemplate carrying to Genova), and the Letters of Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West  because they're the kind of books that invite dipping.  I discovered 'Portuguese Irregular Verbs' at my .75 cent secondhand book supplier (so many good books found at this price) and it's waiting there in the queue.  And finally I am reading 'TinkerBell, in the Realm of the Never Fairies with Miss 9.  It's an excuse for us to hang-out up here, in the cool of the evening, reading and chatting.  We're looking for the next big series read but will put that decision off a little longer.

I'll leave you with a story-scene from medieval Genova.

Genova And I ...

Tonight is the night I spend cleaning the apartment and packing to leave Genova.

My airline changed its usual flight times between Italy and Belgium.  I need to leave here earlier than usual but, realistically, I can't do the big clean-up-before-leaving in the humidity that is ...  It's a long journey home.  One that involves a bus, a train, another train, a plane, a bus, and a tram.  It's only 1 hour 15 minutes between airports and countries but there's the reaching the airport thing ... and the getting home too.

It becomes epic but I have my snazzy new luggage... she trails off.  That would be the bag that blew my budget upon arriving in Italy ... the replacement for the red one that had had the powerfully stinking fish juice spill on it.  Ho hum.  Nice bag.   I guess it can be an early birthday gift to myself, a thought that may help absorb the pain of paying full price and then some for luggage in an airport.

Hmmm, note to self, the pain of that experience still isn't out of my system.

But mostly this visit has been about good people.  There was Roberto, a lovely guy I met last time I was here.  He very kindly introduced me to some places in the city I hadn't explored.  And he survived my New Zealand-English.  Grazie mille, Roberto.

And there was Anna, from Beautiful Liguria. It is always, without fail, inspiring and exciting to spend time talking with her. 

And Outi, another lovely friend I made last time I was in Genova.  An inspiring woman too!

Actually, I was here to meet Diny.  A truly remarkable woman who was a pleasure to spend time with.  We worked together on both Saturday and Sunday, then had dinner on Monday and ended that evening out in Piazza De Ferrari, eating gelato and enjoying the cool breeze of the evening.  It was a real delight to spend time with her.

I was out with Barbara tonight, aperitivo after lunching with her earlier.  One day I will stun her with my fluent Italian.  Well actually, I'll probably stun myself first ... there is so much grammar to learn. 

And Lorenzo.  Some days, we met for a coffee after he closed his cafe for the day.  He came to Belgium last year, searching for the grey skies that Belgium does so well.  He introduced us to the vegetarian 'meat' products while he was over.  We love him for that.

And Stefano.  I had lunch with him back in those days when I first arrived.  It's always a pleasure to catch up with this lovely man, responsible for the Righicam website.  The site with those cameras that look out over Genova.

The humidity here has been high.  Higher than I'm used to.  Sometimes two showers per day and a complete change of clothes was the only solution.  That said, I've loved being warm ... loved watching my skin change to brown even though I haven't spent any time sunbathing.

So yes, I'm leaving on a jet plane ... but I DO know when I'll be back again.

I'm back in September, with 50 photographs selected for my book and as much text as possible.  There is a plan. 

The image that follows ... I'll write more on it once home and unpacked.  I need my notes but it's divine don't you think?

Light and Colour, Genova

I can never predict what I might find out in the streets of Genova, Italy.

Never.  It seems that all is possible.  Today the light was strong and it was hot.  Really unbelievably hot but I am adjusting to it.  Loving it even ... after the long Belgian winter that was.

I couldn't resist attempting to capture something of the artworks found in the narrow caruggi (alleyways) here in the ancient heart of Genova.

A Superb Day ...

Genoa has been nicknamed la Superba ("the Superb one") due to its glorious past and impressive landmarks. Part of the old town of Genoa was inscribed on the World Heritage List (UNESCO) in 2006 (see below). The city's rich art, music, gastronomy, architecture and history allowed it to become the 2004 European Capital of Culture. It is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus.

Sourced, Wikipedia.

But really, one can expect no less in La Superba.  It is a magnificent city that merges the everyday with a remarkable history. 

I looked up, as I was hunting down breakfast this morning ...