Late Night, Weather Dancers ... music from Genova

2am and just in from listening to Nickel & Dime. What a delicious band. I had the loveliest time with good people, and great food, up at  at the Agriturismo called E Reixe.
Not sure how I'm going to sleep, and really, I need to. It's been a stunning few nights of music in Genova. 
Grazie mille to Paola, who let me hang out with her tonight, and Thursday night too. 
It was a good night. Really good.

Di Mackey, Facebook.  19 March, 2.16am.

There are a handful of songs, in this 'so far' life of mine, that I have played Endlessly ... on repeat.

This is the latest.  Two Genovese musicians I heard playing on Saturday night.  Ivo was playing with  the band - Nickel & Dime, and Luca played a few songs with them.  

I am enjoying Genova's music scene, so much.

Uploaded by Quinn Winchell on 2013-12-19.

The New Phone ...

I've finally done it.  I finally gave up on the phone I left Belgium with and, when replacing its little dead body, I inquired about phones with decent cameras ... not including iPhones.

And I think I've done well.  I'm entirely in love with this new machine so very necessary to my life, as people need to be able to contact me and that wasn't a given for a more than a year. But more than that, I have this lovely little machine that lets me take decent snapshots as I wander.

The series of photographs that begin this post ... Piazza De Ferrari's fountain lit up for the evening.  Then, Palazzo Ducale in yesterday's 7.30am sunrise light.  And the last, taken this morning around the same time, looking forward along Piazza Garibaldi. 

I love my morning walk and I'm rapt to be able to share a little of this city I love so well.

I share these photographs on Facebook.  Sometimes on my page, other times on my Genova page - Love Notes to Genoa.  

I had to smile ... the most feedback came for the leather shop photograph below.  People wanted to know the shop's location, and the price of the bags.  

They're exquisite, aren't they.

The church in the second set is surely my favourite church exterior here in the city.  I love seeing it in the morning ... the beautiful wash of colour, lit up by the sun, and so many of my favourite colours.

And last but not least, my current favourite cafe for aperitivo.  Il Fileo's is committed to both quality and quantity.  All that you see cost me, in total, the lovely wine included ... 8 euro.  It works as dinner :-)

Life goes on here.  I'm fighting a little anemia because I'm not mad-keen on the cure however the elevator in my building is under repair and I am hating the 8 flights of marble stairs.  'Porca miseria!' is about all I can say on reaching my door.  I will take the medicine ... as I love the home I have found here. 

Another of the things I really enjoy about Genova, is its vibrant music scene.  I've been fortunate and heard more than a few bands lately.  But that's probably a whole other post.

In other news, I'm just about ready to launch a series of behind-the-scenes photography workshops, now that I actually live here.  I'm really excited about them and know I'm offering a quality experience.  I will share as soon as it's up.

Just a small catch-up, with photographs.  I'm good and life is mostly beautiful.

Painting With Light ...

My photography always returns when I have some free time ... or is that, I return to my photography.  

My head needs to be a little clearer than it has been lately.  Last week was particularly chaotic as I pulled off a few minor miracles ...

Today is Sunday, and I slipped out into the morning searching for coffee and ended up with a camera full of photographs.

I found the light exquisite and ended up staying out for hours, wandering in the medieval heart of Genova.

Fascinated ... by this 'gift-wrapped' building

I love to go walking in the city.  Sometimes in the early morning light, sometimes just before nightfall.

I noticed this 'gift-wrapped' dome a few weeks ago and photographed it, enjoying the surprise of it there on the skyline.

Last night though, my eye was caught by the way the setting sun seemed to be lighting it from inside.  It almost appears to be on fire. 

I've been busy, too busy to post it seems.  Paperwork like my codice fiscale and a bank account, had to be organised.  Then my work here, and the horror that has been moving my stuff from the UK.  I learned a lot.  And finding a new place to live.

However it's a blue-sky morning, here in Genoa, today.  I must go out.  There were puddles and reflections last night but it was a wee bit dark when I found them.  And coffee, I am in need of good coffee.

Buongiorno!

Ilaria ... her story.

I recently met, and photographed, a remarkable young woman called Ilaria.  An 18 year old woman who lives with a rare genetic disorder called Friedreich's ataxia ... a disorder that requires more research that is currently happening. Research that requires funding, and so ... there is a Facebook page where you can donate for ongoing research, or sign up to attend fund-raising dinners, here in Genova.

I asked her to write of herself, so we could share her story with you.  She wrote:

Let me introduce myself: my name is Ilaria. I suffer from a rare disease caused by a genetic abnormality which inflicts progressive damage on my nervous system.  This damage will eventually lead to a loss of control of all the muscles in my body.

The abnormal gene was present at my birth however the disease was only diagnosed in August 2014.   Up until that moment, I played many sports, experiencing difficulties and frustration in certain exercises but taking part anyway.

My mood was often affected by those difficulties, and when my disease was finally diagnosed, I decided I did not want to see anyone anymore.

However time passed and I began to understand that, in order to move forward and overcome the difficulties created by Friedreich's Ataxia, I needed to react and fight. 

These days I am happy. I have made a decision to face the future with courage and determination. I have decided that each of us is different and that my genetic disorder is not a defect but a special feature. I need to be simply, and uniquely, myself.

That this disease should not be approached negatively but rather understood, accepted and, if possible, one day, defeated.  

Ilaria.

Mi presento: il mio nome è Ilaria. Sono una ragazza affetta da una malattia rara, causata da un'anomalia genetica che comporta nel tempo un danno progressivo del sistema nervoso e di conseguenza una perdita del controllo su tutti i muscoli del corpo. Il gene anomalo esisteva fin dalla mia nascita ma la malattia fu diagnosticata soltanto nell'agosto 2014. Negli anni precedenti la diagnosi ho praticato numerose attività sportive notando però alcune difficoltà, specialmente svolgendo determinati esercizi. Molto spesso subivo crolli di morale e appena scoperta la malattia decisi di non vedere più nessuno. Successivamente mi resi conto che per andare avanti e superare qualsiasi difficoltà, è necessario reagire e lottare. Adesso sono serena con me stessa e sempre sorridente. Affronto la vita con coraggio e determinazione. Vado avanti con la consapevolezza che ognuno di noi è diverso da tutti gli altri. Nessuno è uguale a nessuno. Il mio non è un difetto ma una particolarità. Non devo adeguarmi a nessuno. Io sono semplicemente ed unicamente io. La malattia non deve essere affrontata negativamente ma anzi, deve essere combattuta, compresa, accettata e se possibile, un giorno, sconfitta.

Ilaria.

Raffaele Kohler ...!!!

Yesterday ... M.U.R.A was happening, here in the centro storico, in Genova.

It was fantastic!  I kid you not.  They promised 2 days, 16 hours, 30 locations and 40 events.  

I don't know if they kept their promises but I can only presume they did because ... the quality of the artists performing was so high that there was no way to see and hear everyone.  I wanted to linger and listen everywhere I went.

I heard Raffaele Kohler, play trumpet at a concert a few years ago, here in Genova.  I never forgot being completely stunned by his performance then and had looked for his CD.  I didn't find one.  I have one this time.  Grazie mille.

And the delicious thing is that he's not just musician but he's an entertainer too.  He's hilarious, if the audience response to his stories was anything to go by.  Then there were scenes like the one above ...

It felt like he gave us his all during the two hours of free concert out in Piazza Lavagna...

But wait, he was part of a trio and honestly, the other two were truly superb musicians too ... it's only that I wanted, so much, to hear him perform again that I am so focused on the delight I felt in catching his performance.

Ottavo Richter gifted us two hours of beautiful music, laughter and joy really.  

Grazie mille to M.U.R.A for organising this beautiful 16 hours, and for finding so many talented artists.  It was a magical night, one where I wandered alone until midnight.  

And, finally, I got to hear  Raffaele Kohler play again.