GENOVA!

I flew over to Genova last Friday and immediately, upon arriving ... stories began to unfold.

It was a madly-busy, exquisitely-joyfilled 5-days.  And I couldn't reach the back-end of my website for some reason but honestly, I had no spare time. 

I stayed with the kindest friends out at Arenzano.  And I met their friend, the talented artist Giorgio Bormida.  Actually, I wanted to cook dinner for Francesca and Beppe before I left, and ended up cooking for Giorgio too.  It was only as I began dinner prep that I thought ... 'What have I done??!  Cooking isn't really my best thing'.  But they were all very kind.

I caught up with some of my favourite people there in the city but completely missed out on catching up with others.  It was lovely to catch up with Stefano, the owner/operator of Righicam, over lunch.  And with Francesca and Norma, from Le Gramole.

And then there was that 24 hours spent working with Diana, staying at B&B Baur with her and Micha.  It was sublime ... photographs and words to follow in the days to come.  I heard my first cuckoo as I sat by the open window in the morning.  And the views  ...

The kindness of Genovese strangers stunned me and ... well, it made me smile.  A lot really.  I met a lovely guy at a concert in Palazzo Ducale, who kindly explained all that was happening, to Outi and I.  But Outi and I is another whole story.

Meanwhile, here I am, just in from an 11-hour day of traveling.  It was a day that involved a train, a taxi, a plane from Genova to Rome, a bus to and from the plane, another plane to Brussels, then a bus and a tram home.

I shall return with photographs downloaded, with a mind rested and ready to tell you some stories.

The Passion of Artemisia, by Susan Vreeland

We’ve been lucky, I said.  We’ve been able to live by what we love.  And to live painting, as we have, wherever we have, is to live passion and imagination and connection and adoration, all the best of life - to be more alive than the rest.
Extracted from The Passion of Artemisia, by Susan Vreeland.

Colds, and the Ligurian Sea, Genoa

Yesterday, we walked a million miles alongside the Ligurian Sea ...

Okay, those who know Corso Italia will know that walking from Boccadasse back to the city of Genova is just over 4kms however ... if you factor in my cold, the fact it was veryvery hot, and the glare of the sun which, while beautiful, was fairly intense without sunglasses, I think you will understand my claim of a million miles.

Actually, the first time I saw this sea, I was too long out of New Zealand and my eyes filled up with tears.  It’s my home away from home sea.  It’s the sea I love best in these days.

Meanwhile, my body is a bit mad with me.  I still have this stinkin’ cold ... probably because I didn’t take the Acetilcisteina EG medicine the pharmacist gave me ...  I can already hear my sister explaining why we should take medicines given.  My sister, Sandra, is a nurse and knows stuff about the why of drug relief.  Meanwhile I’m of the ‘read and flee it’ variety, specially if the contra-indications are grim.  Actually this drug seems to be an all-round good guy but who knows ...

Alternatively, I buy the medicine, as if an entirely responsible adult and seem to imagine that is enough.  Having it in the house, close by, voila ... ! 
Osmosis!

Anyway, still feeling kind of miserable and messed up in the mornings ... I’ve just spent the last 30 minutes eating Clementines, blowing my nose and really kind of wishing I had started taking the Acetilcisteina EG all those days ago. 

The pharmacist said ‘10 days!’
I said, ‘You mean take it for 10 days?’
He said, ‘Yes, at the same time preferably.’  And I think he said something about before or after food too.

But, once upon a time, back in New Zealand, my lovely doctor did say that colds pass after 2 weeks with medicine, or last a fortnight without medicine. 

I’ll let you know ...

Cinque Terre Floods, October 2011, Italy

I arrived in Genova on Monday 24 October and, on the following day, we had rain here in the city.

It was the first in 3 months and I didn’t think too much about it, other than trying to deal with the problem of never knowing how to dress against the weather here.  There is this tricky humidity to contend with, one that sees me either over-dressed or under-dressed for the weather ... never correctly-dressed.  Wednesday a heavy cold hit.  I’m not sure that my inappropriate outdoor clothing wasn’t responsible.

Wednesday and news began filtering in about a massive dumping of rain over in Cinque Terre.

I won’t even begin to attempt to explain the story to those who haven’t heard of Cinque Terre because Alex explains all over on his blog, Italy Chronicles.  But for those who asked about how it was here in Genova, knowing how close we are to Cinque Terre, there are two videos and an explanation over on Alex’s blog. 

There were no problems here in Genova because the powerful downpour was fairly localised and truly terrible, as you will see.

Genova, after the storm

I had to wander down to the port this evening, and it’s not really my favourite part of town to wander alone, here in this beautiful city but I had to check up on boats trips and times.

The light was calling me ... a siren song really however I just left the big camera safely in its bag, chicken-hearted creature I sometimes am. 

Then wandering back up via San Lorenzo, I couldn’t resist.  I think you can see why ...

Chiavari ... an evening out

I wanted to return to the story of Stefano, Miriam and a lovely evening spent in Chiavari, just half an hour's drive from Genova.

We actually drove through evening sleet to arrive in this small town on the Italian Riviera, in the region of Liguria.  It was dark but I saw enough to make me want to return one day.

Our first port of call was Paola’s beautiful clothing boutique, C’è chi c’ha, and after picking her up we wandered on to meet up with other friends of Stefano and Miriam’s.

Our destination was Ristorante Da Felice, the beginning point for my journey into the cuisine of the Ligurian Sea.  One that, unbeknown to me, would be continuing in Lerici in the days ahead.

Whenever I eat with Stefano, I always leave it to him to advise me on the menu, as no one knows more than a local.  The proof would be in the fact that I have never had a bad meal with him.  And that evening was no exception.

I began with this delightful shrimp dish before moving on to the mighty Palamite nell’ Arbanella ... and I may or may not have that correctly written but it was a startling dish.  The fish is a Palamita and is a predator, like tuna, as you can see in the youtube I hunted down.

The photograph gives you an idea of the unusual presentation - Stefano persevered, in low light and with his cellphone camera, wanting to capture this dish that was unusual even to them.  The fish was served up in a small glass preserving jar, seasoned with a little lemon and herb ... it tasted delightful.

Dessert was a small selection of deliciousness, as the waiter and Stefano plotted a serving that worked around my problems with fresh fruit.

It was a lovely evening with good people and delicious food in a beautiful place.  Grazie to the very kind people from Genova, who included me in an evening I won’t forget.

C’è chi c’ha, Chiavari

Last night I was introduced to the lovely Paola, from C’è chi c’ha, and her boutique selling exclusive Italian high-fashion and Pret-a-Porter clothing.

Fashion rarely makes me swoon, in fact, I have never used that particular word but watching Miriam model one exquisite coat, then another, I may have swooned a little.  I wish I had photographed the coats now. They were exquisite, or perhaps elegant, clearly beyond words.  Maybe my camera and I can slip back to Chiavari via the short train trip and capture something of it all.  Even the tiny shop is exquisite, tucked into an ancient corner of the old city. 

If you ever find yourself in the vicinity of C’è chi c’ha, Paola has stores in both Chiavari and Chianni, then you really must wander in.  You won’t regret it.  You can read more about the Chianni shop here.

There are stories of a delightful restaurant meal in Chiavari to follow but my ‘internet provider’ seems not to be working today and I am at an internet cafe without photoshop for downsizing ...

Back in Genoa

Yesterday I woke at 4.45am for a 5.30 taxi, and had the luck to have a lovely driver, a man who had been in the merchant navy when he was younger.  He seemed happy to chat all the way there and carried my suitcase into and out of the taxi. 

I caught the 6am bus to the airport for the 8.50am one hour and 40 minute flight, the one that I slept through until we passed over the alps ... at which point I almost climbed out the window, so impressed was I by the beauty of those snow-covered mountains that cut a path from France, through Italy into Austria, as well as passing through Switzerland and the south of Germany.

There was the bus from Milano Malpensa airport, the train from central station to Genova and the walk along Via XX Settembre to Paola’s Place, this place that I love so well.

I slept 10 hours last night.  I never ever sleep 10 hours.

And today was about wandering ... to the forno for a slice of the very best focaccia in Genova (probably the world, actually), stopping off for a delicious espresso.  It was about reclaiming this cityscape before heading out on the 2.40euro train to Camogli.

Stating the obvious, I just have to write that it’s so very good to be back in this very beautiful city.

The Way Home ... when in Genoa

I love this gate called Porta Soprana.  It was built in the 12th century, with the help of the citizens of Genova, as the government of the time attempted to defend the independence of the city from Emperor Barbarossa.

However, Barbarossa apparently knew that he needed the people of Genova, with their rapidly developing economic and maritime strength, and he never attacked.  There was an oath of allegience and some levies instead.

And here I am, a 21st century woman, passing through Porta Soprana, goodness knows how many times on a given day as my wandering feet take me all over this Italian city that I love so well.
Source for historical information: the Genoa Guide (in English), published by Sagep Editori Turismo.


Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

I want to write of the remarkable people we’ve spent time with these last two days but we’re preparing to leave, exhausted after a day scaling hills in the hot Italian sun ... only slightly revived after an exquisite dinner in the company of some lovely people.  I want to write the story of meeting these people but when I’m home and settled again and so, instead, I will leave you with some photographs taken today in Cinque Terre.

As always, I am most happy when I return to Genova city however I did enjoy leaving the tourist beat in Vernazza and wandering lost in the narrow alleyways of the small village.

Night-Shoot, Genoa

We wandered out to Isola delle Chiatte to see what the sun would do to Genova’s lighthouse, then ended the evening using the tripod in Piazza De Ferrari, photographing the fountain we love so well.

A sunset stroll turned into 2.5 hours of wandering and photography.
A lovely way to end a day, writes this very happy kiwi from Italy.