An afternoon in Genoa

There are two people David is collaborating with while we are in the South of France. The first, Thomas, who features in an earlier post and the second Mauro, who lives in Italy just out of Milan.

Mauro suggested that it would be easiest for travel if both parties caught the train and met at a midway point.

And so it was that on Monday morning we set off for a day trip to Genoa. The train as it turns out was not without its problems. We were to catch a French train from Antibes to Ventiglia and then board the fast Italian train to Genoa. The whole trip was to be around 3 hours each way.

Alas the French train was 20 mins late which made us miss our Italian connection. Missing it cost us almost an extra 3 hours as we had to wait around the Ventiglia station for 45 mins and then catch the cabbage train which took forever.

Nothing to do in those situations but roll with it and fortunately we were able to catch Mauro on his mobile who was able to re-jig the logistics in Genoa.

We arrived at 1pm and he took us straight to a small traditional Genoese restaurant which agreed to not only serve us a wonderful lunch but also to allow David and Mauro to use the back of the restaurant as a meeting room (even had internet) for the afternoon to save using more time trekking out to the uni.

Lunch was extremely welcome. There had no buffet car on either train so we were well ready for the traditional Genoese lunch. Small pasta parcels served in a creamy nut sauce, followed by rabbit braised in various veggies, washed down with a crisp Italian white and topped off with coffee that the Italians do better than anyone.

I then left them to it, found a map and headed out for an afternoon around Genoa. I had been keen to come for a couple of reasons.

I had a distant memory of spending a few hours in Genoa as a 10 year old. When we were travelling to England on the ship we came up through the Suez canal (right before it closed) on the Achille Lauro (later the victim of a famous hijacking).

Secondly, because of the Serra family connection with the place. I believe it was the place they landed in when they moved from Spain. We didn’t know all of that when I came through as a child.

I had a great time. The old part of Genoa is a wonderful place to explore and has the largest medieval collection of buildings and alleyways in the world. I did not take photos but later went back, collected David, and whizzed him round some of the tops spots so there are a few photos to share. Unfortunately light was failing by the end but he still captured the overall flavour.

Antibes

We left hurly burly, hustly bustly Istanbul and arrived in Nice, which by comparison is small (about the size of Christchurch) and orderly. The afternoon sun shone through a clear blue sky and the air, a little cooler than Istanbul, was 25 degrees.

But we are not staying in Nice, so after resolving one or two hiccups with our pick–up, we headed 20 km down the coast to Antibes and checked into the Relais du Positillon. We are at the top of this small four story hotel overlooking a little square, and beyond that a marina and castle. We have a balcony with table and chairs (which I get all to myself because being the 4^th floor keeps David indoors).

The wireless doesn’t work up on the 4^th floor so the blog office is now situated under the awning downstairs. The hardships we bloggers must endure!

We enjoyed settling in, then going for an evening promenade to check out swimming spots and cafes. Plentiful supplies of all.

Our host, Thomas Lebourg and his wife, Genevieve, and their three beautiful children came to pick us up the next afternoon for walks, icecreams, more walks, coffees and then a short drive further along to where the Cap d’Antibes has a hill with an old maritime church and great views up the Cote a’Azur.

We feel really fortunate to be here. The month of September is meant to be one of the best for the French Rivieria. The intense crowds of July and August have left but there is still fantastic weather. A bit like taking your holidays in mid February in New Zealand after schools have gone back but the weather at its best.

We are both feeling like it is a good move to have three and a half weeks here. Although we will switch accommodation on Friday we will not be flying anywhere for 25 days in a row.

One last day in Istanbul

We both love this city. Even as we curse ourselves for forgetting to shut the windows and are woken at 5am by the call to prayer at the surrounding mosques, we are both enthralled by the ancient sound that fills the dawn.

We have one final day here. We want to eat wonderful food, delight in the overcrowded streets bustling with life, smell the breeze laden with a million exotic fragrances, feel the caress of warm air, and be stopped in our tracks as we discover new marvels at every turn. We know it is impossible to have our fill of Istanbul in this short time and vow to come back.

And for today we focus on Ayasofia and the Basilica Cistern.

The cistern is and underground cavern created in the Byzantine era to provide a reservoir for times of drought or siege. It is a remarkable feat of building, a subterranean wonderland and also has some delightful flights of fancy for such a practical place, such as columns that rest on Medusa’s head (the photo is not upside down as you can see by the people in the background).

Ayasofia was originally built as a cathedral - 1500 years ago! Later taken over by Moslems and turned into a mosque, and now finally a museum.