Genova (Genoa)

Friday 16 August

Genova (Genoa)

"Genoa, which forms the southern corner of the Milan-Turin-Genoa industrial triangle of north-west Italy, is one of the country’s major economic centres.  The city has hosted massive shipyards and steelworks since the 19th century, and its solid financial sector dates back to the Middle Ages. The Bank of Saint George, founded in 1407, is among the oldest in the world and plays an important role in the city’s prosperity since the middle of the 15th century. Today a number of leading Italian companies are based in the city, it is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus."   ..Wikipedia..

Leaving our lovely apartment at a respectable 9.30am, closing our 'Heidi Gate' for the last time, we decided to take the route over the awesome bridge, which was built to by-pass Klosters, as we had seen it from a distance and always admired it.  

Then we had a bit of a slow start with two way traffic for quite a while.  We left the beauty that is Switzerland and it took a while as the majestic mountains gradually reduced in size but in exchange we went through mountain passes and through tunnels and twisty roads offering up distant valley views. 

We came across an accident on top of a hill climb at a lay by,  someone obviously tried to cut across the traffic and didn't make it,  quite a few cars had stopped but apart from one man nursing his knee, there didn't seem to be anyone hurt, the cars were a bit of a mess though.  There was a 'Polizie' sign, so they were pretty quick on the scene, and past the accident further down the hill the traffic was diverted from going up, and an ambulance made it fast up the hill, so I was pretty impressed.

It was interesting to see the road signs change from German to Italian closer to the Italian border, Italian is one of the official languages for Switzerland.

We drove through the check point at the Italian/Swiss border without any hassle and passed two bored looking guards and drove away into the country which flattened out, and made up time on the motorway.  Then the route was once again twisty and windy and traffic was slow entering Genova.

Have to give credit to Ken, we would never have found our hotel without our gps.  Busy one way street with cars parked both sides and on a bus route, James found a park and Rachel went off to find our hotel.  Meanwhile we had all our bags out of the car and on the footpath when Rachel came back saying it was at the other end of the street!  So we picked up what we could and piled the rest back in the car.  Started off walking down the street when something caught her eye, a sign half way up a 6 storey building which said 'Family Hotel Balbi' , "that's it" she said and we all climbed up the steps to check it out.  I was very suspicious at first, we saw a lady pressing a number code into the door and we slipped in behind her,

 

the entrance way led to some large marble stairs, so, full of confidence Rachel ushered us on, up the second flight of stairs, and I was also confident that this was a block of apartments no way did it look like a hotel.  Up the third flight of steps and I was thinking I would wait until they all realised we were in the wrong building, however I had to support the team, so up we went. After the sixth flight of marble steps (where was the lift?) we came to the 'Reception Hotel Balbi', and pushed our way through the swing doors.  What an amazing place, I think the hotel only takes up one floor of the building.  

However we were expected so it was good to know that we were in fact in the right place.  While Rachel was sorting things out at reception the managers wife was sitting in a chair nursing the smallest Chihuahau I have ever seen, and their son was playing on his iPad on the chair next to her - so I guess that's where the name 'family hotel" comes from.  Speaking of Chihuahaus, there are so many lap dogs of all shapes and sizes in these cities, all carried around by their owners, or trotting along besides them, I guess that it reflects apartment living.  We were shown to our rooms and they are just fine, ours had a big king bed, a small but adequate bathroom and another little alcove with a wardrobe, tv and a couch/fold down bed.  James and Rachel had the three children in with them, but it is a big family room and they are quite happy.

We unpacked quickly and went out to do some sight seeing.  I looked hard all round for another entrance with a lift to reception, but to no avail, and the 6 flights are easy on the way down.  We were not sure what to expect from Genova, but we couldn't stop taking photos.  

Sure it is in need of a lot of restoration work, but the buildings are absolutely beautiful, huge, decorated with sculptures, every corner we turned there was another imposing building looking better than the others, down the little side sreets where more beautiful buildings.  

These buildings were huge, and imposing, sometimes the frontage was pretty ordinary but the entrance doors open to reveal huge interiors, like the university,  an imposing set of marble steps to an atrium surrounded by statues on the walls of past benefactors and above that a second floor with an impressive balcony.  

Goodness knows how many floors it had or how many blocks it took up, but you'd never know from the outside at street level.  

This was the picture of our journey, walking up a busy street with foot traffic and vehicles and at the top you'd turn to face a piazza with a lovely fountain and yet more baroque buildings.  

I had no idea Genoa (Genova is the Italian name) had been so important, and why there had been so many opulent buildings, so I looked it up:

"Genoa is a maritime town favoured by nature, and the activity of the ports and tourism are the most important economical factors. Once Genoa was also very important from the industrial point of view and it was for a long time one of the three major industrial cities in Italy. Nowadays many factories have turned to other so called tertiary sectors like commerce, communications, banking, insurances and other various types of services. The building trade - once generally working towards all directions is now pointing to specialized sectors. Genoa was one of the 4 ancient Sea Republics. Its power was so strong that it  lent money and ships even to the English crown, so since ancient and medieval times the reputation of the Ligurian people for navigation and trade has led to a growing region economy. Genoa's harbour is the biggest in Italy and, over the years, the most important in the whole Mediterranean area. Tourism is so now becoming more and more important so that in 2004 the city was nominated the European Cultural Capital of the year."...  Wikipedia...(abridged)

We were all getting a bit tired by now, so at the next little piazza we came across, which incidentally had something like a town hall with large steps up to it on one side, we heard someone playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons on the violin, so took a Gelato break in the shade on the steps, and tried to take in all that we had seen.  There was an air of tiredness about these fine buildings, many of them had scaffolding around and were being gradually restored, I guess commerce has taken its toll over the years, and thank goodness some restoration is taking place, it must cost a huge amount to keep buildings like this in good repair.  Most of them seem to be in use, so not only are they being restored, but probably being fitted with all the modern trappings of life today.

We wandered up and down little streets keeping an eye on the children and the mad driving that goes on, putting a foot on a zebra crossing is like a challenge to all cars, scooters and trucks to get across before you put the second foot down!  We eventually arrived at the harbour area and walked along the promenade looking at all the boats and activity.  Rachel had asked the 'wife/receptionist' at the hotel where was a good place to eat and she had suggested a pizza place on the water front.  

We saw it and it looked good, big sails high over the tables keeping the hot sun at bay, they had a good selection of food, so we had a selection of pizzas and burgers and chips, and beer of course.  We all ate well and walked the short distance back to our hotel.  

I'm sure they must have had a lift somewhere........