At the pub that night I met a girl from Jersey who didn't believe that I am originally from the state right beside hers. Even though I spoke perfect American, apparently I just look too Mediterranean to be from Delaware.
We spent another day on the beach, and another visiting the town of Mougin. Most of the day was spent waiting for transportation, but Gabrielle and I were able to share delicious sandwich squares and a Bellini for lunch.
On Wednesday morning we packed and headed off to Genova. We had booked a hotel at a place called Hotel Acquaverde, and the men that worked there were quite the charmers. We phoned them once we were on Via Balbi because we couldn't find the entrance to the hotel, and Massino and friend (I can't remember his name) were leaning out a 2nd story window flagging us down. We were greeted with an iced caffe' and free pens, dropped off our luggage, and went to see the city. During those 2 days we visited Christopher Columbus' house, had cocktails by a castle door, and visited a few of the 35+ churches in the area. It amazes me that there can be so many churches of the same denomination in just one area. You could basically attend a different mass every week for nearly a year if you really wanted to!
View from on top of the old watch tower
One of my favorite moments in Genova was after we were coming out of one of the churches, and this elderly woman asked us in Italian for the time. Gabrielle took out her phone and pointed to the numbers, but the woman responded that she couldn't see because she was blind. I delivered the information to her, she thanked us, and we wished her a good day. We only took a few steps when we turned back and realized that she was trying to get up the 40-some stairs into the church. I ran back, offered my arm, and she looked relieved as she accepted and grasped my elbows. She chatted the entire way up the stairs, complimented me on my Italian, and thanked us profusely before entering the church. This good deed left me in such a good mood for the rest of the day...If only I were a girl scout, I totally would have earned a badge that day.
Genova Nervi
Not every area in Genova is nice, however. We had to learn the hard way that the port is not a place to pass through, especially at night. Too many hookers, too many creepers, too many uncomfortable feelings.
But all was better once we got back to the hotel. We befriended another guy named Kamel who worked at the desk. He was very interested in horoscopes...and in Gabrielle. We spent a few hours talking to him one night, and he could immediately guess my sign because I "think the think, but no speak the speak." And he gained an even more intense interest in Gabrielle once he found out that they were born only 1 day apart. He kept talking, and it took forever to get to bed that night.
I also had someone volunteer to be my Italian boyfriend. Remember the other Acquaverde desk clerk Massimo, as previously mentioned? Yes, he fancied me, and since we were only there for another night, I figured why not? It was so cute because we got special treatment during breakfast, and he would ask my permission to give hugs to other people, even to Gabrielle. However, his new title must have given him the idea that the rights to boyfriend were also his. He tried to kiss me many a time, key word: tried. But once we decided to stay in Genova for a third night, he was so excited that he swung me into a back bend and planted a big smacker on the cheek. That night he upgraded our room to one with a private bathroom at no extra cost. It's awesome being a female.
Massimo couldn't resist - somehow we were able to capture this on camera.
I'm now off to Alba for my first City Camp of the summer. I'm stationed there for 2 weeks, and have to take 5 trains to get there. Gabrielle's flying back to Ireland, so I'm on my own until I make it to Alba. Ciao bella, e buon viaggio!
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