France-ITALY-Holland: Genoa

Our trip home from France took us through Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Holland.  Anxious to get home after a month away, we didn't linger for long.  Nonetheless, we enjoyed a lovely day in Genoa and another in Milan, before a nonstop drive home from Basel, Switzerland.

The fact that "Genoa" is "Genova" in Italian and "Gênes" in French didn't confuse us in the least. :-)


We were so happy for a change in scene on the culinary front.  We love French food, but it was quite a delight to have pasta in Italy and a new array of regional specialties to sample. Genoa was a good place to start as it is the birthplace of pesto.  We were there for 36 hours, and I had it three times (on fish, on pasta, on bread . . . ).

Genoa is also the birthplace and boyhood home of Christopher Columbus, whose idea to explore a new world was rejected by the Republic of Genoa.  He ultimately found financing with the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand & Isabella, which would alter the course of history.  Columbus got his explorer feet wet in the thriving port of Genoa, which is still active today.  Genoa is grittier than other Italian cities, but mesmerizing all the same.

The main square in Genoa.

Here is the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, the cathedral of Genoa.  It's striped black and white design on the exterior and interior is pretty cool, and pretty unique.  A British bomb was dropped on the church in 1941, but it failed to explode and now sits inside the church.  As a result this 12th-century church is in remarkable condition.

We spent part of the day at the aquarium, the largest in Europe.

Genoa:  Home of Christopher Columbus . . . and Jack Sparrow???

Yea Italy!

I finally found a place that specializes in farinata, a chickpea pancake that is a specialty of the region.  I'm a bit of a chickpea fanatic; I can prepare them in a million different ways.  But I haven't tried a the pancake format yet. 

Farinata, on the left.

Focaccia is also special regional fare.

Yum, farinata.

The twisty streets that you can find in Italy (and all over is Europe) are called caruggi in Italian.

On our way back to the hotel, we stumbled upon this gem.  17th century.

We met lots of new friends at camp, and we're especially thrilled to have made the acquaintance of Claudia, Leonid and Anna.  We all left camp on the same day, and Claudia was able to meet up with us in Genoa on her way back to Rome.  Arrivederci Claudia!  Fino alla prossima volta!

Our hotel was stunning and old and creaky.  With all the beds lined up, we couldn't help but wonder where Miss Clavel and Madeline were hiding.  Okay, next stop Milan!

Looking up from the hotel lobby.