Genova

My last blog ended with the Cinque Terra and exploring the coast near Genova. It feels like an age away but i'll continue with this from Genova!

Genova
After having seen the beautiful northern coastline around Genova, I decided to walk inland. Luckily our Youth Hostel was pretty much the last building of the city so from the back car park I climbed pretty steadily up into the park. It was beautiful and lush and most of all relatively cool compared to the steamy hot city. I had been told that there were many forts up in this park. The Italians also spend much of their time sitting around in the parks, lunching, sleeping and enjoying the park.

As I was climbing upward my mobile rang: it was Kate! We had a great little chat. Gotta love technology. It made me really miss her and all my mates that's for sure. It is a little sad that all our close friends are scattering to all parts of the world but such is life I guess.

I found one of the forts, Forte di Betago and although I tried to walk in and have a look it turns out all the forts are inaccessible. I found this strange but later found out they are only used for raves and functions, not general public! It's a bit mind-boggling to think of a place that is 600 years old built by hand from local brick and that had survived numerous wars! These mind-blowing ideas of time were only going to begin now that I was in Italy!

I walked for much of the morning enjoying the wide panorama of Genova far into the distance. It is a smoggy city (like much of Italy) but great to escape the hustle and bustle for a while. The park was full of forts but after walking around and seeing a few, but not being allowed in, I decided to head back. I stumbled upon the Rhigi funicular (cable car) and caught it straight into the city! It saved me about 400m of descent.

The rest of the day I explored the harbour. I caught a ferry around to Pegli and saw the airport and the significant harbour along the way. I always like seeing things from the water! The Genova harbour is mainly lined with pleasure craft with some as large as we saw in Monaco. I keep imagining myself cruising the entire coast in the same manner!

The old city is directly on the harbour so it was easy to go and find some food in the back streets away from the touristy prices! Genova was a significant harbour but the military base was moved to Le Spezia and I think over time the sea freight has slowed meaning Genova has lost much of its marine connection.

The old buildings in the old city all have their own stories. They are all spectacular in their own right. Notwithstanding this, like much of Italy, it could do with a good clean! The Piazza Ferrari gives a good example of what the place could look like!

Not only was it a bit of shock to find myself backpacking unplanned but also living again on a shoe string! The Nice experience was certainly a treat! It is possible to live very cheaply but each day accommodation, transport and basic food all adds up. Luckily I didn't venture into the museums and other touristy things that all suck more money from wallets!

Travelling alone has its merits but equally it has its lonely times! Again, after having been with close mates in Nice, being alone was tough on the mind. It was good to meet random people along the way like the German girls, the crazy busker who was in my room in the Youth Hostel in Genova and I also met a British guy travelling as much of Europe as possible in 4 weeks! Because my travel plans were always different all my travel was along.