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Published: August 15th 2014
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9. Travel Blog Saturday 2
nd August 2014 to Wednesday 5
thAugust 2014 - Genoa
Saturday 2
nd August 2014.
Up at 6am having booked an 11am departure from Bastia to Genoa. It is a 6.5hr crossing.
Leave at 8.15am and arrive in plenty of time but as usual we are put onto the ferry last, and have to reverse it on – that means we and the other camper cars are the first off the ferry. Tom had a bit of concern as he could not see as the sun was in his eyes and couldn’t see into the hull of the ship when reversing. Gaye up the back of the camper relaying the directions. All good.
Find a table to set up on the ferry and settle in for the trip.
Gaye onto computer, updating the diary and travel blog, sorting and naming the photos and selecting them for the travel blog. No good wasting 6 hours doing nothing. Tom bored.
It was a very smooth trip and we arrive about ¼ hr late. This time we get to front of queue as motorhome has to be first off the ship. We
stop and reset the TomTom and off we go on Autostrada to campsite - It was a tunnel after a tunnel along the Autostrada. The campsite was well signposted and right across from the beach (rocks). It was a tight fit, so we set up, have a swim, then walk into town to check out where railway etc is. We talk to a few locals in the town as we walk and talked to a guy who had a ‘Australia’ t-shirt on. He asks us why we come here when Sydney is so great.
At some time during the night, we hear rumbling and we think it is the waves crashing. Nope, then the storm hits. Lots of thunder, lightening, wind and heavy rain. Love listening to storms.
Sunday and everything wet – towels, tables, seats and the people who are in their tents are flooded. We sort-of clean up and decide to walk into town once it had stopped raining. We walked the old part of the town as did many other people.
The weather looked like it was going to be OK for the rest of the day, so we decided to hop
onto the train and take ourselves to Portofino. Had to catch the train to Sant Margherita Ligure first. We wandered down to the village and had a look around. It is a lovely town and had a very nice long beach – very touristy.
Then onto the bus to Portofino. Very glad we took the bus as the road is so narrow in parts and the bus has to toot his horn prior to the bends and everyone else has to get out of his way, including scooters, cars, bikes, pedestrians.
We arrive at Portofino – the ritziest port in Italy and yes, quite a few large cruises/boats.
We have some pizza and walk and walk. Up to Brown Castle but don’t go in (ABC). Back to the port and there is a very very large 3-4 storey cruiser “Wedge 2’ and not so large cruiser just a bit away from it. Later, in comes ‘Mac Brew’ just 2-3 storey and is backing in between the other 2 boats. Well, shits are trumps. The crew on all 3 cruises are frantically trying to put buffers down between the boats to stop them scaping each other. It was
on for young and old – bit of a circus watching this.
We decide to get the ferry back to Sant Margerita Ligure to have a look at the coastline along the way. Then onto the train back to Chiavari. Back home for a swim, wine and nibblies. A very long day.
Monday and off to the train station to get train. It took so long to get tickets that we miss the train and have to wait an hour – so we walk the streets.
Finally we are on the train and in to Genoa. We wandered through the streets and to the Tourist Information office and then head off to the Aquarium for a tour. We did heaps of walking after around Genoa and then the train home for a swim, wine and dinner.
Up early again on Tuesday and on train to Genoa. On the way to the Tourist office for a 10.30am walking tour, we walked past an entry to the Museo Palazzo Reale Genoa and decide to pop into the courtyard to have a look. We came across a guy laying out a tapestry, so
ask if he can speak English – he says yes – and we asked what was the story behind the design on the tapestry. The tapestry depicts the fall of Troy and the killing of its hero. It was done in the year 1050 and he was there to have the tapestry authenticated by the museum professionals. It was in very good conditions and colourful, as it had not been exposed to light. He tells us to come over and have a look at it. He walks over it, but we don’t feel comfortable doing that so we walk around it. What we thought looked like a stain on it – when we got closer was actually part of the tapestry – it was the depiction of smoke from Troy burning - in the picture. It was incredible to find it laid out on the carpark and then he walks on it. What a very fortunate day for us to be able to see this tapestry and have it explained personally to us.
We leave there and head to our tour group. There were only 6 in our group. We had a great guide and it was a 1
hour walk.
Then we walked up to see the ‘Ascensore Montegalletto-Balbi to Dolgali’ elevator car that goes up to Castello D’Alberti. It is a lift that goes sideways to the end of the tunnel then goes up like an elevator up to the Castello. It could hold 7 people seated and more standing. Quite ingeneous. We go into the Castello grounds and have a look around. A great view over the city of Genoa from the top. Back down on the elevator car and stop for some food and beer. Then off to Tourist office near the Aquarium again for another 1 hour walking tour. We ended up with the same guide and 4 people from Peru. Great tour.
We follow guide back to train station as she was also going to Chiavari to visit her friend. Finally home. Cold shower and some wine. Gaye’s feet are happy to be elevated and her bum on a seat.
We have had 3 very long days. Pack up some stuff as we head out again tomorrow.
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