Aperitivo and The Opera Of It All... in Genova.

I have these incredibly talented friends ... Peter Furlong, the fabulous tenor and his wife, Julie Wyma, a truly talented soprano.

Back in July 2013,  I was in Genova, enjoying aperitivo with an old friend called Simon.  He began posting, what I considered, dreadful photographs of me over on Facebook.  

His comments section came to life.  Our mutual friend, Veronica, warning him to be cautious about annoying me:-)

It turned out Julie and Peter were reading us in Berlin and voila, by the time Simon and I had moved to our second bar, the opera of it all was there on the internet.  What an opera:-)

I love them.  They make me laugh.  They did another short opera for Miss 12, an avid Dr Who fan, over here.

Ho sceso, dandoti il braccio ...

These stairs reminded me of the poem, by Ligurian poet, Eugenio Montale.  I love his poetry, like I love the work of Pablo Neruda, Hone Tuwhare, and Taha Muhammad Ali too.

I even hunted down a book of his poetry, with translations to English.  I've been told it's almost impossible to experience the full depth of meaning in translation but I love what understand of him.

Here's the poem I thought of today, when I looked back up at the stairs I had come down ... Ho sceso, dandoti il braccio… in translation :-)

I descended, with you on my arm…

I descended, with you on my arm, at least a million stairs

and now that you are not here every step is emptiness.

In any case our long journey was too brief.

Mine continues even now, no longer in need

of coincidences, reservations,

ploys, and the scorn of those who believe

that reality is what we perceive.

I descended millions of stairs with you on my arm

not only because four eyes perhaps see more.

With you I descended those stairs because I knew

the only real pupils, although terribly dimmed,

belonged to you.

(from “Satura”, 1971)

Translation by ©Matilda Colarossi

Cutting a Deal with Myself ...

The deal is ... if I work hard all day, then I can go wandering in Genova, about when the light gets interesting in the late afternoon.

I was out there today and it was glorious.  I started in the full blue of late afternoon and sat on the floating pontoon for a while.  Just enjoying the sun.

And I found this image on the way back through the port. 

My fascination with reflections started way back when I was a small child in New Zealand.  We used to head south, along State Highway 1 ... visiting Nana down in Invercargill.  We'd pass by the swamp area in Henley and, oftentimes, the world reflected was a perfect copy of what was above.

It didn't take much for the small child I was, with the massive imagination I still have, to believe it was simply another world.  An upside-down world. 

We hunt for reflections here ... my camera and I.  And Genova is perfect after rain.   The puddles here, they contain stunning visions.

And the fountain ... in Piazza De Ferrari has long been a source of inspiration.  A place to play.

Mmm, so that's what I did this evening.  I went out wandering, in this beautiful city I love so much.  Tonight, I have Amos Lee playing, the balcony doors are still open ... it's 21.18 and it's warm.

It's been a good day.

The Walking Cure ...

I have a to-do list that is a million miles long and so it is difficult to feel like I am getting anywhere with it ... but I think I am.

And so perhaps it was no surprise that, yesterday, I had to time myself out of life for a while.  It's intense out here.  Along with the joy, there's always going to be the small crashes ... big ones too.  Those moments when life simply overwhelms me.

I took the walking cure, making my way down to my favourite church here in Genova ... Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena.  Just for a while, I love the peace I find there.  And the beauty.

At some point I saw the light ... mmmhmm, and pointed my camera in the direction of it.  The photograph above is the result.  No editing.

I was still a little 'off' when I woke up this morning and so we went wandering again, my camera and I. 

I decided to take the funicular, up to Righi, after wandering the city a while.  I had a small glass of white wine when I arrived at the top, and studied my book on Genova, trying not to smell the divine lunches being served up around me.

And then, following an impulse, I chose to walk back down that rather steep hill to the city, on this very hot day, without a map ... as you do.  I was only lost for a while. I arrived at Castelletto and had no idea where I was. 

There are always kind people here in the city.  They discussed my problem and they showed me the bus stop ... I did the last of the downhill courtesy of AMT, the bus company here. 

Tonight's meal was simple.  Fresh tomatoes and garlic, from the tiny fruit and vegetable shop down on the main road, and pasta from a box of goodies I was gifted.  It was perfect.  No more mass-produced pasta sauces for me.  I'm a convert.  It seems anyone can whip up a simple little pasta sauce, here in Italy.  Even me.  Which reminds me, I must buy myself a mortar and pestle, as soon as I'm employed.

Tonight the balcony door is still open, it's so warm, and I'm thinking of staying up for the meteor shower.  I'm not sure.  I need to get myself into a rhythm now ... of working and walking in this beautiful city; that city once known as La Superba.

Joy. Just Joy ...

Sometimes, I should confess, some Genovese are shocked by my passion for their city. The waitress on Sunday ... she couldn't believe that I had chosen Genova, over the UK and New Zealand!!???

But honestly, at the moment, my life feels like I'm a child again and so joy is the simplest thing really.  Small things ...

In these days, joy can be found in succeeding down at the shops. This morning I bought sweet tomatoes, and a pile of focaccia - because there's a party in the mountains tonight and I'm going.

But best of of all, I bought an abbonamento mensile integrato.  A month-long bus ticket, so much cheaper than the 10-ticket book I've been using. Thank you to Outi for that idea.

And everyone was so kind to me, to this non-fluent child of the South Pacific, wanting to live in their city.

The photograph ... here's me, casually writing, ohhh, that's just the bounty of my magnificent success!

And there's Coco, my beautiful cat companion here in the city.  She came to check out my purchases. We talk. Well really, I'm her slave and I ask her if she needs anything. She likes to wake me in the night, wanting me to rub her belly, to stroke her head and honestly, she taps me on my nose if I try to ignore her and cover my face.  Or she kneads my hair ... which is quite disconcerting at 3am.  Running her claws through the length of it but never touching my skull.  I'm quite impressed but remain disconcerted that she can even do that.

I'm fairly sure she thinks she's hilarious. I find her more amusing during daylight hours however, I have been known to laugh weakly, as she insistently works on waking me up a couple of times every night. 

And yes, I could close my bedroom door but I can't.  I think it would upset her and anyway, I guess it's nice to be checked ... you know, that I'm still breathing. 

In Memory of Fulvio Currò

I captured Lino Marmorato in the image above.   A truly delightful subject for my camera, and a retired Genovese referee too. 

I was attending the 19° Trofeo Fulvio Currò, up in the mountains near Genova, in a place called Torriglia.  The football competition is an annual event, organised as a memorial to Fulvio, son, brother, and friend of those attending.

It felt like a privilege to be there.  And as I photographed the day unfolding, I realised the thing I most wanted to capture was the deep sense of friendship and affection on display.

It was a sweet afternoon of old friends greeting one another, with quite some mocking, and so much laughter.  And some football too.

And then came the evening, a dinner in Ostaia Becassa ... a place where my football team is honoured.  You get an idea of it here ... note the rossoblù mementos, Genoa mementos, all over the walls, in this clip not related to Fulvio's evening. 

I hadn't imagined such a place existed but it does The food was good, and the company ... even better.

Some more from the day ...