As Dear Miss Fletcher lead me through the caruggi of Genova, I couldn't resist trying to capture snapshots of the sights that she showed me.
This one was taken just before 6pm, on a dark winter's night and yet the warmth that spilled out of this fruit and vegetable shop warmed my heart.
I had my first hot thick winter chocolate at this beautiful ancient Genovese cafe late on Saturday afternoon. I met Dear Miss Fletcher, who has already written of this beautiful place, there and we talked over steaming hot drinks.
I hope to have some of their stories to tell you in the weeks ahead. I took this photograph as we were leaving. The place is stunning. I promise.
Originally used as a corn market, in 1186 this square stood just outside the 10th-century town walls, beyond the Town Gate of San Pietro, which stood where the archway leading through to the tiny square Piazza Cinque Lampadi now is.
In the 12th century, the Barbarossa walls included Piazza Banchi in the city and turned it into the place where the early business exchanges between tradesmen and bankers took place.
This is where the word ‘bankruptcy’ comes from, deriving from the custom of axing to pieces insolvent bankers’ business desks, banchi in Italian.
Extract from, Loggia dei Mercanti -Piazza Banchi.
I love this piazza. It was the place where I bought my flowers in those days when I still bought flowers. And it's a place that I wander through daily while exploring the city.
I think you can see something of what brings me back to Genova, again and again ...
Long ago and far-away I fell in love with a reflected world. I was a child traveling State Highway 1, heading south on the flood-free, passing Henley. Destination Invercargill and Nana's house.
There were swamp-lands next to the highway and a creek that offered the most stunningly clear reflections I've ever seen.
I used to imagine another world, an upside-down world, there in the creek as we passed by in those days when I was a kid in the back seat, dreaming my kid-dreams.
Genova has made me fall in love with reflections all over again. I love when there is just enough rain to make puddles here on the cobblestones.
Today there was just enough rain to give me a glimpse of that other world.
I discovered that wandering with Dear Miss Fletcher involves learning Genova's secrets.
And the crazy thing is that I've walked past this charity slot, from 1729, so many times. In another location, Sabina showed me where the charity holes in the wall had been removed.
But ... if you don't know what you're looking for you will never find it. In another place, she stopped me in a narrow alleyway and showed me the indentations left in the cobblestones ... by chariots.
I don't think there's anything more civilised than being able to go out and buy really good espresso to bring back to the party.
I love Genova.
