The noise and activity was so great below the apartment, at 11pm, we decided to go walking.
Piazza Matteotti and we walked into a performance by The Copenhagen Showband. It was truly spectacular!
But that's Genova for me ... over the years, so many truly magical moments out there on the streets and piazzas.
This morning, in dire need of an espresso after a superb yesterday, I wandered over to Mentelocale Cafe with my laptop hoping to put together a post while drinking that coffee.
I sat down and set myself up at Mentelocale Cafe then realised I stepped into the maelstrom that is the International Music Festival. The 'background' music playing as I work here is mind-blowingly good. As in, non-stop concerts at the major courtyard of Palazzo Ducale - from 09.30 until 13.30.
Genova retains its superb reputation with me. It's a city where I have learned to accept the unexpected will happen. Later, wandering the ancient city streets, marching bands would appear randomly ... complete with baton-twirling girls, smiles pinned in place, uniforms immaculate.
Let's just say it was surreal but quite 'Genova' for me.
But this post is really about yesterday.Yesterday I passed by a lovely local woman I had photographed and chatted with, by chance, more than two years ago. She had been leaning on a windowsill and I had asked if I might photograph her. She agreed then had come down to chat with me.
Fast-forward to May 2014, last time I was here in the city, and I recognised Paola at a table next to me at a cafe here in the city. I said hi, not sure she would remember me photographing her but she did.
Then yesterday, on the way back to the apartment, I passed her again. She lives in a beautiful fishing village not too far from the city and I live in Belgium. I don't take these random meetings forgranted.
We stopped and chatted for a little bit, as she was wondering if I was still here from May. I ended up telling her of the 'New Way of Seeing' project. I mentioned I was taking my business partner out to the village I had met her in and she invited us to visit her.
After a coincidence (or two), we ended up spending some enjoyable hours talking with her. It was so very good to finally sit down and talk.
But honestly, the coincidences that are happening on this visit are remarkable. We are meeting the people we are meant to meet but that seems to be the way it unfolds here in Genova. Every time I come here, I find another reason to love the city more ... if that's possible.
Then last night, we had another sublime dinner at Stefano Di Bert's remarkable restaurant, at the invitation of singer and bass guitarist, Donatella and Luciano. I met these three via Alessandra, a woman I feel so very privileged to know. I met Alessandra via Barbara, again it feels like a privilege to call her a friend, and I met Barbara via the most adorable Francesca.
It's like that here in the city.
Stefano, once again, presented a huge range of the most divine wines matched to the most exquisite food. It felt like we were eating and drinking some kind of sublime art collection ... perhaps. A marriage of beautiful food and really good wine was almost overwhelming at times.
It was another rather relaxed 'after midnight' walk 'home' through this city I love so well.
Voila .. it has been like that so far. No camera, no photos. I'm sorry. I arrived here so tired that I have been leaving my camera behind. This situation should change tomorrow ...
Meanwhile, the shot that follows ... I was up on my bed working on my computer, mezzanine floor, old Rolli palace, huge windows open, beautiful view of the street down below and realised I really must share. I am so loving this place.
I'm lying here, on my borrowed bed, looking out through the massive open windows in front of me, wondering I might go back to sleep here.
I love this apartment. It's just a divinely small package of cute but the fact that it's located above two bars in the 'happening' centre of the city means that falling asleep is something you need to relearn. The noise kicks off about 10pm and has still been going at 2am, when I've finally fallen asleep.
But the view and location is divine otherwise.
Life is delicious otherwise. I'm slowly slowly catching up with everyone I quietly adore here. Last night we wandered along to a tasting of the loveliest wines at Le Gramole. Wine like I had never tasted before. They don't have a website but the white wines were extraordinary and the reds were good too. The company was lovely and I need to find out more before I write on what we tasted.
We had a lovely university student called Raffaele patiently translating my questions to Italian to the guys in charge of pouring and explaining the wines. Then Barbara arrived at Le Gramole too and there was much laughter.
Back at the apartment, we 3 had a dinner made up of food from the Bio shop and from Le Gramole. Mozarella, with sweet juicy tomatoes, focaccia, and a bottle of the white wine just tasted down at the Le Gramole wine-tasting.
Tonight is about meeting up with Donatella and Luciano and there's a good espresso to find this morning and some people to see. The weather is exquisite, the people lovely. It's so very good to be back.
Below is a glimpse from the wine-tasting. We were the first people there ... it filled up later.
My Dad's been in hospital these last few days and we finally got what seems like good news. Fingers crossed.
Lying on my borrowed bed this morning, here in Genova, I spotted this trompe l'oeil just across the alley from me. Loved it, wandered downstairs and grabbed my camera gear.
It's a beautiful blue sky day out there. We have a lunch planned with Stefano and a wine-tasting out in the city this evening.
It's good to be back.
I'm back in Genova and it is so very good to be here.
The journey began with a 4.30am alarm, a 5.25am tram in cold early morning rain, a 6am airport bus, a 9.25am flight, Milan.
A bus from the airport, lunch at Milan Central Station... where some charm was showered upon us by the lovely chef there. A train to Genova, then a taxi, as we were slightly exhausted.
Out again and off into the ancient heart of the city to visit with Francesca and Norma where a wine-tasting at Le Gramole was confirmed for tomorrow, then a stop at the Bio shop for fruit and vegetables. Back to the delicious apartment we have here, then out for the best pizza ... in the world. Truly.
A walk through the storm, thunder and lightning, the rain had mostly stopped while we were out walking, down the port and back here to unpack and work a little. And here we are, working behind shutters closed over massive old open windows. The noise is reassuringly Italy at night. I miss these sounds when I'm back in Antwerp. People are talking and laughing, sometimes shouting... alive, out there on the streets a few floors below this beautiful apartment in an ancient building.
Sometimes I feel so extraordinarily fortunate. I am living a life that is rich in stories and full of good people.
It's so good to be back here.
Miss 10 slipped a note into my pocket last night. I'm famous for losing notes slipped into my pockets ...
This morning she appeared here, so excited, did I still have that piece of paper? I wasn't sure. She looked sad. I wandered over and looked. It was okay, I hadn't 'cleaned' my pockets, without thinking.
She had written 'Family of the Year', Hero. I had to hand over my keyboard. She's in love, with this song, and like me she plays favourites on repeat.
She's delicious ... and needless to say, I have it here, playing, on repeat.