Buon Giorno,
I'm having an early apero. Let me have another bite of the farninata--a very characteristic Ligurian snack that resembles the socca from Nice. It's essentially a pancake made out of ground chickpeas. I happen to like chickpeas, and hummus is popular in the United States, but they aren't to everyone's taste. But it sure goes down a treat with a sip of the local white wine.
It's Monday and the museums or most of them are closed. I got a few hours sleep last night and woke up not realizing where I was. I am still jet lagged, but I had a pleasant day exploring. Genoa slopes up from the port, so I had plenty of up and down walking, which is good for me, and I saw quite a bit of the historic center, which just struck me as a profoundly Italian place.
First I made my way up to the Piazza Ferrari which is pretty much tourist central. There's a lovely fountain--well, you can just look at the photo. The square is surrounded by elegant buildings, and in an ajoining pizza is the Palazzo Ducale--the seats of the Doges of Genoa, which is my target for tomorrow. It was hosting a book fair today, which I thought was fun.
Walking down Via San Lorenzo, I unexpectedly came up Genoa's cathedral dedicated to San Lorenzo. You remember him. According to the legend he was being fried by the Romans and said, "Turn me over boys, I'm done on this side." The church is not famous, but it was definitely worth a visit. It's a Gothic Church with black and white stone work and a Baroquish interior. Lovely!
Let's have a little history shall we. Genoa is in Liguria, which was eventually taken over by the Romans although a town existed here before. The Late Middle Ages and Early Renaissance was Genoa's time to shine. Its excellent harbor, strategic location, and enterprising seamen and merchants made the city RICH. Genoa was an important city-state, but it's ambitions--unlike Milan, for example, were mercantile rather than political. Genoa fought a trade war or two, but did not crave territory. As a proudly independent city, Genoa was an oligarch republic ruled by a Doge, who was elected to a life term. As in other city-states, the same wealthy families alternated in the office. Ironically, it was Genoese Christopher Columbus, who led to the city's decline (and the Portuguese contributed as well). With strong monarchical states controlling trade to Asia and the Americas, Italian city-states did not have much of a chance, nevertheless, Genoa can be proud of its contributions to banking and finance.
Dang! This farninata is seriously addictive. Chickpeas. It's total health food right? Right??
Then I strolled down to the Old Port, which is another major tourist draw. I noted a whale watching cruise. I don't think there are any whales in the Med so . . . The big draw is a world class Aquarium, which I will have to attend at some point. I also visited the market there and admired some of the offerings, but I did not buy anything. The plane I was on yesterday flew down the coast so I got a good view then, too.
I ended up on Via Garabaldi where I passed the fanciest banks I have ever come across. One of them is the oldest bank in Europe. They had their own gardens, and I think in their former lives they were palazzi.
On my wander I stopped at a hole in the wall Focaccia shop where I got my farinata. I did not neglect Genoa's other contribution to the culinary world. Besides pesto Genoa is responsible for focaccia. It's everywhere, there are many varieties (I had mine with cheese), and it is sublime.
Ciao for now
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