Day 4- Fish, Flashy and Football


Brett and Carla and I got off the boat only to get on another one as caught a ferry to Camogli. Camogli was holding it’s annual Sagra del Pesce (Fish Festival). On the ferry were a few South African expats who had been living in the area for a few years. We arrived in Camogli. Camogli means “House of Wives” when the woman used to run the town while their husbands were away at sea.

The fish fry-up is alleged to be the largest fish fry up in the world, this still did not sufficiently prepare myself for the hordes of people in this small town. It was chaotic, and I quickly gave up the idea of being a participant in the biggest fish fry up in the world. There was no respite for the cobbled beach either as it was packed to the rafters. After some good foccacia, we found some jagged rocks to lie on and I had an amazing swim. Our ferry to Portofino was only coming in three hours so we had much time to kill. Camogli had a wonderful market street selling many local specialities. We could not find an empty table but eventually found a great restaurant, where all the food was just brought to us. Anchovies are the speciality here and I soon knew why. By the time we descended to the harbour, the fish fry up had ended.

The pan was still full of oil and the whole area smelt of used cooking oil, after a brief siesta on the harbour I went for another dip before we headed to Portofino.

This must be one of the most exclusive spots in Italy. A walk around Castello Brown will show you some of the many stars who have stayed here over the years, Elizabeth Taylor, Truman Capote, Winston Churchill to name but a few. There was a sailing competition on the run. I walked up to Castello Brown and quickly understood why this was a destination of choice for the silver spooned and jet set stars. With wonderful views of the harbour and the seas I saw why this place was so attractive. On the balcony, sat a man looking very much like Tom Wolfe, maybe it was him, gathering inspiration for his next novel.

I walked down and through the village and noticed a gaping difference, between those like me who were passers by and those who were holidaying here. The stars of the silver screen might no longer call this their number one destination, but the very rich are not going to be leaving here anytime soon.

We caught the ferry back to Genoa, and soon we in a world very different to that of Portofino, we were walking to the Ferraris Stadium in a shoddy part of the city. I could not leave Italy without watching football. It was Brett’s first ever live football game. FC Genoa are chasing promotion to the Serie A, and are second on the log, they took on Triestina. This huge stadium was about 75% full, behind the goals the stadium was packed. The atmosphere was unbelievable. Even though Sampdoria is the more famous team of the city, many Genovese support this club from cradle to grave.

The security in and out of the stadium was something I had not ever experienced at a sporting event, but it was well worth it. The home side won 3-2 and look like they will be in the Serie A next year.

I had a great time reconnecting with my brother and look forward to doing it again, I saw almost everything I aspired to see in Liguria, and am glad I can say I have been there, but I am happy that he is based in France now….

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Lonely Planet was used to plan the trip to Camogli and Portofino

Pic 1: The queue for fish in Camogli
Pic 2: Tom Wolfe lookalike at Castello Brown
Pic 3: Standing on Castello Brown
Pic 4: Football FC Genoa vs Triestina

Day 3- Cinque Terre

I did not sleep well. It must have been my disappointment at Genoa’s night spots, but I knew that this day was going to be brilliant. Brett and I missed the 08:30 train and had to wait an hour for the next train. After some great cappuccino’s and Sicilian orange juice we boarded the train to Cinque Terre. This is the most famous sight in Liguria. It was my first venture on public transport in Italy. The trains are very different to England, the folks are much more friendly and chatty. I met two very friendly US exchange students who had come up from Milan for the day. I also got to speak to an Italian boy about sports heroes.

Cinque Terre is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 5 villages are delicately placed along this very steep coastline. Farmers need ingenuity, resilience and a deep love of the land to want to continue farming here. The terraced vineyards seem as if they could fall off the mountain at any time.

We started at Riomaggiore, the village was teeming with tourists and we headed off, I was immediately struck by the sheer beauty of the coastline. The walk from Riomaggiore to the next village Manarola took about twenty minutes, up to now the walk was a Sunday stroll. Manarola is the hub of vinoculture in Cinque Terre, you descend into narrow alleyways and are soon surrounded by buildings dating from the 14th century. The walk from Manarola to Corniglia took about 1 hour. Besides the amazing scenery and views, it was great to catch up properly with Brett and also talk about the days on the farm. Corniglia is the one village which is not on the sea, but it leaves you pondering that it could soon slip into the sea. Having that in mind, Brett and I went for a restaurant as far as possible from the cliff. With the park and the sea behind us, I tucked into two different big servings of Pesto on pasta, I definitely overdid it, however, there was no time to sit and wait around and take a siesta.

The walk from Cornglia to Vernazza was tougher, but also quieter than the paths walked thus far. It was also good to walk with trees and forest on both sides of you. The descent to Vernazza was dramatic, bigger than the previous two villages, Vernazza had a minute harbour, it reminded me a bit of the old harbour in Hermanus, Western Cape. The water was not that clean but that was not going to deter me from swimming in the Mediterranean. There were a lot of Americans on the trail and in the sea, and while many people have a negative perception of Americans and especially their tourists, the walkers were very friendly. Later on we would bump into a delightful couple from Montana who would spend twenty minutes indulging us about their state.

We left the busy harbour and ascended for the final walk to Monterosso. I thought my games of touch had made me into a relatively fit specimen, but this ascent was tough, I huffed and puffed my way up the path, and I wondered how some of the badly dressed hikers and very unfit walkers would handle this. I felt my Pesto splurge repeating on me but I knew I could not turn around. The views and the surroundings were all the motivation I needed, and I did not come to Cinque Terre-“5 lands” to walk 4 of them….

The descent to Monterosso was wonderful, a great way to finish something I would recommend to everyone.

Tired, but immensely satisfied I boarded the train back, I had to concede that maybe my older brother is fitter than me…

Brett’s wife, Carla is a very talented woman, especially when it comes to cooking, and even though I had two massive plates of Pesto I was not disappointed to be faced with Pesto again for dinner.

I walked around the Porto Antico, attended a Senegalese musical gathering. Very good to see the locals and the immigrants mingling so well, I was tired. I mingled well with my pillow.

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The Lonely Planet Guide to Italy helped me refresh my memory of the walk.

Pic 1: Brett and I with the village of Manarola in the background
Pic 2: After lunch in Corniglia- Look out for the terraced vineyards behind us
Pic 3: Vernazza below, look at the delicate carving out of the harbour.

Day 2- Getting To Know Genoa

After a good two cups of coffee, I went off like an eager child at their first day of school. The first stop was to get the “Card Musei”, a museum card which is great value for money. Via Garibaldi is a car free road and probably Genoa’s finest road. It has been added to the UNESCO Heritage List. This is where the crème de la crème of Genovese society used to live. All the palaces on the road had a great selection of local and Flemish painters. While I took my time to admire the frescoes of the Pallazzo Rosso (Red Palace) the real highlight of the Rosso was to get access to the rooftop where I had a great view of the city, the Pallazzo Bianco (White Palace) was much larger. To be honest, I don’t have a learned eye for art, and while I took cognizance of the mastery of these painters, my concentration soon waned.

The Palazzo Doria-Tursi houses a museum to the genius of Genoa, Niccolo Paganini, Paganini was a wildly gifted violinist. The main item on display is his famous violin called “Canone” which gets played once a year.

It is very easy to miss the other two palaces, both are now utilized by private companies, but Pallazzo Lomellino has a beautiful courtyard which I am sure is used by every bride and groom for their wedding pictures. My last area of exploration on this amazing road was the Palazzo Spinola.

I then did a very steep walk up to the Castello D’Albertis, Captain Enrico D’Albertis was one extraordinary adventurer and collector and his castle houses many of the treasurers he brought back. The Museo Delle Culture Del Mondo (Museum of World Cultures) is also housed here, and while it is not over laden with exhibits, it still feels quite sparse but is impressive none the less. The best thing about the castle are the gorgeous views from where the statue of Christopher Columbus is.

After having some delicious Italian ice cream, I proceeded to get blissfully lost as I set out to find the Palazzo Reale, This allowed me to see the areas where probably very few tourists have been and get a better understanding of the city. I finally found Reale. This palace was opulent and way too big, it is hard to believe that a palace of this size was used by one family. I soon noticed that there was a recurring theme in Italian museums, that you get followed everywhere, I don’t think it is that they don’t trust you, I just think they don’t want you to get lost, it got quite overbearing.

Just when I thought I needed a break from palaces and art, I visited the Galleria Nazionale (National Gallery), this was another palace owned by the Spinola family.

I needed time to relax, so off I went to the marina to spend some time with my brother on the yacht, after an hour of relaxing I realised that my museum card was going to expire, so I pushed my brother and I to the new Galata Museo del Mare, the entrance fee is quite expensive, but any boat buff or maritime maven would go dilly in this new museum.

I had seen all but everything I wanted to see in city, I was not that excited about the idea of going to the Acquario (aquarium) and being elbowed by little kids.

We went for a big carnivorous dinner which involved a lot of good Italian wine and Italian beer. After the meal, I wanted to go and explore the night spots, the prostitutes must have outnumbered the open pubs by about 10 to 1 and I found a pub recommended by my guidebook-Quattro Canti. The pub was as lively as an old age home after ten in the evening.

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I again used my Lonely Planet as a resource tool to write this blog.

Pic 1: Pallazo Lomellino
Pic 2: View from Castello D'Albertis. The marina on the left is where the yacht is.
Pic 3: Galata Museo Del Mare

Trip to Liguria May 2007


My first trip to Italy also saw my first foray into Stansted Airport. I had got up very early that morning, and it was not nice to have gang of 8 goons standing next to me and speaking loudly, especially when their collective IQ was probably lower than the cost in Pounds of my air ticket…

Lets just say that Genoa is not about love at first sight. Leaving the airport one is quickly reminded that this has always been a city

The Port Antico (Ancient Port) has many people milling about, and first impressions will tell you that while Genoa might not be the first port of call for foreigners, this is most definitely the city of choice your young Italian bambino’s. I saw plenty of school groups queuing up for the Acquario (aquarium), the most ticketed site in the city, and also going up Il Bigo, this ultra modern ridiculously unimpressive contraption which lifts you up in the air for a birds eye view of the Port.

Genoa has quite a few of these modern tourist attractions, because in 1992 and in 2004 the city underwent a major facelift, this is because 1992 was the 500th anniversary of the city’s favourite son Christopher Columbus’s voyage to America, and in 2004 Genoa was the European City of Culture.

I went to Genoa to see my brother Brett, who I had not seen in 20 months, he was based on a yacht in one of the marina’s in the old port. Otherwise, I don’t think I would have ever ventured to Genoa. Before I went to Genoa I was seriously concerned that I would never have enough time to see all of the sights in Genoa, so I set off to explore the religious sights of Genoa.

The good thing about Genoa is that almost everything is in walking distance and soon I was in the old town and at the massive Cattedrale Di San Lorenzo, this building almost seemed out of place amongst the tight and narrow alleyways of this part of the town. It was originally consecrated in 1118, but the major developments were done in the 16th century. While traditional places of Christian worship might be battling to get bums on seats, for the middle of a work day, this cathedral was very full, the bishop was like a celebrity, the choir opened for him and he spoke, after he spoke, the accordion was played and he went around blessing everyone. There was even a television crew there to film this episode. Tucked away in the church is a large bomb which thankfully failed to explode when it hit the church.

I also went to the Chiesa Del Gesu`, just as beautiful but more peaceful, I walked in and there was a woman bending down at the confessional, and another lone woman kneeling down, hands together praying. This was built in 1597 and is the main seat of the Jesuit order in Genoa. The church does not only attract those wanting some solitude and prayer but also art aficionados. The church hosts two Rubens paintings.

The unofficial heart of Genoa is the Piazza De Ferrari, this is where the Palazzo (palace) Ducale is, where the once very mighty city used to be ruled from, the main theatre, the old stock exchange etc. After a quick stroll around here, I headed off to a remnant of the old city walls which used to defend the city from attack. The Porta Soprana might have been restored but it still gives one an idea of the threats the city used to face.

Walking down from the Porta Soprana, I noticed some political posters and one man looked strikingly similar to the face on the poster. Salvatore Cosma was running for some senior position in the city, probably Mayor, a friendly genial man, but our lack of ability to converse with one another prevented me from giving him tips to win the election.

Ethiopia might be where coffee originates but the Italians run the Ethiopians very close when it comes to coffee, I don’t think my body was ready for the sudden surge of intakes of macchiato, cappuccino and caffe latte’s. The Genovese are master barista’s and every cup was brilliant.

Each region in Italy has its culinary speciality, the Ligurians are famous for their focaccia and pesto, so that is what I had for dinner on my first night there, quite wonderful, and of course I had to tuck into my brother and his wife’s pizzas.

I got up at 04:00 and wanted an early night as I had a lot to see the next morning.

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I checked information with my Lonely Planet guide to Italy

Pic 1: Outside the Cattedrale Di San Lorenzo
Pic 2: Inside Chiesa Del Giesu
Pic 3: My love affair with Pesto Genovese begins...

Jesus Loves The Bulls

“Jesus is King” and “Bulls for Jesus” were emblazoned across a pure white t-shirt worn by Bulls super sub Jaco Van De Westhuyzen in the aftermath of their famous last gasp victory in the Super 14 finals.

Jesus also loves Western Samoan rugby, although he prefers the 7-a-side version of the game, Jesus also used to love South African swimming when Penny Heyns was around, but it seems Jesus is quite content with mainly focussing his time on rugby in Pretoria, Van De Westhuyzen and his team mates should be extra thankful as Pretoria is not that beautiful at this time of the year as the Jacaranda trees are all but bare.

I supported the Bulls on Saturday, I really wanted them to win, even though I am a Cheetahs supporter, I still passionately threw my support behind the Bulls. So much so that when Albert Van De Bergh scored the seemingly winning try for the Sharks in the 77th minute, I put on my jacket and was ready to storm out of the venue I was watching in.

When Derick “Liefling” Hougaardt slotted the winning conversion I almost lost my voice and became caught up in the euphoria.

This quickly changed when I saw “ pastoor” Heini Adams leading the entire squad in prayer, his evangelical style and fervour would make any Alabama preacher look docile.
After that every player interviewed thanked Jesus, the Lord, or their Lord. Jaco Van De Westhuyzen’s shirt was a major insult to all fans watching, particularly to their fans who have different beliefs.

Before displaying the t-shirt, Van De Westhuyzen climbed the rugby poles and pumped his fists but he proceeded to point his pinkie finger and pointing finger at the fans, almost as if to taunt the Sharks fans that Jesus was on their side and that the Sharks were going to hell.

I think in sport it is fine to have strong faith and beliefs, but I think it is arrogant and quite frankly idiotic when players think that the reason they won was because Jesus was on their side.

I felt sorry for the Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer, I can assure you that this man had much more to do with the Bulls winning the Super 14 than Jesus.

The band Faithless might have proclaimed that “God is a DJ”, but on Saturday, Jaco Van De Westhuyzen and his cronies honestly thought that God was the 16th rugby player on their side… Talk about multi-tasking….

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The photo was downloaded from the News24.com site