September 28, 2021
After some days of hard riding (by my standards) today was a day for rest. Since I can only take so much rest without becoming restless, I decided to start my day with a walk to explore the town. Genoa is, like many European cities, ancient. It is one of the oldest continuously occupied cites in the world with evidence of of a settlement here since the fifth century BCE. Its location on the sea encouraged its development as a maritime power with trading connections unmatched by most other Mediterranean cities. It has been a center for ship borne trade and ship building for centuries. That status continues today with its busy port and shipyards among the busiest in the world. It is a popular location for cruise ships to return to for refitting and overhaul. The city also claims to have invented denim but is not known how much that first pair of blue jeans sold for or if they were skinny or relaxed fit.
The city is also known as the childhood home of Christopher Columbus. A restoration of his home exists just outside of the old city walls. Unfortunately it is a busy area and I was unable to get a decent picture of it. The area is also home to a number of beggars some of whom were quite obnoxious so I did not hang around.
Aside from a few badly positioned beggars and the usual urban graffiti, Genoa is a beautiful and well kept city. Once away from the industrial part of the waterfront it has a number of nice tourist attractions including a well regarded aquarium. Having seen a number of aquariums over the years I decided to give it a pass. The only fish I am currently interested in seeing needs to be on a plate with a side of roasted potatoes.
When walking around Genoa it is important to choose your route wisely. My walk past Columbus’ house and down along the waterfront was interesting with plenty to see but my route back was less of a great idea. To return to my hotel I chose the most direct route which is also a busy auto route. The result was a walk that included few places of interest and two fairly long auto tunnels that I was quite happy to exit. The route was also sort of a food and beverage desert. Luckily I was able to find a live preserving beer as I neared my hotel. Next time I will take the bus.
