Post divorce finalizing, mid-empty nest. Son coming to end of his four month cycling by himself through West Africa, Daughter working on a major film in Hollywood. Nothing stopping me from continued nomadic journeys. Let’s do Italy! From the journals:
After finally getting back post pandemic to the Cannes Film festival to pursue my film and writing pursuits, as a nomad I can stay as long as I want! No home to return to. Two weeks in the South of France, then decided to train it through Italy before eventually getting back to London.
May 2022 Leaving Cannes
Next wrench in the plans…The Rogue tested positive for Covid. I tested negative but I feel like shit. Day 2 of scratchy throat, fatigue, headache. Utter exhaustion. Holed up in flat outside of Cannes. The COVID days. Tried to sleep. Drugged up. Days passing. Going to Genoa next.
Train to Genoa (Genova)
Where the wind blows, or where the train goes…French train, Italian train. Transfer at the border. All slow regional ones (no food, water or even baños!), no lifts… upstairs, downstairs under tracks. Ayiyi. Suitcase didn’t survive this journey; zipper snapped. Cannes, Monaco, to Genoa (“Genova” in Italy!) Greeted by adorable Ivo at a little flat in the central historic district. Ate a plate of truffle pesto pasta. Wandered a bit. Will further explore tomorrow.
May 31 – Genoa, Italy (Genova)
One morning in Genoa. Love a city where I have zero expectations. Explore, learn as I go. Rich in history. Colors. Life. A bit off the tourist path. Trying Italian (knowing Spanish helps). Walking. Eating. Soaking up vibes in local piazzas. Buona giornata!
A day in the life in Genoa…messaged ole Ivo (80 years young), host of the flat about how to receive a package. The over zealous fellow appeared at the door like an Italian leprechaun, and burst in, me in my “nightwear”. He insisted on sitting all day in the flat to await the package. Meanwhile he wanted a photo with me, bedhead and all. I used all forms of sign language and botched Italian to tell him he needed to leave so I could get dressed. Much comedy ensued before he left.
Continued the day seeing spectacular sights. Finally tried to map out a luggage store to buy a new suitcase after mine literally burst at the seams. Got entirely lost in dodgy alleyways populated by prostitutes decked out midday in satin onesies. Police made an arrest on a man. Gave up the suitcase quest. Decided to pop in a hair salon and get a blowout instead – 18 Euros! Then stumbled upon a suitcase store after all. Success! Stuffed my face with more pizza and pasta. Sitting trying to get some work done now, with delightful sounds of children and dogs and church bells in the little piazza outside the bedroom window. As usual, living life to write about it.
History of Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo
Genoa, a strategic port city, is full of rich history, as the hometown of Christopher Columbus (house pictured; 1400s) and where Marco Polo was imprisoned and wrote his famous book. ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’.
Imagine – in the 1200s, Marco Polo and his family traveled from Venice to Asia. They were away for 23 years!
“Polo’s stories about his travels in Asia were published as a book called The Description of the World, later known as The Travels of Marco Polo. Just a few years after returning to Venice from China, Polo commanded a ship in a war against the rival city of Genoa. He was eventually captured and sentenced to a Genoese prison, where he met a fellow prisoner and writer named Rustichello. As the two men became friends, Polo told Rustichello about his time in Asia, what he’d seen, where he’d traveled and what he’d accomplished.
The book made Polo a celebrity. It was printed in French, Italian and Latin, becoming the most popular read in Europe. But few readers allowed themselves to believe Polo’s tale. They took it to be fiction, the construct of a man with a wild imagination. The work eventually earned another title: Il Milione (“The Million Lies”). Polo, however, stood behind his book, and it influenced later adventurers and merchants.”
Genoa’s current crisis
“Genoa is a haven city in Italy. In Genoa, tens of thousands of African migrants arrive, and the city and its inhabitants are overwhelmed by this flood of men. Administratively, the migrants are stuck in Genoa, and the locals have to live with the migrants, the criminality, and the shift in Genoa’s culture, highly visible in the emblematic street Via di Pré.
In this VPRO travel series Via Genoa, writer Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer speaks with the colorful inhabitants of his hometown, the Italian port city of Genoa. Pfeijffer shows how Italy changes politically, socially and economically with all the newcomers“
June 2 Train Genoa to Rome
Thoughts on Trains.
Transporting by land from one destination to the next. Blurry views out the windows on both sides. Tunnels. Coast. Seaside bathers. Spezia. Pisa. Famous names at stations. So much of the world to explore, never enough time. Lull of foreign languages. Crush of luggage. Faint rumble. Lush terrain transforms to drier region. Time to reflect, dream, plan, create. A writer’s office, a nomad’s reality.
Masks still in abundance. Italian men still very friendly/touch-feely from Ivo to train attendants. Made it to Rome hotel and checked out the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain with gelato in the heat. Memories of bringing my kids here years back.
June 4 Rome
Going well. But still questionable about post June 15 where I’ll go and with whom. Walked around the exterior of the Colloseum. Booked a tour for another day.
Off to Naples
Made a day trip to Naples to explore this fascinating city. Trains are not reliable. Crowded, cancellations, but made it in time for the famous pizza!
June 5 Back to Rome
14,000 steps in humid 90+ degrees through all the hot spots of Rome! From the Pantheon (one of best-preserved Ancient Roman buildings – in continuous use since the 7th century!) to Campo Dei Fiori (lunch including the best fried artichoke – carciofi alla giudia), a little shopping, lots of sweating, Trevi Fountain by day, Spanish Steps teeming with tourists. Looks like people are making up for lost time with travel.
Visited the Vatican/Sistene Chapel. Downpour at the Vatican. The Rogue accidentally knocked over champagne in the garden all over me. Rain and champagne, there’s a rhyme!
June 8 – Rome to a Villa in Tuscany
Took the train to overnight at a film acquaintance’s villa in Tuscany (The Rogue and I had the whole 2nd floor. Bit creepy in the dark of night!). Cherries off the tree, fresh watermelon. Delicious dinner with pasta and seafood. Extraordinary experience.
One Day in Florence
Next day, after a lovely villa breakfast of fruit and coffee, drove to Florence to shoot a music video. Roberto’s Trattoria for Florentine steak. Coffee breaks. Sweating, walking so much. Glorious scenery. Galileo Museum. Train back to Rome.
June 9 Rome – Colosseum
Colosseum gladiator tour. Hot and crowded but fascinating. Met an American friend and her son and some New Yorkers at Rotunda Trattoria. Hilarious third day of other people ordering for us. No choice in what we eat. Getting heated. Go with the flow. Eat, eat, eat!
Back to London!
CUT TO TWO YEARS LATER – VENTIMIGLIA 2024
After another Cannes film festival, this time with my daughter, she and I made our way to Switzerland by trains. Timing was poor in that it was the Monte Carlo Grand Prix and all trains were over capacity. We finally had to squeeze on with all our luggage, literally no room to breathe.
Because of delays we missed our connection to Milan in Ventimiglia. Decided to catch our breaths and embrace the 3 hours to explore, and eat a nice lunch.
One Night in Milan.
Finally made it to Milan’s grandiose train station and walked to our small hotel. Daughter and I made it to the Duomo and dinner at Miou with a view. Lovely time together.
The next morning we dealt with the madness of Milan train station to head to Brig, first stop in SWITZERLAND. Stay tuned!
https://secondchapternomad.blog/2024/03/18/blogging-from-bahamas/
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