Friday, June 5 – Genova

Talking with Paula and Gianni the previous day, we ended up cancelling the morning events for time to pack. Lunch was on the Palazzo Ducale’s terrace again, this time it was a small club meeting (although shorter, with no presentations, simply matters of business). Michele joined us again, ready with the most thoughtful gifts of an original piece of children's music for Kelli, our elementary music teacher, a DVD cartoon fable written and drawn by children for me, with my theatre background, and CDs for Jim, Stephanie, and Ruth.

Rotary meeting & lunch on the terrace.

Kelli with Michele and his original composition.

The afternoon was touring the Strada Nuova – two palaces now art museums and the city hall, containing Paganini’s violin. The curator of the museums gave us the tour through Van Dycks, multi-colored marble busts, French bedrooms, modern dresses made of ties and suit pants, and much, much more! Paganini’s violin is owned by the city – he left it to them. It is one of few of that caliber not privately owned. They make sure it is played regularly. We also got to go on the roof!

Stephanie climbing the roof of the Strada Nuova.

View from roof of Strada Nuova with a gull in the foreground.

Courtyard of a Strada Nuova palace.

Multi-colored marble bust.

Our curator guide and Michele in one of the galleries.

As reflected in a mirror, me in a gallery with Van Dyck paintings/portraits in the background.

A dress made of suit coats.

Small statue of Paganini in the city hall on the Strada Nuova.

The area was interesting. The palaces were owned by brothers. The whole street they are on is made of palaces, all built to outdo each other. The brothers won. Moving off the street with the palaces you are immediately in the active red-light district. Small, winding streets of Genova (built to lessen the wind and make invading the city difficult). We wound through the streets down to the marina area to watch the jets perform. It was great to see their jet streams in three colors, although we saw more of the dives, twists, and formations of the show the previous day.

Kelli in front of an ad for the Tre Colori show (held to dedicate a new cruise ship).

Michele, Me, Ruth getting Gelati before the Tre Colori show.

Ascent by the Tre Colori

Dinner was with a club at a villa in another part of town. The dinner room had murals telling stories and gorgeous details on the furniture. I had great table companions – a group of good friends and Rotarians happy to meet someone new (and always ready with a joke)! There was a presentation and Q & A in Italian, although it was unfortunately nearly impossible for us to follow.

The presentation of the main course.

Me with my wonderful dinner companions.

The club president, the presenter, and Ruth.

We returned to the hotel, thinking of departure.