Monday, June 1 – Chiavari, Lavagna, Sestri-Levante

Led again by Bruna and Marco (the architects), we started off at an ancient church and palace. The church was stark, but stunning, the outside striped with its stone. The palace was half museum and shop, half privately owned – that part falling apart and pigeon filled. There is an annual festival there, with re-enactments and period costuming. We were told about the history that influences the festival and saw video of it. Our guides were two sisters with some fun fashion styles.

The church.

Our tour guides in the square outside the church (with Kelli, Stephanie, and Ruth)

The stark interior of the church.

A Rotarian host and our guide on a street leading away from the church.

Next we drove back to town and had time to shop on Chiavari’s main shopping street, with information on history from Marco and other hosts, as they had grown up in the area. Bruna’s sister-in-law and some Rotarians joined us by the end of the shopping time. There were a couple of gorgeous stores with displays nearing one hundred years old – glass and wood and elegance!

Marco explains things to us before our shopping time.

For lunch we drove to Sestri-Levante, a nearby town, and ate in the rooftop/terrace restaurant of a beautiful hotel owned by one of the local Rotarians. Gianni proved once again his amazing driving skills as he zigzagged up the side of the hill to the hotel along the narrow driveway and around cars. We could look down the coast to Lavagna, where we were staying, and out over Sestri-Levante’s promontory. The food was beautifully prepared and a serve yourself buffet, but with courses out at different times.

The watermelon 'centerpiece' at lunch (with a vista in the background).

Sestri-Levante's promontory.

Looking out to sea from the terrace restaurant (the outcropping in the distance is Portofino's).

Marco and his wife's sister-in-law scope out the parking situation (i.e. How, unless he can teleport it, will Gianni get the bus back down the hill???)

The bus parked at the top & edge of the parking lot. If I hadn't ridden it down the hill I would've thought Gianni had it airlifted off.

Walking into Sestri-Levante, Kelli and I waded in the sea (with the weather we’d had since we reached the coast we hadn’t had the opportunity to swim and were worried we wouldn’t get one!)

Kelli and me wading in the sea (it was too cool for a full swim).

The rest of the group waits on the beach.

Jim gets help with his "I love you Dad" note from an Italian boy.

Our hosts informed us of the best place for gelati (homemade!) there, so we purchased small ones before walking back to the bus (which had come down from the hotel before our stroll through town!)

Eating homemade gelato in a bar/gelateria.

We then returned to Lavagna and toured a fascinating house that is part of Italy’s national trust. It was owned by a brother and sister and left as it was when they died. The brother’s accomplishments were on display throughout the property. He painted and made puppets – all very ironic, interesting, bright creations. Amazing creativity and history of society life during the past 100 years (they died in the 1980s and ‘90s). We then walked to a private music school, listening in on piano lessons, a flute rehearsal, and a teacher play the electric guitar. As music is not part of public school (well, they learn the recorder!) students must start with private lessons unless they make it into a conservatory.

A piano lesson/performance.

The flute group rehearses, with some percussion backup.

Then, back to the hotel and a stroll around the corner to the Lavagna municipal building. We met with the members of the cultural and educational parts of the city council. Dinner was pizza and Coke and beer (very good pizza!) with our hosts of the day and their families.

Brother & sister (Bruna & Marco's kids) pose at dinner.

Stephanie & Jim say cin cin (cheers!).

Dinner party - Rotarians, family members, and our team.