Genoa

I arrived in Genoa looking like the living dead. The evening spent in the train station the night prior had thrown me for a loop. The first place I sought out was a café, and was glad to find one open as it was just past 8AM. I love European coffee, simply because it is made better than your garden variety sludge served at Starbucks. Feeling refreshed, I set out to find the hostel.

After wandering the waterfront of Genoa for almost an hour, the hostel was found. It was a quaint place; a large apartment had been converted into an overnight hostel, with the renter being the only permanent resident. He was a young guy named Massimo. After the initial paperwork was over he asked me if I liked Obama. Gee, what is it with these Europeans and Barack Obama. I said I didn’t know and asked him if he liked Obama. He said “I like him more than Bush, but I guess this is your problem.” It was a snide remark, but it made me chuckle a little.

The large, 3 bed room was ample. I spent much of the afternoon recuperating from the hellish night before. I slept well into the evening, and did not awake until 8PM or so. I ventured out to find some food. Everything was beginning to close, so I got desperate and ducked into a kebab shop that looked clean.

Upon entering I was immediately offered a shot glass full of warm tea from the two guys working behind the counter. I took it, and suspiciously gave it a taste. I liked how it had a dose of menthe in it, so I took it over to my seat. I ordered my first real kebab since coming to Europe. The kebab is like the burrito back in America, but filled with lamb cuts instead of carne asada. It was delicious. It hit the spot so well I asked for an additional glass of tea. The guys from behind the counter were really friendly so I decided to introduce myself. I told them I was from America and traveling around, they told me they were from Morocco and trying to make it in Europe running their own kebab shop. I told them that was very noble and that I wished them prosperity in their business. They wished me well in my travels. I paid my bill, which did not include the tea. Nice guys.

This experience made me think hard about the many immigrants who come to the US, often looking to restart their lives and make a little money. It made me proud that there was such a place, and I could call it home. But I found that it was also happening here in Europe too, except the large majority of immigrants were coming from N. Africa and the Middle East. I chalked this up to proximity and the pre-established Muslim communities in Europe. I also began to think about how accepted these Moroccans would be in the US. To begin with, as uneducated laborers they probably would not stand a chance with immigration officials. And even if they were given a visa and allowed to enter, they would be entering a country that is going through a throe of Islamaphobia. America is not used to large groups of Muslims migrating in, nor will it ever I imagine now after 9/11. The reason I even take time to consider this is because these guys gave me some of the best service I’ve had since arriving in Europe. I don’t think it was because I wasn’t Italian, who they loathe, and I don’t think it was because I was an American tourist. I think they did it because, at the end of the day, I am a paying customer and they are trying to make money. I do not get the same impression or service from established restaurants where the owners are locals. From them I have so far received a haughty arrogance, sense of entitlement, and terrible service. In these immigrants I was reminded of the hard working folks back home, who would bend over backwards to make a sale. This is something I’ve taken for granted back in the States, and I never will again.

Genoa is the main city of the Italian Riviera, as the other towns are further down the coast. What I immediately fell in love with was the gelato. Italian gelato is deliciously famous, and I enjoyed many a cone of chocolate mint and Nutella peanut butter. It also hosts Europe’s oldest lighthouse and the continent’s largest aquarium. Here is the lighthouse:

The aquarium of Genoa is worth a visit. Filled with hundreds of varieties of sea creatures, from trout and catfish to sharks, eels, crocodiles, dolphins, and even penguins. It was crowded with many onlookers, so it became incredibly stuffy in its twisting corridors, but overall it was an enjoyable and educational experience. Here are some of the more memorable photos and video from the aquarium:






Leaving Genoa turned out to be easier than getting into it. I had to get in a quick visit to Milan before getting up into Switzerland before the day was out. I certainly had my work cut out for me.