GENOVA the noisy, the cramped, the refuge.

Heavy trucks drag themselves up the autostrade.

Winding mountain roads all the way down to the sea. Then tight streets across to the Helvetia Hotel in Piazza della Nunziata. The loading area is on the sidewalk. The associated  garage Minerva is down the block underground.

Motorcycles are a favoured mode of transportation here.

Ouch! NOISY and CRAMPED STREETS. Do not expect to find parking in Genova. The hotel is truly a refuge from the outside traffic.

Baby manatee with mom.

We walk to the old port, across to the Maritime museum but decide to visit the Aquarium which was a great decision. We enjoyed a seal feeding, manatees (with a baby manatee), and many beautiful displays.

Cramped morray eels. 

Then we took the City Tour Train at 7 euro which I found quite informative but being on street level instead of the second floor of a double decker bus it is polluted with fuel and noise.

Then we went to the fruit market where the highlight was watching an Asian fruit seller break her zen pattern by bursting in Italian at an old guy "shouting" at her, so far it seems shouting is what passes for agitated polite conversation here. Then on to supper at Gaia restaurant. A nice hole in the wall, literally,  with good prices, fine service and no hassles. Delicious, as usual in Italy.

I love the taste of fruit I buy at the market.

Did I mention the staff of the Helvetia Hotel in Piazza della Nunziata are very nice and helpful in every way possible?