5-7-10 Nervi to Genova day 33

5-7-10 Nervi to Genova day 33
the check out and breakfast ran a bit later in my guest house so I took advantage of that., especially since I had slept so badly. I chatted a bit with the hotel lady upon leaving, she really likes to walk and trek she said but she could not afford to take the time off to walk the Capistrano even though she really wants to. She can only take walks on weekends. She told me I was lucky... and sometimes I forget that but she is right. When I left the hotel I followed the same path Marrio had showed me the day before ..through the botanical garden then along the water front park... the weather was still grey with clearing here and there.. it did rain a little so I had my rain cape ready... the walk along the coast actually kept going through another town or two...always on the side walk... I was not very focused on walking this day... in fact I stopped at a cafe and pulled out my lap top, I must have sat there for an hour just writing....stuff that was on my mind...and the usual cycle of doubt and restrengthened resolve about what I am doing here with this walking and such...basically I concluded that I need to see this thing through, or else it would haunt me the rest of my life... with the 'what if's' ..there are very few things in my life were I speculate on what it would have been like if I had made a certain choice...but with this pilgrimage it's been calling me for over six years now and I have to see it through, so it does not continue to haunt me... I continued walking towards Genova, it came sooner than expected...but it was a big city so as usual I would take over an hour to get into the city proper.... and slowly the small town or village feel that i've had for the last week or so was replaced massiveness of a big city... Genova definitely has plenty of classic architecture and age but it has modern high rises and harbor as well. It had a very solid feel to it... it also seemed to rejoice in capitalism... I must have found the main fashion strip as I went looking for a place to stay... I could not really get the lay out of the city... and even when I left the following day, looking on the map, I think I only ever saw a tiny sliver of it... I got a room in small slightly old fashioned hotel... The man at the front desk proudly showed me my room and it's amenities, pleased that I liked it. I settled my stuff and took a nap, then back out to the front desk. The man gave me a city map and general direction I should take for interesting things to see.. I walked along the fashion gauntlet. Shops housed in beautiful old buildings...there were tables along the way of different groups trying to fund-raise for various causes including animal shelters, political agendas, and drug addict support group which I ended up giving money to cuz they also had stuff on HIV AIDS...which I cant help but be drawn to... the people of genova seem very affluent in comparison to my experience but also with extreme wealth, I also saw the other side which is homelessness and marginalized people which you also tend to see in places this big and wealthy...
..Then I found a main square with fountain surrounded by museums. I suspect these museums housed an amazing collection but I had no time or energy for them.. I did explore two churches... the first one boasted Rubins... and he was a major painter..it's clear after seeing many minor painters in churches when your confronted with a master... I could however find no place to stamp my credentials...it's been a long while since I got my last little stamp. Eventually as I walked towards the 'antique harbor' I found a little internet place, here too due to anti-terriost laws I could not use my wifi meaning I could not upload more blogs or photos...then I found a fallafel place for early dinner and brought some snacks at a discount supermarket...then back to my room. I slept better but felt like I still owed the sleep bank...