Bilious Blog…Around Europe in 80 days#22

Never got to La Spezia as my train was cancelled and as it was the only one without having to book reservations I couldn’t be arsed paying the extra.These bloody reservations are becoming a pain.Most of the Italian trains seem to have them and they ain’t cheap,ranging from €5 to €20+.That’s not including the fine which more that doubled the cost of mine.

Of course tomorrow’s train to Lyon is a case in point,have to change three times and all’s ok until the Marseille to Lyon bit which needs reservations.Tried to do so here but different country can’t do it,tried on line to no avail( to be fair that could be my fault) so the only way to not pay an extra €25 of seat & fine is to get a 5-40am train to Nice & do it there.Luckily I’m literally a stones throw from the station so no problem…moan over

So I did the next best thing,went all Carry On and went up the Funicular (oeeerrrr missus) It was noisy,uncomfortable,slow,scary steep and loud…it was brilliant ! Oh it was also free(it’s at the back of Genoa main station if you’re ever in the area) I was the only tourist and it clearly served the local community who all seemed to know the drivers( yep two.One back one front to carry on the Carry On theme) once at the top there’s not much but houses and you can wait 20 mins or do what I did and take an easy walk down…yea right.Man that’s a steep walk and my legs were buckling by the end…

Anyway Genoa is great,looks awesome,with a hint of edginess about it to keep you on your toes.That might sound strange to some but it does help to stop you becoming complacent about your surroundings.Being aware may not keep you 100% safe but it lessens the risk of finding yourself in a dodgy situation…

It seems quite a radical place especially if the amount of political graffiti is anything to go by.Although I must  point out that much of it is written in pretty much the same writing.One person on a mission can make a lot of noise with unlimited access to spray paint…but it’s a port and most ports are fairly radical.They’re also mostly tough places with a lack of bullshit and a good nose for sniffing bullshit out.I have been laughed at on several occasions in shops in a friendly way and if you take it that way and laugh along you’ll be fine and welcomed but if you’re easily offended then probably best to stay away…once again I have met nothing but good people including getting a few Wolves mentions and also a Coventry one today( one for my Cov WhatsApp crew there)

Went for a walk through to labyrinth of alleyways that skirt the port side of the city.Brilliantly fascinating and scary in equal measure.I stand by my statement of keeping away at night.Bet there’s some nastiness going down and you wouldn’t want to be a part of it.I think the Polizia & Carabiniere patrol in the day but maybe at night they figure you may have it coming…I was going to book a hotel in the area but when reading up on it decided stumbling around trying find my hotel half pissed at midnight would not be clever.Discretion is the better part of valour…there are hundreds of interconnected alleyways to get lost down…

In saying that it’s not all Favelas,Barrios and The Hill’s Have Eyes…strolling round I happened upon a couple of parts that would have the Hackney Hipsters drooling.Little Indy expensive cafes and cooperative food shops etc,all very twee,exclusive & expensive.Just don’t ask me to find them again…

Sorry to have banged on a bit longer this time.It’s just that I have found Genoa endlessly fascinating and will definitely come back again…

Until tomorrow…keep yer pecker up(oeeerrr missus)