Day 12 Thursday 29th May 2008

We left the Hotel Mediterranee and headed for Italy. We started going along the coast road and got stuck in the morning rush hour. We progressed slowly along to San Remo and then stopped for coffee in San Lorenzo al Mare. We saw a lot of ordinary Italy and some lovely Italy with lots and lots of bougainvillea, geraniums and oleanders. However as progress was slow, we decided to pop on the Autostrada to Albenga and arrived there just before lunch. We found our way into the centro storico which was a real maze of streets, narrow allies and tiny piazzas. The museum we wanted to visit was shut from 12.30 until 2.30 so a long lunch was indicated. This was concluded satisfactorily and a wander round the old town and along the river took us to 2.30.

Il Museo Navale Romano was all about the large ship found off the coast by Albenga in the 1950s and its excavation. It held about 10,000 amphorae so they calculate its payload must have been in the region of 500 tonnes, bigger than Columbus’ ships across the Atlantic. A lot of the amphorae, but not10k, were on display along with some of the wood and other artefacts. The museum was in an interesting building, an old palazzo with painted walls and ceilings. To get in the museum, we had to ring the bell and they opened a big old wooden door. It was very interesting.

After this we continued up the coast a little way and then joined the Autostrada again to Genova. Here we found our hotel and booked in. After a meal we had a little look along the harbour front before returning to the hotel for the evening.

Start Mileage  12901 		Finish  13013			Miles travelled = 112
								Total Miles = 1528 

Friday 30th May 2008

It rained heavily with thunder and lightning overnight and it was still raining slightly this morning. However, it stopped about 10.00 am and it has been sunnier and warmer during the rest of the day.

We went for a circular walk, starting in the medieval streets and then to the cathedral. It is very impressive outside with alternating broad bands of white and black stone.  It was well decorated internally, more so than UK churches, but not OTT. We tried to go into the church of the Jesuits but that had hourly masses until 1.00pm, then lunch until 16.00. We walked along Via Garibaldi and admired some of the palaces, before having a coffee at a bar in the via Garibaldi. We tried to go up the hill in a lift and then a funicular but the automatic ticket machine eat our coins without spitting out a ticket, so we gave up. We then went back down to the church of the Jesuits but they were still praying so we returned to the hotel for some lunch (bought on the way) and a rest.

After lunch we walked across to the Palazzo Principe (home of the descendents of Andrea Doria). Afterwards we did manage to get into the church of the Jesuits. It is quite plain outside but inside is definitely OTT. There is not a square inch that is not either painted, gilded, covered in marble or covered in paint (as a picture). There are 2 enormous paintings by Rubens. We returned to the hotel for a rest.

Lying in bed, we noticed an enormous antique beam across the ceiling – the hotel was built in 1585.
							No Miles Travelled by car.