I successfully arrived in Genova! I was a little slow in packing and leaving my apartment, so I was more rushed than I had hoped in the train station. To get here I took a different type of train than I did to go to Lecco. Lecco is still in Lombardia, but Genova is the capital of a different region (Liguria). So, I took an "InterCity" train.
It turns out that I should have booked a specific seat - the ticket machine had presented that as an option, but I was in a hurry and wasn't sure it would matter. I plopped into an empty seat, but took note that everyone else seemed to be finding a specific seat. Uh oh. I watched as others were clearly asked to move, as other unspecified-seat ticket holders had picked a reserved seat. Once upon a time (this summer?) I read a book about taking the trains in Italy, so I had vague memories of learning about this system. If you can't find an unclaimed seat, you end up standing.
As the train left Milan, very full, I thought I was lucky. But at the first stop, someone got on and indicated I was in their seat. I moved into the aisle, trying to figure out what to do next - it seemed that there were many people standing at the end of the car, and I figured I should join them. A gentleman, who had been sitting in the same section of seats as I, clearly noted my confusion and asked if I was going far - and then offered me his seat. Given that I was going to be on the train for another 90 minutes, I took him up on his offer. But, a stop or two later I was once again booted from my seat. I stood at the end of the car for a few stops, not alone in my plight, until a few seats opened up and I was able to sit for the remained (about an hour) of the trip.
I had some difficulties when the train arrived in Genova. I knew there was and underground Metro that I could take right to the hotel - but there were no signs for it at the train station. Google recommended a bus, so I waited - and someone verified that I could buy a ticket on the bus itself. When the bus arrived and I got on, the ticket was more expensive than I realized - and the spare euros in my pocket were gone! Embarrassed, and unable to pay exact change for the ticket, I got off and thought about the pickpocketing skill the young man at the front of the bus must have had. I returned to the train station to regroup - and found the change in a different pocket. Rest assured, friends and family members, I was not pickpocketed - just scatter brained and paranoid.
Eventually I cajoled Google into showing me where the metro station was and I successfully took it to my hotel. This fancy European hotel is all I had hoped for - a nice bed and shower, luxurious toiletries, and a front desk worker who speaks slowly for me to understand her Italian. Yay! I wasn't sure if the hotel was going to be fancy and old, but I am staying in a room that was clearly recently renovated. The rooms next to mine are still under renovation.
How fancy is the hotel? Well, there is a chandelier in my room. There is a "grand staircase" they are very proud of, and very reasonably so. The TV remote is disinfected, which I mostly find strange. Unfortunately the restaurant was a bit too fancy for me, but I was too hungry to skip dinner. While I can see a promising place from my window, they were in the process of closing when I was getting ready to head out. I found an excellent little pizzeria close to my hotel, and the waiter behind the counter offered to speak English. Instead of randomly picking something, I took him up on his offer and asked what was good. I ended up having Farinata, a local (Ligurian) specialty that was delicious and just the right amount of food.
My next steps are to book my return train ticket - with a seat specified - and head to bed early. I have a lot to see tomorrow!
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