THE CHRISTMAS CRIB MIRRORS REAL LIFE IN NERVI

It has been a very busy couple of weeks: a quick trip to Milan, Christmas concerts, the hunt for Christmas presents in all kinds of little markets around Genoa and  generally speaking, a very long list of things to do before the holidays. So, it was really nice to have a long, relaxing lunch today with couple of friends and go for a stroll on the passegiata Anita Garibaldi afterwards. What a warm, sunny day it was - in the middle of December! There was also another reason to go to Anita Garibaldi: the local Fishermen's Club of Nervi has built a Christmas Crib (presepio) and we all wanted to see it. 

    The Christmas crib  exhibitions are common in Italy this time of year. Even though this tradition is mainly associated with Naples, there are some famous presepios here in Genoa too. This time of year there is one in every church but cribs are also displayed in company offices, doctor's surgeries and other public places. Many people have one at home too. There are specialised stalls selling all the bits and pieces in Christmas markets where it is possible buy customised pieces for the whole scene together with the Holy Family. Large presepios often tell the story of a particular place and the fun factor is created by including real-life people in it - such as the local butcher or baker or even the mayor or some other big wig. 

Here in Nervi, the Christmas Crib is a very carefully re-constructed scene of the small harbour, close to the Passegiata, down to the smallest detail. Anyone who has ever visited this place knows how accurate this miniature world is - it must have taken hours and hours to built it. On the foto above, Passegiata Anita Garibaldi is on the far right and the bench - with two people sitting on it - is positioned exactly where it is in real life. On the far left there is the communal swimming pool, which was re-opened last summer. On top of the buildings, the railway line features miniature trains going back and forth. 

Here is the same scene from a different angle. Note the small boat being pulled to the main land in the middle. The big tower in front of the swimming pool is part of Collegia Emilia, an old school and a well known landmark in Nervi. 

This is further down the road, towards Quinto and Quarto. Those cars actually move on the road!

The Holy Family is discreatly positioned on the side of the whole scene, in a quiet spot - somewhere along the Passegiata Anita Garibaldi, seeking shelter in a simple structure. 

On the walls of the Fisherman's Club, next to the Christmas Crib, is also a very interesting collection of historical photos of Nervi. Judging by the display of these old postcards, nothing much has changed - luckily... 

LIGURIAN GHOST TOWNS PART 2

It was nearly lunchtime and we were very much looking forward to finding a small trattoria in Castelvecchio, a tiny village few miles from Zuccarello.

The bus took us up the mountain road and as soon as we reached our destination and stepped out, we were greeted with cold and clean mountain air. Our driver, Roberto, parked the bus on top of the hill and we walked down the stone steps, following  a sign pointing to the historical centre. Castelvecchio was established by the Clavesana family in the 12th century and I imagine that those steps may have been there for a very long time indeed (well before the invention of cars, anyway). 

It soon became obvious that November may not be the best time to come here if you expect to be fed. We must have made quite a noise descending to these old streets, but not a single person came out to the window to check who was disturbing the peace.

  We did wake up one cat, though. She was having a well earned mid-day nap  next to a vespa and she did not look too pleased to see us.

The autumn colours on trees and wall creepers were absolutely stunning in the sunshine.

Don't get me wrong - I would not have missed this place for anything, it was just so unexpected to be wondering through a totally empty place.  It was a bit creepy, to be honest. But very,very beautiful.

After seeing at least two lifeless trattorias, we saw a third, which seemed to be open. The door was open and we were met  by the owner, who said that they were not open for business, unfortunately.
"Everybody are out picking olives, that's why all the places are closed," he said.
A-ha. That explained a lot.
We walked back to the bus and Roberto drove us through the mountains, crossing the border from Liguria to Piedmont. Next stop Garessio and luckily, an open restaurant, Osteria del Borgo Antico, served us a delicious meal.

Ormea was an unplanned stop, but after lunch we had a brief walk in the immediate surroundings. Very close to the restaurant, there was a house with several trompe l'oeil paintings. This is still a skill strong and alive in Italy.

The light was fading already and we made one final, very brief stop in Ormeo.

The air was cold and crispy, already late in the afternoon. But I have to say that the snow peaked mountains were a perfect ending to this day. Amazing, what you can see and do in just one day!