Week 1: Day 2

7pm, Aperitivo starts at 5, which is perfect for us crazy starved Americans. Sitting on a dock overlooking the beach we are and watched the boats go in and out of the port in front of the setting sun. Drinking a glass of wine and getting to know my classmates, it seemed as though we already been in Italy for weeks. Where our adventures would take us in the following weeks- we had no idea.

unique to a specific time period. Starting with the bank, with its round front and towering high columns, it’s detail is deeply carved in heavy stone. Across the fountain is the giant flat faced building of art. Every architectural detail is painted on in a fresco. The geometrical configuration is that of perfectionism and genius. The longer you stare at the details from shadows, to the alignment of pillars and proportions, the more real it looks. In actuality, it is very similar to that of Disneyland’s New Orleans. Then there is the Opera House. It has a large statue in front of a more modern-greek styled building. Long columns cascade upwards, supporting a triangular roof. It is clean and simple, with its smaller details woven into marble. But enough staring at buildings, I have to go to class!

After class today, we went on a guided tour of Genova. Genova has an extremely rich history of invasions, immigration, and a reputation for trade. With the vast variety of buildings, it is easy to see the remnants of different eras of Genova. Some of my favorite faces are as follows:

• The British paid to borrow Genova’s red + for their ships to ensure safety.

• Buildings are so close together towards the shore to fight off invaders from the sea.

• After WWII Porto Antico was completely destroyed, only to be rebuild and made safe in the 80’s.

For dinner we went to Aperitivo on Corso Italia, near were we live. Aperitivo is where you get a drink and a plate of appetizers before dinner. While dinner normally starts around