I. Getting out of bed
As the train zoomed through one of the many Ligurian tunnels
tracing the western border of this region north of Italy, a burst of sea and
sun startled my sleepy senses. I realized then that I was already far from my
cold, lazy bed at our student residence in the middle of the Tuscan hills south
of Florence. I was on my way to Genoa.
I wanted to jump into the water,
breaking through the glass window that gave the view a slightly blurry effect,
it being riddled by scratches and whatnot that is characteristic of many “regionali”
trains. Or at least, breathe in the smell of salt. It had been a long while
since the last time I saw the sea.
Nothing much had prepared me for
my short, surprise weekend trip to this part of the Mediterranean where
Christopher Columbus grew up and, I could just imagine, dreamed of braving the
oceans and going places. In fact, I was a bit confused about finding myself
traveling with a Genoese classmate and newfound friend. At first sight, he
seemed to be at the opposite end of the spectrum as far as a lot of things were
concerned, world views and sports choices including. He, being at home in
Italy, and I, being a stranger. I, being comfortable with fellow foreigners,
and he, feeling “foreign” among strangers. But after a quick visit to McDonald's
and enough Coca-Cola, I sensed some semblance of kinship. A few more minutes
and we were already people-watching, sharing our opinions on the “youth of
today” and the everyday Genoese passing by as we waited for our ride.
What greater splash into Columbus' town than an
“extraordinary voyage of discovery across the seas” at the Acquario di Genova.
Built in 1992, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery
of the New World, the aquarium is among the biggest in the world. “Anchored in
the heart of the city and stretching out towards the open sea,” the aquarium by
the old port of Genoa definitely brings to mind Columbus' great, even ruthless,
thirst for what is beyond.
And
there we were, my friend and I, two kids exploring the world by marveling at
around 600 species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds and
invertebrates from the forests of Madagascar to the jungles of the Amazon and
the coastal waters of tropical seas. Around two hours of reminding ourselves
that there remains a lot of beauty and serenity in the world, and that there's
much more to discover and rediscover.
After the aquarium, we walked through the port and passed by
an area of the city where, according to my friend, “no Italian was being
spoken.” And he was right, there among the stalls of seafood and stores selling
winter clothes, a “foreign” atmosphere popped up like a neon post-it with the
variety of people speaking not in Italian. Again, a note on how a universe of
differences finds a home in every corner of the globe.
Going home for the night and staying faithful to our
Columbian theme for the weekend trip, my friend brought me to the house of
Columbus, a very small structure, almost insignificant compared to the
explorer's fame and achievements. As I sat there by the doorstep, just a few
steps away, the Porta Soprana, that used to be Genoa's main entrance during
medieval times, towered over me and Columbus' house like two eager giants.
I sat there, as the stars started to come out after a day of
rain, and thought of all the trips I've made in my whole life and how they have
all led me to that very moment by the doorstep of Columbus' house. What if
Columbus did not discover America. What if he never had the faintest desire to
come out of his bed and take the first step to a journey of a thousand miles?
What if I did not leave Florence, or my country, or my island, or my
house, or my room?
I continued pondering on these
questions as my friend dozed off aboard the tram. We missed our stop. And while
my friend started to lament as we tried to compensate for the few meters we had
to recover to reach his house, I thought that missing a bus stop, going out of
route, or even getting totally lost, is not necessarily a bad thing. //
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is a worldwide-eyed wanderer currently based in Bangalore, India. You may follow his musings and journeys on this blog. "All Rover the World" chronicles his continuing travels wandering about the world and stumbling upon strangers.
