I’m sorry for the long gap between posts but it’s not really appropriate to write constantly about walking the dog. Especially when it has been so wet it is impossible to walk a small fluffy ladylike (hates both mud and water) dog in either the fields or the woods.

However, I am now in Italy again. After my idiotic mishap with trains in Germany last year (see September 2023 for details), I decided to go for the group flight. Higher carbon footprint but maybe not when you consider how many extra km I had to go by train last year. Also it takes longer to get to Italy by train, despite being more scenic. Next time maybe.

This may be a bit confused as I have been up since 5 in order to get to Heathrow before 8. 0 degrees at one stage in the proceedings. Breakfast at the airport

Two hours in the air and we are now in a coach heading south west from Milan to Genoa.

The motorway (oldest in Italy, built by Mussolini), after going across the fertile plain of the Po valley – very flat – winds through the Appenine Mountains. No photos, unfortunately because of reflections from the bus windows. At this time of year, the mountains are very green, all the trees in new leaf, interspersed with villages and what looks like the occasional Victorian holiday villa (all twiddles and castellations). On the tops of some of the mountains are ruined castles / watchtowers. Very Game of Thrones. Presumably they date from the days when Genoa was one of the richest cities around and were either for bandits to attack or soldiers to defend the trade route.

Our hotel – Grand Hotel Savoia – built in 1897 and extensively updated in the early years of this century – is all marble and late Victorian twiddles.

Off to the Palazzo Reale for a quick whizz round before dinner. Our art historian, Luca, is the director and has been for over 30 years so he’s quite familiar. Originally built in 1650 but much done up and redecorated between then and the mid 19C when it was home to Victor Emmanuel, first king of a united Italy.