Top 3 free beaches around Genova...

Here are our top choices for beaches near Genova, Italy. They're all pretty for different reasons, and they're all free. Keep in mind that sand beaches are more or less non-existent here.

Number 3: Nervi

Proximity: A

15 minutes outside of Centro Storico by train.

Swim-ability: C

The water is clear, but accidentally kicking one of the huge rocks can result in painful cuts and bruises.

Tan-ability: C

More rocks. In places you never want rocks poking you.

Number 2: Bogliasco

Proximity: A

Just two stops further than Nervi.

Swim-ability: B

Unless you're into seaweed, swim to the other side of the beach. Also, it's shallower than your ex-boyfriend, but still nice to swim in. Plus, there's a nice (free) rinse-off shower.

Tan-ability: A

Itty bitty rocks, and nothing blocking out the sun. It's a small beach, though, so it's crowded.

Number 1: Varigotti (See below)

Proximity: C

It's a long train ride, but you're a big kid. It's worth it.

Swim-ability: A

The water is either clear or wavy - it's clean and fun.

Tan-ability: A

Just bring something to lay on and your sunblock. Plenty of space and sun for all.

15 Places that were cool enough to inspire music

1. Amsterdam, Peter Bjorn and John
2. Australia, The Shins
3. Brooklyn, The Kooks
4. No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Beastie Boys
5. California, Phantom Planet
6. Santa Monica, Everclear
7. Florida, Modest Mouse
8. Holiday in Congo, Rainbow Arabia
9. Hong Kong Garden, Sioussie & the Banshees
10. Lake Michigan, Rogue Wave
11. Mexico City, Jolie Holland
12. Munich, Editors
13. Paris, Friendly Fires
14. Rome, Phoenix
15. Tokyo Sky, Stellastarr*

Going the Distance

As our vacation is winding down, we are looking forward to being reunited with our friends. Missing friends is probably the worst part of vacation. So, to keep yourself from sobbing every time you see friendship bracelets that just totally remind you of your BFFL, do this:

• Skype. The internet has made long distance relationships of all kinds possible. As for Skype specifically, it's great to see a familiar face after feeling assaulted by strangers in a strange land all day long.
• Yahoo! Messenger. Not only is it less of a hassle than Skype, you can text! OMG!
• Blog! Upload pictures and talk about what you're doing, then make sure your friends read it. That way, you can keep up with everyone if you don't have time to have conversations.
• Postcards. You may think they're outdated, but wait until you get responses from the people who just received them. It works better than Prozac in their morning OJ.

Dos and Don'ts of Varigotti

On Monday, we ventured to Varigotti, which is a small town in Liguria with great beaches and beautiful water. We quickly learned a few things:

Don't:

• Eat at a cafeteria. They served us microwaved lasagna. With clear disregard for their dignity, they made it worse by leaving it the cardboard... and cold.
• Pay for a beach. Some beaches (ahem, Bagni Clara, ahem) charge you an arm and both legs for admission and umbrella. Go next door to the free, unnamed beach that is much less crowded and just as pretty.
• Forget your sunscreen. No explanation needed.

Do:

• Bring your own umbrella. If you take our advice and go to a free beach, umbrellas and chairs are not provided. Bring a towel and your own beach umbrella.
• Be prepared for a long ride out. Varigotta is an hour outside of the center of Genova. The escape from crowded streets, dirt, and heat is more than worth it.
• Pack a lunch. Varigotti charges a lot of money for everything - the microwaved lasagne wasn't cheap. Just bring a sandwich.

Nightlife

Genova, Italia

Thursday, July 8th, 2010, 21:37

Determined to make use of the Genoese nightlife that Wikitravel promised us, we set out to find it on our second night. We made the one-minute walk to Piazza de Ferrari where we noticed so-called "young people" hanging out the night before. It was still early by Italian standards, but we took our place on the steps.* After 20 minutes of sitting and observing more people gathering in the Piazza, we got bored and began questioning the validity of Wikipedia. Enough people were walking in the direction of Piazza del Erbe that something must have been going on, so we followed the crowd; this yielded a wealth of Genoese-style nightlife.

This Genoese style nightlife includes: standing around looking at restaurants, eating at restaurants, sitting at tables, and eating gelato. What a disappointment. However, we got gelato just like every other 16 year old hanging out on this fine Thursday night, so we consider it a success in our cultural immersion.

What we learned: Don't listen to guidebooks, Wikitravel, or anything you find on Google, at least about Genoa. It's a conspiracy to make it look like there is a wealth of nightlife for "young people."

And so, with that lesson, this blog was born: out of the lies of other travel resources, we aim to discover the truth hidden within these cities. The quest continues.

*These steps are nightlife for the Genoese youth, and various strung out homeless men.

Five Things to Eat in Paris

1. Nutella Crêpes. Add whipped cream (crème chantilly) or bananas but don't skip the Nutella!
2. Sandwich de Jambon et Fromage. These sandwiches are the original Parisian fast food. A baguette with butter, ham, and swiss cheese is the easiest and cheapest lunch you can get in Paris.
3. Crème Brûlée. It's a French classic, and oh-so-good. The dictionary.com definition does it no justice: "A custard with a crust of caramelized sugar."
4. Ham Bread. It may seem strange, but some boulangeries in France have this amazing baguette with ham in it. The French love ham, and do justice to it with Ham Bread. Also, Ham Bread is probably not the actual name. Just look for baguettes with ham (jambon).
5. Vending Machine Candy. Paris may be one of the culinary capitals of the world, but ordering in cafés and restaurants is downright scary. Vending machines are in every subway station, so get a Bueno and an orange Fanta.

Here's what (else) we did in Paris...

Fans of Amelie... This is the cafe where the lovably awkward Amelie worked. In person it was packed with people and had a red awning just like every other cafe in Paris. Had it not been for the name and the Amelie poster in the back, it could have been any Montemarte cafe.

The Catacombs. The stairs down are so long and winding you may think you're heading for Hell, but this place is cool both literally and figuratively. Despite the walk, the rooms with walls of the bones of the once-living make it well worth seeing.

Pere LaChaise is possibly the most renowned cemetery in the world. Final home to Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison of The Doors, it's worth checking out. Also, if you like cats, this is where all the Parisian felines chill.

Top Five Things to do in Paris

1. Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower at night. No, it is NOT overrated. Yes, the lines ARE long. But no trip to the City of Light is complete without seeing Paris from this famous landmark.
2. See the Mona Lisa. Some may say that the Mona Lisa is... overrated. Go in with low expectations on a Wednesday or Friday evening once cheap hours have started in at the Louvre. Then challenge yourself to make it through in the four hours you're there. Skip the egyptian exhibits, hit up Winged Victory and Venus di Milo.
3. Take the Metro. It's the world's best freaking metro system! It gets you 10 minutes from anywhere. It's crowded most of the time, but the stations are cool. Look into whether you want a carnet of 10 tickets, or day passes.
4. Shopping. Bon Marche is a no unless you're the daughter of Bill Gates and Oprah Winfery. Rue de Rivoli has pretty good shopping and is near the Louvre - you can find amazing deals during sale season (Summer sales start in late June and go into early August). Champs-Elysees is fun, but the stores are more expensive than Rivoli, even with sales. It's a big landmark though, so it's worth going to see the Arc de Triumph.
5. Explore. Take a walk around the neighborhood you're staying in. You learn more about Paris itself this way. Especially if you stay in a non-touristy neighborhood such as Montemarte - we stumbled across Sacre Couer our first evening and it gave a beautiful view. Just watch out for those street peddlers. Walk fast and pretend to be mute.

Belgian Blurbs

Disclaimer: We know nothing that we're talking about... the camera work isn't the best... but we're learning. Enjoy. Or don't.

Brussels and Bruges, Belgium

We touched down in Brussels after a brutal and cramped flight from Chicago and vowed not to sleep until at least 9 (to beat out jet lag). We didn't spend that much time in Brussels, but we did learn a few important things:

• Eat the belgian waffles. They're not famous for nothing. Whipped cream and chocolate... don't diet here.
• Try the mussels your parents order. Maybe you'll fall in love; maybe you'll vomit. Either way, steal their fries as well.
• Bring your boyfriend and/or girlfriend! PDA is rampant, to say the least. (But make sure you hold hands the Belgian way.)
• We saw some high school students smoking hookah openly in a park. Make of it what you will.
• WATCH OUT! Gypsies are out there, waiting to get you. Don't wear backpacks unless you want to wear it on your chest. If you wear it that way, socks and sandals are required, cargo shorts recommended.

Some things we did:

Leon - Difficult to find, but supposedly every other restaurant "has rotten food." Realistically, all the other restaurants' waiters literally try to pull you in like the Kraken of the sea.

Brugges - Walked around, shopped. Fairly touristy but very cute.