Arenzano, the City of Turtles

I'm feeling guilty.  I haven't posted anything for exactly one month.  Although I am not a blogger who feels obliged to post on a regular, much less daily basis, I do think that I should be rousing myself enough to post once a week or so.  Especially since I have so much to talk about!  However, I had an attack of obsession again.  Almost one month ago today, I decided to knit a quilt.  That's right, a quilt large enough to cover a king-sized bed.  Actually, if truth be told, I decided to knit this quilt two years ago, but my better judgment got a hold of me after knitting 5 of these little squares and I began to think better of it.

Sometime last month, I was once again overcome with the desire to knit this quilt.  It must be some kind of virus, because it's going to take 125 of these little puppies to cover a king sized bed, but for the last 4 weeks I've been knitting like a lunatic to get these things done before the hot weather and humidity begin.  Knitting is nasty in the heat.  Fortunately I have recovered, even though I still have 75 miters to go, but at least I no longer feel compelled to knit little squares.

 27 blocks one way...

 

...and another.

This is not however, what I wanted to talk about.  I want to tell you about Arenzano, the City of Turtles.  A little town of about 11,000 people, Arenzano is in the province of Genova, about 45 minutes by train west of the city of Genova.  It's not a town you are likely to read about in the guide books, nor would we have likely visited had we not needed to go to Ospedale la Colletta for x-rays of Ollie's ribs.  What we found was not only a highly efficient radiology department, but also a cute little town worth a day of wandering and the 10 euros for the Regional train.

Typical of this area of Liguria, you'll find narrow vicos and broader piazzas.  Often with flowers in abundance.

 

Where's that Gatorade?

And always the sea...

In a month or two, you won't be able to see the sand for the roasting bodies from Milan and north.

I don't know what to say about the city's odd obsession with T Rex...

...especially the Christmas Rex

What I found particularly engaging about this town was the Parco Negrotto Cambiaso, a lovely park built around the Villa Negrotto Cambiaso.   In 1558, the Marchese Tobia Pallavicino acquired Arenzano and built a villa next to a pre-existing 68 foot tall medieval tower. 

Villa Negrotto Cambiaso is now the home of the Comune di Arenzano.  Note the Ghibelline battlements.

 Hard to distinguish from this photo, but under the battlements are the crests of 144 Genovese families with which the Pallavicini had ties.  These include the Spinola, Fieschi and Grimaldi families.  The Grimaldi's were one of the most powerful families in medieval Genova but because of the delicate balance of power in the city, they formed a Guelphic alliance with the Fieschi family.  In 1271, with a turn of the political tides, the Guelphs were banned from the city and the Grimaldi's retreated to their castles in Liguria and Provence until once again, the tides turned in their favor and the Ghibellines were banned from the city.  In 1395, the Grimaldi's took advantage of the constant political intrigue in Genova to take control of Monaco where they continue to reign, at least for now.

 Proud guardians of the grounds.

I like peacocks a lot...geese not so much.  Especially when they look at me...mean little suckers.

Originally, only fields separated the villa from the agricultural center, but in 1880, the Marchesa Luisa Sauli Pallavicino had the fields turned into an elegant garden.

 An art nouveau hothouse built in 1933 by the Marchesa Matilda Negrotto Cambiaso.  Unfortunately, we missed the flower show by 2 days.

I realize that I still haven't explained why Arenzano is the City of Turtles.  Actually, no one but me knows that it's the City of Turtles, but they should.  

Never have I seen so many turtles in one place.  In this small pool, no more than 10 feet by 10 feet, there are a minimum of 50 turtles.  This pool is infested with turtles.  I am confident this represents generations of Arenzanesi children who have released their pet turtles into this pond.  I was afraid to check out the other ponds to see just how many more turtles there are lurking in the waters of Arenzano.