Day Trip to Portofino

Andrea Bocelli Neglected to Mention the Storm

September 25, 2022

I am pleased to report that yesterday was a good day. Since quitting my job, packing my things, and making my way abroad, I've had quite a few hard days. But I am starting to realize that mind over matter makes all the difference. So I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I get to say "I had a good day." And I did.

On the morning of Saturday, September 24, I awoke to the bright fluorescent rays beaming through the window at my friend Annabella's apartment. It may have been 5AM, but I awoke with a sense of excitement for what lay ahead: a day trip to Portofino! Along with my roommate Morgan, the three of us packed a small bag with a few Euro and some warm clothes, and made our way to the train station at Santa Maria Novella.

With nearly everyone in our program gleefully partying the weekend away at Oktoberfest, the streets felt almost devoid of life. It was eerily quiet, knowing that the surrounding apartments were near empty. Perhaps this was all in my head, the city was alive as ever, and yet it felt like we were the only three people left in Florence. Just us, and the statues of David and Neptune left to look after the historic city.

We made our way to the train station with all the gusto of backpackers, full-time travelers, and nomadic adventurers. We've finally figured out the public transportation system. By which, I don't mean we fail to make mistakes. In fact, we did find ourselves on the wrong train, an hour in the wrong direction. I nervously skittered towards the train attendant and explained the situation. We had boarded the train at Platform 2, just as our trainline.com app indicated. We sat down confusedly, as the train looked different than the ones we'd ridden prior. They were nicer, fancier, and equipped with expensive tables. This couldn't be for us, nomadic budget-friendly backpackers, could it? It was when a nice lady with a ticket for the exact seats we'd randomly chosen asked us to move, that we realized we were, in fact, on the wrong train. The platform number had changed without us noticing. I explained this all to the train attendant on our mismatched journey, secretly crossing my fingers behind my back that we would avoid a large fine for not having a ticket. Luckily, she let us take some extra seats, and sternly asked that we make our exit at the next stop in Genova. And ah, how Genova was one of the most beautiful cities we have stumbled upon yet. With a bustling industrial vibrance, not dissimilar to the Bay Area in California, we were left with a nostalgic appreciation for the city. So, yes, I stand by my comment. We have figured out the public transportation system. Our lack of panic and new found appreciation for the accidental visit to Genova was one of the highlights of the day.

Although we could have scrapped our day trip to Portofino and spent the day exploring Genova, I just had to find out what Andrea Bocelli was so passionately singing about in the song I grew up listening to, "I Found My Love in Portofino." (Which is still stuck in my head, by the way. Some help with that would be greatly appreciated). Here's the first thing Bocelli got wrong: the rain. I suppose it was my fault for assuming that the city would perfectly parallel the song, a sweet and summery paradise. Andrea Bocelli is an opera singer, not a meteorologist. That's right, it was pouring rain. A thunderstorm plagued the city, making for a different adventure than we had planned. But in all honesty, I wouldn't have it any other way. When it comes to weather, I'm kind of like a kid in a candy store. I'm not embarrassed to admit that I like to jump in puddles and dance in the rain.

Hoping to avoid a shared case of pneumonia, my friends and I grabbed some cheap umbrellas from the local pharmacy and prepared for the day's trek. We had planned to hike up to Castello Brown, the castle which overlooks the city of Portofino. The intense storm caused the steps up to the castle to be completely flooded with the power of a waterfall. But we climbed on, with even more excitement and laughter. The castle was beautiful, adorned with mossy green foliage and twinkle lights above our heads. We went from room to room, exploring with child-like wonder. We took refuge at the top of the castle as the storm outside showed no mercy to the town. We enjoyed our little hideaway for about an hour, before eventually needing to fulfill a hunger for gelato that could not otherwise be ignored.

Yesterday was a day filled with laughter and new friendships. A quiet day of exploration. A noisy, reckless day of random outbursts of dance. A day of miscommunication and misadventure. A day to remember.