Tequila in Rapallo
See that got your attention … you’ll have to read on to find out what’s behind the headline!
I often struggle to sleep and last night was one of the worst. It had nothing to do with the bed which was super comfy. Perhaps it was the anticipation of the Mont Blanc tunnel. It is, therefore, no surprise that I found myself up and about at 4.45am and leaving the apartment for Liguria in the dark. There were a few surprise benefits to this unplanned early start. First of all, the Mont Blanc tunnel was almost entirely empty. Secondly, I was reminded that I have a terrible fear of heights. So exiting the tunnel in the dark, without the ability to see what is no doubt a precipitous view, was actually a relief. Lastly, and absolutely not least, I was rewarded with one of the most stunning sunrises I have seen in years. No filters were applied to the photograph.
Once through the tunnels (there is more than one), the road to Rapallo via Genoa is straightforward. I was reminded of the legacy of imperial rome as the straight road lead us to our destination.
Rapallo is a lovely town and arriving on a Sunday really made us feel at home. The last of the sunshine is providing sufficient warmth for a quick dip. Young and old were taking advantage of what may be their last in balmy temperatures. Stan and I chose to paddle - with Stan following it up with a good roll on the sandy beach. An antiques market provided a chance to browse, and further round the bay at the yacht club a group of older residents were joyfully listening to big band jazz tracks. By the end of the week I’ll hopefully be able to ask to take their photo in Italian.
Fortunately, I won’t be providing a full history of Rapallo - phew, I hear you cry. But it does have an interesting parallel with our first stop of the trip in Compeigne. Like Compeigne, treaties were signed here after the end of WW1. The first, between Italy and what was then Yugoslavia, awarded Istria to Italy and the Dalmation coast to Yugoslavia. The second, in 1922, brought about strengthened economic relations with Russia and Gernany. All comments and corrections on this welcome!
But the history I’m drawn to is that of the Sealyham Terrier itself. I’m on a mission to find the hotels that the 1950’s celebrities who owned Sealyham’s stayed in. Celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Alfred Hitchcock, Princess Margaret, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart were all fans of the fabulous breed and were known to visit the area. So, I headed for the Excelsior Hotel to see if any of them had ever stayed there. Sadly, no! The Excelsior has had its fair share of celebrities - Rita Hayworth, The Duke of Windsor and Wallace Simpson as well as Ernest Hemingway. Rita had a cocker spaniel name Pookles - I feel sure he would have been friends with Stanley Poochie. One thing Pookles and Stanley would have agreed on is that the Yacht Bar is no place for a cat. So imagine Stanley’s surprise when he met Tequila (there it is!) propping up the bar. Tequilla didn’t even give Stan a chance to get to know him and scampered for cover. It wasn’t so much Tequila’s existence that disturbed Stan’s normally calm restaurant demeanour. It was the smell of his food - so Stan got more of his share of my bread sticks than intended. Either way we were both happy, so who cares! I wonder if George Clooney (also an Excelsior visitor) knows that Rita was a fan of the cocker spaniel. Along with his pig and his basset hound - George has had two rescue cockers.
After our Excelsior adventure, and exhausted from the journey we strolled back to our apartment. Stan made everyone laugh on the way as he attempted to catch flies. Sadly, he failed but he had tons of fun trying. We got home and hoped Tequila hadn’t had one too many.
Sunrise in Aosta
Rapallo is a lovely Italian seaside resort
At the Excelsior Hotel
