Macon (CA 132) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 128 text:

EN of Genoa had H:ial meaning iw jolt ' ilibugh, because it is fi H with memo- iits nt tlic city ' s famous explorer Hen like John i. chill and Christopher Coiwmb Bved and left ,hnin hcie to bring America w m the known ' Vurld, and history such as that isiiKt inating for ■anv )ue if discover. There was mui li more for you Ixfsidc ; history in Genoa. It w.is yoiu- first tjsie of frjlian cooking, your first time at an Aipej a. There was a huge cemetery, so ornate that lt •deemed iike a city of tiny moniunents rather f mausoleums. V ' T f '

Page 127 text:

By the time you pulled into 0inoa you had become real experts on the Med and what it had to ofiei. and you knew exactly what you were looking lor. As the MACON passed through the Mole, it seemed as if this city had just about everything you wanted— except for some warm sun. It was another cold and windy day, a day on which there were certainly warmer things to do than stand at quarters for an hour. In spite of the weather, you were able to get a good look at the city at quarters, and what you saw looked fine. At first sight the most im- pressive thing was the gigantic and never-quiet port. Seven centuries ago Venice finally con- quered Genoa which soon became the chief city of Italy, but you wouldn ' t realize that from the harbor today. It is Italy ' s, and the Mediterran- ean ' s, chief port and the never-ceasing water traf- fic is certainly reminiscent of New York. Rising behind the waterfront is the hilly city, dominated from your icwpoint by the statue of Columbus. Wandering ashore you found it was similar to most of the nther Med ports, for it had it ' s old winding section contrasting sharply with the modern area— an area which could easily be the heart of any . merican city. GENOA w jmmwm

Page 129 text:

ST MARKS CHURCH Venice — what could be said about this city that has not aheady been spoken? Fielding calls it . . an absurd and wonderful dream . . . staid and somber citizens many centuries ago carved for themselves a slice of the sea and proceeded to erect buildings on top of the waves. Venice — it never really exists at all. Before you go, and after you have retinned, and often while you are there, Venice is not real — it is a state of mind. Vho can stand near a palace Ct centuries old, a magnificent church 9 centuries old, in a city built 1500 years ago; who can ab- sorb all this without putting himself back in the day when Venice was king. In those times a large part of the old Roman empire vas under her control. Her fleets ruled the Mediterranean, bringing back treasures and tradition from the East. The city was young and splendid, with marble palaces and enormous homes; it had hundreds of shops for jewelers and merchants, decorators and tailors. In your imagination, what could be a better time to live? ST MARKS SQUARE lllfl ' m Venice has chan — dirty, and oftei mains, as it alwa) change. The sam still remain. The heritage, even if tl with their history. The fancy gondol, torized ferries, the pair, the Bridge tourists — but stil in one ' s mind. TIk be present. Just and he will recrea This, then, is V new, rich and po some its an ama art, to others it ' s in your state of r ufflH ' :d now. I Her — far older poor. BuiHffll tradition re- will. The old city can not canals which t ave it fame eople could not escape their y wished to do so. They live ind constantly keep it alive. have been re)jlaced by mo- buildings are in need of re- Sighs is now aossed only by enice is unchanged, if only aura of gl riHm will always any citize H e your guide, that life fo u instantly. ice — a city at once old and fantastic and common. To ng and f ascinf iting work of of watec ldirt — it is al nd. Ve