One of the afternoons I spent wandering around inside the old walled city, I found myself walking down a lane beside one of the basilicas. No really, I came out of the Annunciation to Mary Basilica, turned right and started walking down the lane. I found myself impressed that there were people still milling about the streets here as it was seista time. Then it dawned on me... I wasn't just walking down any lane, the people around me weren't just randomly out... no, no... I was walking past the front of a bordello. Yup, in Italy, it's okay to sell business between 9-6. After dark, it's illegal, but during daylight what you can sell is allowed legally to be bought. There were three ladies who were dressed up as if to go clubbing, one at each end of the street and one at the middle where an ally connects. (I passed by this area again a day later and the three same women were still at their posts... no really.)
So, here I am, keeping a tourist-style I'm-looking-at-the-architecture-style walk, while inside my head I'm laughing at myself, while also trying not to look at any of the people. Oh my poor little brain... how you almost exploded!
Just as I reach the end of the lane, I slow to decide which way to turn. This is the point where Anna=fail. There was a fourth lady which I hadn't noticed sitting, I don't know where, who appeared out of the ether. I continued to look up and noticed the lovely sculpture above. And now is the point which I really really really wish I spoke Italian. This Madame decided to chat with me. I don't really know whether she was trying to sell her 'goods' to me, or if she was trying to tell me the details of the sculpture... I don't think I will ever know. All I could think was "Gahh! I don't know what you're talking about so I'm going to nod and smile and stare at the sculpture." This thought was followed quickly by "Get me outta here!"
I still to this day don't actually know what happened. I do however have a lovely picture of a nice bit of religious art and a brain that still goes 'pop' every time I think of that afternoon.
taken June 2010 - Side of a building, Genoa
