The mega-wealthy are born in America... live in Spain... and die in Genoa... copying the silver trail. Genoa's wealth gave birth to the Italian Riviera. Potofino gained a reputation for being the gem of the Riviera. However, it was not discovered by Elizabeth Taylor until after municipal authorities built a sealed road from Santa Marguerite in the early 1960's. Elizabeth brought fame to Portofino by holidaying there each year with Richard Burton... as she did with Eddie Fisher... John Warner... Conrad Hilton... Michael Wilding... et al. In her wake, she dragged along the hangers-on... Rex Harrison dropped his Oscar into the harbour (it was recovered)... Ava Gardner walked down from her villa in her fur coat each night for a drink at the harbourside bar... Greta Garbo loved to swim naked in the harbour... thinking no one could see her... and no one told her otherwise... Truman Capote called Portofino home... the list goes on.
With so much money around, the church had to introduce decor appropriate for the settings. We visited the church in neighbouring Santa Marguerite and saw chandeliers hanging above each pew row. There was no shortage of silver in the alter piece. But not all the wealthy were wanting to be ostentatious with displays of wealth. A group of citizens started a church for people who had anonymously performed good works on a very big scale. The church was always packed... even though good works on a very big scale seemed a bit thin on the ground.
I don't know where Graeme was today. I thought I saw his boat in the harbour... with the professional crew decked out in matching t-shirts... come to think of it... it may not have been Graeme... wrong colour.
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