Cinque Terre

June 18, 8:00 am, Arianna Hill House

Waking up earlier this morning because our B&B serves breakfast between 8 and 9, and then the hotel owner takes people down to the town at about 9:30 am.  I am very much comfy in bed and don't feel like moving, but I am also looking forward to seeing some of the Cinque Terre region today.

June 18, 10:30 am, Riomaggiore

The first town in the Cinque Terre is Riomaggiore.  We arrived by train a few minutes ago and are walking up some very steep hills and stairs to find good views for taking pictures.  We just ran into the most remarkable lady.  She saw us trying to get a good picture and let us into her garden to get a better view.  She also practically forced us to take a few lemons from her trees in her garden, and also gave us part of a flowering vine that we were admiring.  We were trying to ask her what the name is, but she pulled off a huge piece and gave it to me!  It is so lovely!  There are 3 paper thin leaf like petals that are an orangey red color, and it is so vibrant.  The flowers make sort of a spiral along the main stem of the vine.  I took a picture, and then, since I knew it wouldn't stay alive very well, I pulled the blossoms off and put them in a coronet in my hair.  It made me feel much prettier after almost two weeks of rewearing clothing and feeling hot and sticky under sunscreen and only having one good hot shower in Italy to date (yesterday afternoon).

June 18, 12:30 pm, Manarola

We finished up in Riomaggiore and took the foot path along the sea to Manarola.  We stopped for a bit for Alfred to go and stick his feet in the water.  I decided to skip and sit in the shade...it was so hot!  And the "beach" was very rocky and I didn't really want to slip and fall, which, being my typical clumsy self I definitely would have.  Then we finished up the walk and wandered through Manarola a bit, ending by sitting in the shade at part of the path overlooking the town and the (very small) marina.  We're about to head back to La Spezia now.

June 18, 4:00 pm, La Spezia Centrale

After we got back to La Spezia around 1, we went to the travel office where they offer internet access.  Alfred got on for a bit, and now I'm on, chatting with friends (YAY!) and working on the blog.  It has been so nice to be able to keep in touch with people and also to keep up with this blog.  I've never had to try and write more than two days previous, which has helped me to keep straight what we did when.  Super thankful for internet, some of the best money I spent all trip.  Especially when your friends decided to re-arrange their schedule to be avalailable to chat with you!  I am so insanely blessed, and I realize it more every day I'm away.  That does not, however, mean that I'm not very much looking forward to going home.  I totally cannot wait to get back.  There isn't a thing here in Italy, as beautiful as it may be, that could possibly tempt me back here if it meant being away from friends and family so long again.  In a bit we're going to grab something to eat and head back up to the B&B until tomorrow morning when we will head back to Pisa en route to Florence then Rome.