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Published: September 24th 2012
By Rialto bridge
Swapped pics with this Armenia couple, he was very professional and I tried to return the favour! Normal
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I arrived in heaven on the 20th - the Cinque terre.
Financially, this is not so heavenly - accommodation prices are as high
(expect to pay at least 100-120NZD/ night for basic double room with ensuite)
as the grade of the hills, steep!
But by golly it is stunning! Most accommodations in Monterrosso al mare, my
highlight of this coastal strip from La Spezia to Levanto, are within 5 to 10
minutes walk of the conveniently located train station. The Cinque Terre track
follows the coast, through various tunnels, from Riomaggiore to Levanto, and
11km south by road of this latter spot is the cove of Monterrosso. It was hot,
midday, and popular with daytrippers when I arrived, with google map indicating
a 500m walk to a spot, on my right. But google falls down when it can't speak
Italian for you when the road peters out and
Monterosso al mare
Pay and display - pay to enter, display flesh, fit right in everyone is having an Italian
siesta! I shouted, I roused people, I eventually got there. 176 steps up from
road level, and a few funny interactions with the locals later, I found 'B n B
5 alle terre', and an hour more later our host arrived to let us and 3 Swiss
in.
And now I am forced to retract my comment about Italians having no
patience....confined to train staff and Italians queuing when a foreigner is
asking questions in stilted Italian in front of them! They cruise here.
After some email and bank account checking, I set off to Corniglia on foot
and by train, at 5pm, afternoon sun at my back. It turned out to be a great
time for walking, as Signor or Signora trail attendant gives up the ghost and
stops charging 5 euros to pass each checkpoint early afternoon it seems (this
was a new venture to pay for track maintenance, since they had flooding and
washouts in 2011). I had a fabulous walk, albeit arduous, first to Vernazza
then Corniglia, the strapped calf withstanding the test. A photo utopia!
Cappucino numero due - Cinque Terre
Rating of 7/10 only achieved by extra sweetness on top. Barista needed a little work About 15 minutes into the trail Signor Lemonade had a small stall going
through a mesh fence, that managed to gather a few tourists. The commotion was
all about his fabulissimo lemonade and limoncino (alcoholic version) and
starting price at 2.50 euros was quite a deal. Sales were Signors strong point,
and little deliberation was needed before I bought lemonade. Of course, when life
gives you lemons, make lemonade! He insisted this had intense powers, it will
help you ‘make’ anything you like, such as more lemonade, sport, fun, hay, up,
a cake........
So I handed over my cash and Signor then commented on my physio tattoo - the
y-strip on my calf. What for? Then I made a fundamental mistake....stating my
vocation. An overture of 'ooh this ooh that/... I need you' commenced. But
Signor, "Mi troppo caro" I said (I cost an arm, leg, torso even more
so on holiday, especially since being fleeced several days before). No
problemo. He offered 500 euros for a night of "controllare mi musculo mi (gesturing
to hips and back area)...", a full day on his yacht cruising the coast,
and a full Italian feast at his
town restaurant the evening before. Measly I
thought. “But no Signor, no mixing work and pleasure, I’m on holiday”. He was
insistent. I downed my lemonade, bid farewell up a very steep path, and on
closing said if my prospects don't pan out in NZ I shall keep his offer in mind
;-). Several travelers met and a gorgeous sunset later, it was time for a few
rest days and admiration of the coast from afar, the beach clean and jelly fish
free!
Leaving this place with new contacts made (including a nice couple from
Maine, USA who offered to show me some XC skiing areas should I get there), it
was time to head to Lake Garda, routing through Milan. The direct train takes 3
hours to Milan, and I easily found my allocated seat for the duration.
As I
settled in next to a friendly Dutch couple, we got chatting and so on about NZ,
Italy, Alaska, Emirates etc. Everyone looooooves NZ! So it turned out they were on a weeks break
from work…I said you wouldn’t happen to be engineers by any chance, jokingly,
expecting the opposite….well yes, they were…..6 engineers
Wipeout
Floods caused wash out above Vernazza met in 1 week, and
funnily her sister was a new graduate physiotherapist and his whole family do
same thing. Where are the doctors, exercise physiologists, dieticians, aspiring
economists, retired 60 somethings, administrative/ clinic receptionists of the
world? Clearly they are not traveling and so my traveler demographic is skewed!
Then after Milan, it deteriorated.
Signor Alessandro examined my Rail pass en route to Pescheira del Garda
(near Verona) and pronounced it fraudulent, and instantly ordered I pay a 120
euro fine.
Now this was getting beyond a joke.
I tried to explain my error 2 days earlier in planning to use it but then
not as leg of travel too short. I had already written in 20 September
anticipating this.
No compromise. He ordered I come with him to Verona, see the Customer
service people, pay the fine, or risk the train mafia hunting you down by
Interpol wielding guns and probably, my worst nightmare, parmesan cheese.
I just wanted peace, so after clarifying things and holding the train
up, I
went. An angel I got talking to, who spoke good English (and had had her pack stolen), rallied for me and
accompanied us to the station, working some charm on the officers in Italian. Young
Alessandro was non-compromising however, and we eventually decided I tear up my
pass and pay for tickets full price for remainder of the trip. 2 whole days
lost. And being an honest mistake made no difference!
Where's a hearty hug for moral support when you need one!!
I finally got to my accommodation for the next 2 nights, Happy Camp, and
happy it was, 20m from a cool pool and waterfront on the lake. A boating/
yachting heaven with many building yards around – there’s money here - and full of slippery snakes, geckos and crocodiles they warned! A Pom checked me in and I headed to Verona to see some sights at dusk, including the Arena, city walls, and hunting down (unsuccessfully) the elusive balcony where Juliet wondered where the heck Romeo was. Perhaps he got held up in traffic, as it was bustling at 9pm in the square when I chanced on some police officers. They directed me back
Vernazza to Corniglia
Swapped pics with 2 friendly Toront-arians (Canada) to the station and assisted by friendly Francesco, I eventually got to my train back home.
And who would be there again on the train, commandeering the ticket
checking, as was on 3 previous journeys, but Alessandro for the 3
rd time! Crikey, I’m being stalked by Eurail!
And that is why I am never buying a Eurail pass again.
So, spare day left was a Sunday – meaning most things closed – and involved
mooching around old town walls, in shops, the mandatory cappuccino (I am scared
to order anything else) and having a good chin wag to the lifeguard at the
camping ground pool, Aldo, about the price of fish etc. He’d spent 3 months in
Brazil and we compared notes on beaches. No kidding, this is the 2
nd guard I have spoken to (the one at Cinque terra had been to Piha) and Aldo
would make a great David Hasselhoff impersonator – curled hair, tanned, and
wearing the same Baywatch red shorts though maybe minus 10 or 15 years. No
Pamela Anderson in sight though and I bid him a good day off
saying ‘Benvenito
a Nuevo Zealanda' someday!
My last full day in Italy was planned for Venice, that has existed a a trade centre, and attracted the cassanovas of the time for good times and masked balls over several centuries. It was an antisocial trip down from Peschiera to Venice, sat next to 2 well dressed Italian men focused on their smartphones, and so i joined them in this retreat from train-life for an hour or so.
Then Venice! What a mad spot the train station was, and after contemplating getting a map I decided to throw caution and just wander, the best decision of the day. Not only did I meet a lovely Brazilian girl who was accompanying a dying friend of hers on her 'final' trip, but I found some lovely shops selling Murano glass earrings, small platters, markets of fresh figs (!), grapes....St Marks square, Rialto bridge (pausing for a photo, of course), admiring the gondalas from afar, and then finally settling away from the madness by a murky waterway for my likely my last takeaway coffee in Italy. One smashed glass plate later (mine), I replaced my recent purchase and headed for my Rome-bound train....
Sunset, Cinque Terre
best time to walk in afternoon - setting sun, less people, and great pre-pasta workout for legs! whilst in my head heard Mum saying 'careful'!!
And now I am pre-departure ready for Montenegro/ Albania, pulled up in some basic B n B at Fiumicino with a helpful man called Andrea .............feeling richer for the many conversations had (I sat next to an Italian tenor on the train back to Fiumicino, also called Andrea, who was fluent in Japanese.... so we had a right old chat in Nihongo!), and poorer for the Eurail issues.
But all is not lost as I have vigourously flown the flag for NZ tourism here...expect an influx in next year as Italians flock to see our 60 million 'sheeps' and go fishing on the Coromandel.
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Next blog will be from Kosovo (just kidding, I am staying away from war zones
I hope!)
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