Cinque Terr(ific)a

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Happy day all-

When I have to start out by apologizing that there will be no photos today. We are working from a 10 year old computer and there is no UBS ports. The most unfortunate thing is that the photos we got today are the most stunning yet! Unbelievable sea and cliff views. We promise we will add many photos tomorrow when we are in a more high tech town. Anyways we started off the day with a train ride to Riamaggioire, the first town in the Cinque Terra. The Cinque Terre is techincally a national park and it consists of five tiny towns (hence Cinque) nestling on cliffs along the sea. Most people hike from town to town taking in the views, working up a sweat and treating themselves to a gelato. The entire trail is 7 miles of very steep up and down from sea level to 1000 feet above the sea. Throw in several lemon trees in bloom and a little wind and the atmosphere is perfect, a cool sea breeze with hints of lemon in the air while starring out into the blank sea (my attempt to draw the pictures in your mind). The trail takes on various shapes between towns. The first stretch was a nice paved path and was relatively flat. A very nice lesiurely walk. After arriving in the second town we searched out lunch and surprisingly grabbed provisions for a salami and cheese lunch! And we found a grocery store right in the nick of time before our beloved siesta time. Feeling good about the first hike we thought we would set ou on the second leg of the journey. A bit more difficult, but great views, and a perfect seaside lunch spot at a rock beach overlooking the sea (and all to ourselves, since we had to hike down 200 feet down the trail to find the spot. The walk was a bit longer, more hilly, and a bit more treacherous than the first leg. Although we arrived in the 3 city feeling like we were doing well and why not throw in another leg of the hike. guidebooks said the third leg was a bit more streneous than the first two and was about 3 time longer. Our legs were feeling good though so we hit the trail. We quickly found out the definition of streneous as we walked up and up and up on a very rocky, narrow, steep trail. During the first two legs of the journey we were trying to figure out why we saw several hunder Germans throughout the trek with full blown hiking gear (sturdy hiking boots, lots of water, hiking sticks made of titianium, etc). We quicking uderstood the need for this equipment as we got deeper into the third leg. It was easy to pick out the americans (wearing sandles, little water, lots of pictures and stopping) vs the Germans (quick pace, walking sticks, mean, not looking up to enjoy the scenery). Apparently for the Germans the goal is to walk the trail as fast as possible. Anyways the views were tremendous and a bit surreal as we were walking along a path not more than 3 feet wide peering straightdown 800 feet to the sea below. After a couple hours of treeking we finally made it into the next city and quickly found something cold to drink and a bench to rest our legs. The hike was well worth it but we both decided we had had enough and opted to skip out of the last get of the journey on the trail (the train amazing got us to the last town quicker and more efficiently!). Anyways thats all I got to report for now. Well try to get up some pictures so you can get a feel for the views. Were off to Stresa tomorrow (up north of Milan in the Lake country). It is another national holiday tomorrow so we thought ahead and booked a room for the remainder of our trip. Hope all is well and hope your enjoying the blog.

Jason

Hi all, its me, Lyndsay

Jason took the "meat" of this blog, and wrote about all the really good stuff, so I will fill in with small humorous details of the last 24 hours. But first, let me assure you that when we finally get the pictures of todays adventure up and running, you are going to be blown away. Todays views and sigths were without a doubt the most beautiful coastline and cliff views I have ever seen. I felt like a National Geographic photographer snapping all these phots today. Imagine these small quint villages of pastel colored houses all nestled into, and virtually clinging to the sides of these tremendously steep cliffs. Beautiful!

Last night in our hostel room, we had a serious problem with a snore-er. and no, it was not Jason. There were 6 people in our room, a mom and her daughter, a female young college student, Jason adn me, and then, a large German man! So anyway, I have been wearign earplugs at night becasue I dont want to wake up when other people get up, or hear sounds from the hallway. Generally speaking, these earplugs drown out the worst of Jason too, when teh does end up snoring. Well, last night was a symphony of snoring! We ralized this mornign that it was teh large German man (at 7:30 am this morning, Jason, I and teh mother-daugther team all sat up in bed giggling about teh noise adn how insanely loud our roomate was. Humorously, since Jason and I were the last 2 to check into our room last night, we were stuck with teh last two beds in the room, which happened to both be top bunks of the bunkbeds! The loud German man was sleeping below me, OF COURSE! these bunkbeds are a hoot! I mean, I can handle a bunkbed on top, but you shoudl have seen Jason cram his 6"3 body into that tiny bed! Crazy. Anyway, after the 7:30 am giggle-fest of the famous snore-er, I was able to go back to sleep for a few hours. I awoke with a start, and a loud yelp to find the German man standing not 6 inches from my head, looking at me. It was like my nightmare come true. In actuality, he was gettign ready and packing up his shower-gear, and I rolled over to the side of teh bed, and thus, his face was level with mine. In any event - way too weird to explain! Then, this morning, he tried to befriend Jason and I and talk us into walking the trail with him. Um, no way! He was beyond weird. When Jason told him we were from the States, he kept muttering "Bush" under his breath. Obviously he will not be voting Republican. Then, I was brushing my teeth in our bathroom this morning, and he indicated he needed to use teh sink to fill his water bottle. I stepped out so he could do so, and waited in the doorway, continuing to brush my teeth. Well, after like 5 minutes, I needed to spit out my toothpaste. He of course is still rinsing and refilling his water bottles. I asked him if I coudl quickly use the sink for a second, and he rudely said "yes, hurry up though." And then he had the gall to ask Jason not 5 minutes later if we wanted to hike with him. No, No, and more no. I guess he has no friends because he snores like a stuck pig!

We went for a good dinner last night and both had seafood. I ordered while Jason was in the restroom, and I knew we wanted to share some wine, so I ordered some of the house wine in a carafe. The size choices were one-half liter, or 1 liter. Not really undertanding what a liter was, I of course went with the big one - figuring that we both like red wine, so why not? Well, when the wine arrived, Jason was amused. Apparently, my metric conversion chart in my head is not accurate, becase we ended up getting the equivalent of 1 and 3/4 bottles of wine in our carafe. This was made all the more excessive by the fact that their wine classes were not really your typical long-stemmed wine glasses, but rather, small shot glass size cups. We eneded up at dinner for a long time to try and finish the wine. My nights end, the owner asked us if we wanted it "to go" and he poured it in a wine bottle for us. You know us Americans, always having to do things in excess, right? I have figuted out now that 1/2 liter is more appropriate!

Well, we are off to shower, clean up after our days hike, and head to dinner. I am going to go out a a limb and guess we have either pizza or pasta? That is virtually all we have had since being here. I am totally craving a steak, a baked potato with butter and sour cream, and steamed asperagus! I am a fat girl at heart. Failing that, I coudl go for some Green MIll buffalo wings!

Take care.

Love, Lyndsay

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Comments

[Britany]

ironic.
Funny you should mention wings from the Mill- I'm a bit stuffed, as I just got home from eating my weight in wings. They were good. I also find it funny that you didn't spine punch the snoring man. What with your childish temper I would have at minimum expected to verbally lash him like none other. You getting soft dear sister. Oh, and lets be real- we all know your hygeine sucks, so I'm doubting your story of brushing your teeth. That is all. B

[Lisa Roden]

I would have screamed at that man's face - yuck - you are being a very brave girl being so adventurous with this hostel business - do you get to treat yourself with a nice hotel before you come home? Can't wait to see the pictures......thanks Jason for sending me the link - I have enjoyed reading this so much - you two are really good at writing and I laugh out loud a lot!

[Hart]

Thinking of you
Funny you should mention Green Mill. I'm planning to take the girls there on Friday (tomorrow) w/ the gift certificate I got from a client for being such a fabulous attorney (free consultation). We'll think of you and pretend we're having way more fun on Cliff Road in Burnsville than you're having on the Italian coast. We have snow forecast for this weekend (again). That's right, first weekend in May. I'm guessing you've considered never returning to MN? Not a bad idea. We could all continue to live vicariously...might keep us going for awhile, at least. Sounds like a wonderful trip...jealous doesn't even come close.

[Maureen]

From John Fassbinder
Two items from Mr. Fassbinder: he is still waiting for his postcard and, he's wondering if Lyndsay has stopped shaving her pits to fit in......I hope that's a little joke between the two of you.