Cinque Terre - Monterosso

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1/2 dayBreakfast and bags ready to go to Milan station and off to Cinque Terre.We have plenty of time before the train arrives ...coffee and snack...and a little Internet ..Time to go..we are about to board the train and this guy gets our bags on the train...for a small fee of course....because its the regional train luggage storage is very minimal...so he leaves our bags in the corridor..which everyone says its ok but then we see that everyone is trying to get through....a man and a young boy, helps us get Carmen bag in the shelves of the carriage...my bag stays between our two seats...we get a group of four boys in our carriage, who have also gone to the Bon Jovi concert....we put our head phones on as they get louder....after three hours travelling...we start reaching our destination...then my iPad dies...oh no I have the instructions in my iPad for the apartment in Cinque Terre and the contacts phone number...crap one station to go...I open my bag get my charger out...lucky there is a socket in the train....come on iPad charge....5 minutes to go ..got it...We get out of the train...and first thing we see is stairs...going down...it's not too bad..like to see us carrying them up when we go....when we get out of the station the first thing we see is the ocean....such a nice day to be walking down the avenue..we get to our apartment...well really it's a shoe box with a toilet and little kitchen...bed is a couch...at least we have a tv and its right in front of the beach, and no hills to climb.After finishing our contract details with Stefano our landlord. I change into shorts and thongs....nice feeling....we go off to explore....lunch it is ...restaurant right in front of our unit....with free Internet access...we later find out that you can use their Internet free without going in there...we walked around some more and all you see is people enjoying the sun, gelatos, restaurants, families having time together, nonos and nonas, looking after the kiddies or in little groups in the plazas getting the latest gossip...no one goes to bed early here..people walking and still eating at eleven at night...So what are we going to do while in Cinque Terre...well nothing....we thought about Florence and Pisa visits but we just couldn't be bothered...we just want sun, surf and to relax....it's such a nice area why would you want leave? So Carmen and I are going to be NONAS...!

Day 1

breakfast chairs and umbrellas which you have to pay for...unless you go to the tiny free beaches, which have no shading and are crowded...so what happened today...other than sellers trying to sell us, sarongs, clothes, food, massages....well nothing....oh! hold on i did get a back massage for 20 minutes and we do have a lovely golden tan..... Oh and we did have to listen to this annoying Aussie chick....gee she could talk and loud.....by the way it's like being in Australia...Aussies everywhere ..apparently it's the season for Aussies ...so we got told...oh and the water is cold...but after you jump in it is fine........

Day 2

I decided to go touring...Carmen decided not too...she did say she wouldn't move from the beach....the Cinque Terre consists off five villages Monterosso, Vernazza, Corgiglia, Manarola, Riomaggiore.So I took a ferry..first stop Vernazza ...it's a village built on the rocks...the streets are very narrow..Vernazza...was the town hardest hit from the 2011 floods...it was pretty much ruined but people got together and have slowly re-built it....you can still see them rebuilding their houses, there is also a reminder poster in the plaza so people don't forget...So I had 45 minutes to explore...I climbed one huge hill where the hikes start....lucky Carmen wasn't here she would have died....photos done...now to climb the castle....i walked the narrow streets with stairs galore....the castle stairs were a killer....while I was there I asked this lady if she wanted her picture taken and she said no but I'll take yours....cool...more pictures...thank goodness walking down was easier...I had a few minutes to spare....so I did what the locals did...sit there and enjoy the view and people watched ...ferry came in ...next stop...Yes, the ferry was like hop and off bus....next stop Portovenere...it's not part of the cinque Terre villages but needs to be seen....is right at the end of the landmark...when you get there, all you see it's a castle ...the castle in on top of the rocks...and you say to yourself nice but is this it...then the ferry goes around the rock and wham there is a whole village, with tower like buildings...nice...it's like a fortified city ....I got off 30minutes to explore ...off I went in the opposite direction...where there was beaches, yachts, and mountains...an old men tried to pick me up....he kept me chatting...but I said sorry have to go need to catch the ferry....ciao Bella, he says safe travels. Ciao Ciao I say.I had the option off sailing the three islands near Portovenere .but decided to go and see the remaining villages...off I went again....oh...dolphins..how cool...six of them in a hurry somewhere...Next stop Riomaggiore...you climb up these rocks.....and there appears this little fishing village ...the village is in a very steep hill..there is has huge boat ramp..boats everywhere....then you go through this tunnel and hey there is more of the town...the town is built in more steep hills,....I keep walking and walking freaking hell I hate to forget something and my apartment is right at he top of the hill....I had to stop, if not i would keep climbing and climbing ...and I was hungry...so I stopped exploring, and had a nice focaccia by the sea while i waited for the ferry...Manarola next....you walk up the stairs then you walk through cut rock to get to the village ...you see clear green water surrounding it and crazy people jumping off the rocks...restaurants and houses are built high up, the whole village is built on a rock, such a glorious view....Each village was pretty much the same , they all cater for the tourists and locals in shops, restaurants, hotels, etc and they all have their nonas and nonos....and they are all our built in hills...but its their architectural structure is what makes them different all different ...although it was a long day...I really enjoyed the sea ride and the people I met along the way..it was time for the beach..Back at Monterosso ....the flattest town of all five and the one with the most beaches......found Carmen still resting....she said she got tanned and a bit red due to the orange umbrella letting the sun in....and that the blue umbrella from yesterday, was better shading.. i got changed and jumped into the water ..although most of the Day I spent by the sea...It was hot....a nice refreshing jump in the water was needed.... Dinner was had by the sea...we met these four English tourists...I think we s pent about two hours talking to them .....they were getting louder and louder....I guess six bottles of wine would do it....

Day 3

Nothing...beach time...well we did go to the Internet shop and got my 2000 photos into discs as a back up....and of course had lunch...no breakfast woke up late...when we went back to the beach.....you know the ones with the blue umbrella...the only thing was that the umbrellas were orange and white,the chairs were blue....no Carmen they didn't change the umbrellas....Oh hold on I forgot about the leg massages....and the dress I bought. Pure linen you know...Dinner...pesto meal and fresh fish....nice late walk to end the nite...

Day 4

Today I went to the shop..then I went past this photography shop and I started talking to the man about my travels..in span/Italian .he hugged me..wished me safe travels and gave me a kiss on the cheek with his blessing...Now Beach time nothing more to say....Preparing to say good bye to this lovely little town and venture off to Rome... The Pope is waiting for us.... Ciao.. Ciao.. Ciao.... We went to a restaurant tonight ...every time Carmen heard the train ..she thought she had to evacuate.scared from Barcelona ....lol

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