Adventures in the Cinque Terre

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Started the day off heading up to the largest and most "resorty" of the five villages, Monterosso. We walked around the town and bit, had some gelato, and took the hopped the train back to Riomaggiore, or at least we thought we were. It was a direct train back to La Spezia which took us zipping past Riomaggiore and ten minutes later we were dumped off in La Spezia. So we had to wait 45 minutes for the next train to come and take us back to Riomaggiore.

We spent most the day just hanging out in the town. Around 6pm we took the train back to Monterosso to do the walk from it to Vernazza, where we would eat dinner. The walk was much more strenuous than the walk from Riomaggiore to Corniglia, which we did yesterday, but was much more scenic. It took high up in the hills overlooking the sea. While we were walking up these steep steps, about to pass out from exhaustion, we heard an accordion playing. It was in the middle of the hills and all these vineyards and lemon groves. Richard thought it was someone about to kill us, I said Hostel 3. We passed by a farmer tending to his lemon trees, he greeted us, and it turns out he has a little lemonade stand on the trail. The accordion was just his radio playing. He made us fresh squeezed lemonade and it hit the spot. He was funny guy, and when we told him we were from Arizona, he showed us a necklace a Navajo he had met on this trail had given him.

About 40 minutes later we were in Vernazza. We ate at this restaurant called Gianni Franzi, which we were told has the best pesto. The owner was a really funny guy who spoke limited English. Richard and I both had pasta with pesto first, then I ordered the fish of the day and Richard ordered the fish salad, which was like octopus and calamari and tomatoes and peppers. When he brought out my fish it still had the head, tail, and skin on it. He cut it open infront of me and took off the meat parts with the precision of a surgeon. It was weird, but cool to see and delicious. The restaurant was right on the water and decently priced. Hard to find in the States.

We took the train back to Riomaggiore and went down to a bar by the apartment and had a couple beers. Everyone there was either Canadian or American, but it was a fun place and the people were cool. Hate to leave this place tomorrow, but I know I will be back someday. Tomorrow Bologna for a one night stop off.

Have fun,
Matt

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Photos

The Sands Of Monterosso
On the beach in Monterosso.

La Dolce Vita
The sweet life. Does it get any better? Well, maybe if that was Scarlett Johannsen holding the other gelato instead of Richard.

Cinque Terre Coastline
Looking at Vernazza and Corniglia from the shores of Monterosso.

Monterosso At Sunset
View of Monterosso from the trail to Vernazza.

Peering Down On Vernazza
After steep steps, fresh squeezed lemonade, and an hour and a half hike, we arrived in Vernazza.

The View From The Dinner Table
Not only did this place in Vernazza have amazing pesto, the location and view were hard to beat.

Comments

[Gram]

Pop's comment
Pop says that you write so well that he feels like he is there with you..I agree...I think you are turning into a gelato junkie...yum...love you, Gram