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Published: November 21st 2009
It’s ironic you know, I’ve just been in a sleepy little village called Vernazza in Italy ( Cinque Terre) for the last 5 weeks and had more time on my hands to write a blog than pretty much anywhere else thus far on my trip and its only just now as I sit here at the airport in Milan about to leave that it occurs to me to write one. So here goes..
Arriving in the Cinque Terre about five weeks ago with the JJ’s really was great fun. The last time I was in Italy was about 3 years ago. It’s one of those places that the minute you get back it’s like you never left, everything seems all so familiar again. We spent about a week their together staying in the first town called Regiomorre.
For those of you who don’t know the Cinque Terre is a famous little tourist walk in Northern Italy on the Algerian coast near Genoa and about 50km away from the boarder of Tuscany. Basically there are five little villages that you can walk between all perched on the side of rocky mountains right on the water’s edge with crashing waves and
all. It’s possible to walk all of them in one day but a lot of people stay a night or two (like us) and do it over a few days and take their time..
As you can see in some of the photos I took, the scenery is amazing and the houses themselves are literally perched one on top of the other. If walking is not your thing don’t stress because there is also a great train system (running under the mountain) from village to village and a ferry service if the weather is good. Also the walk starts of very easy for the first few towns and then gets harder towards the end. But if you’re willing and able it really is a must see and do.
Anyway we had been there for about four days and we were in the fourth village called Vernazza one afternoon when Jono made a quick passing comment as a joke about how I should stay here for a while. The minute he said it I looked at him, smirked for a moment and then did a quick scan of the quite little village square we were standing in. You see
for the last few days we had been talking about the fact that what I really need to do is find a place to stay for a while and get some work done. Lately I’ve been getting very busy with work and I simply haven’t been able to find the hours I need to take advantage of all the opportunities I’ve been getting lately. Whilst it’s been brilliant travelling with the JJs for the last three weeks it now time to knuckle down again and get back into it.
And without a word of a lie we literally turned around and saw a sign on the door of the gelato shop behind us saying room for rent. Since Jules was the resident expert in Italian we quickly sent her in to have a chat with them, which at the time she wasn’t real impressed about as she didn’t realise how serious I was… come to think of it nor did I at the time. Anyway long story short I couldn’t get that apartment even though it was ‘mental’ and I really wanted it. But the more we talked about it the more I realised what a great idea it
was. So instead we came back the next day checked out another three apartments, weighed up all the options and sent Jules in for the ultimate round of negotiations and it worked! I got it! Jules managed to get me an absolute ripper of a deal on an apartment in Vernazza for a month that I would never have been able to get… SO GO JULES!.
In fact, the tourist season had literally just finished a week earlier, so Jules even managed to arrange 40% of the normal price. Needless to say we had some celebratory drinks that night. And then like we had been planning it for weeks, the next day we simply packed up our bags and moved towns, which is about 3 stops on the train. And now since I had a new pad the JJs also decided to stick around for a few more days before heading off again which was great as it had all happened so fast. We had some fun cook-offs on those last few days plus we enjoyed a few more walks.
As I said earlier on one hand it was sad to be leaving them already but it was
the right thing to do. And now, four weeks later it was a great decision and I’m very glad I decided to do it. Living in Vernazza for a month was a great little local Italian experience for me and one that I will always remember. And believe it or not the town got even quieter and weather got even worse which meant that all I could do was sit in my little apartment and work away all day and night long. I know it sounds crazy but it was perfect! Having been on the move for most of the year thus far and always socialising and interacting with people along the way, I must tell you really enjoyed the chance to be alone and get on with it all.
My days literally consisted of a take way latter on down on the rocks each morning, a quick walk around the town at lunch time and then back down to the same rocks again at the end of the day to watch the sunset. And if I wasn’t in one of the three places I was on the computer working away. Also it was fascinating to see the town
literally shutting down little by little each day into what I can only describe at a form of hibernation. Since the tourist season was over each week a different restaurant would shut down, then a coffee shop and finally the bars in town.. Within another couple of weeks I’m sure it will soon be a ghost town.
So thumbs up for my time in Vernazza, I loved it and yes, I got a heap of good work done.
Next stop London, oh and by the way it’s only four weeks now until I head home for Christmas!! WOW, I can’t believe twelve months has gone by fast, its crazy.
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panoramatrip
non-member comment
great post
Vernazza is such an amazing and magical place to visit. i cannot wait til i return, which i hope will be very soon. The walking trails between the towns were awesome, and i will not forget for the rest of my life. http://www.panoramatrip.com/the-italian-seaside-town-of-vernazza-part-of-cinque-terre