A vaction within a vacation, an old friend and another surprise....

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Well we are now in Monterosso, Italy. The large town of the five fishing villages that make up the Cinque Terre, which are all connected by a hiking trail. This place is like out of a fairy tail, really it is. So much has happened here and we've only been here for two nights. We are here for six whole nights in an apartment, it is wonderful. The first thing we did was dump out our backpacks and put our toothbrushes in little cups in the bathroom. I made hot chocolate that night and was happy as a kitten with a ball of yarn. Then we decided to go out and see the town, which consists of three main streets and two beaches. Monterosso is the largest town of the five, maybe 1500 people...all within an area less than four square acres, I think.... On our walk I see someone walking toward me and it is Austin Atteberry, a guy who went to UPS my freshman year who I was friends with. He is here with his girlfriend Whitney who just finished a year of teaching English in France. Such a small world!!!!! We hung out last night and are planning to have dessert together again tonight. Whitney is going to call the French train station for me, to see if, cross every part of my body, someone turned in my camera. I called about five days ago and asked "parlevouz anglais?" the woman said "no." So I started speaking in English, what else was I supposed to do? and then about 20 seconds later she repeated in broken english, "I don't speak English" and hung up... so maybe just maybe, we'll see.

Then today I got online, didn't yesterday because all phone lines to the area were down, to find out I AM AN AUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I am just sitting here in the internet place crying to myself reading how Mike and Ciara's birth went and how Sawyer is a pooper and eater...that's a Wolfe for you. I am so happy, Sawyer looks so healthy and Mike and Ciara sound wonderful. I cannot wait, but obviously will wait for awhile, to get to see them.

So these next few days will be filled with some major hiking, today I hiked to the first two towns Vernazza and Corniglia, which is the hardest part of the hike and then turned around and hiked back to Monterosso. As I am coming back into Monterosso it begins to thunder and pour down rain, which was fine with me because by that time I had my own rain cloud above me as I was dripping with sweat. I think it is finally stopping now and hopefully clearing up. The geology of this place is beautiful...I keep stopping the girls and pointing things out. I am pretty sure it is a bedrock of shale that has been majorly deformed a few times. I believe that major folds are creating the valleys where the villages sit...hopefully pictures will show that a bit!

So I broke my break from Nutella...I hadn't had any since Oviedo, which I think was great self control. The newness has warned off so at least it isn't disappearing like it used to. But here there is PESTO and LIMONCINO. Pesto, self explanatory but so amazing.... Limoncino is a liquer that tastes a bit like a Lemonhead...both wonderful. Tonight will be my first Italian pasta night. I know I know, I've been here for over a week and a half, but I am just feeling like myself again. I went through some major stomach issues...but am back in business... and am ready for formaggio/queso/cheese and real food again. I was on a saltine diet...so I am ready for some real food.

Well I wrote that a long time ago...the Cinque Terre is truly amazing. It is definitely a place where tourists and vacationers go, but the natural beauty of the place was just incredible. We hiked most of the days, the trail between the five towns is about 12 km long and between the first three towns, Monterosso, Veranzza and Cornglia, there are some good hikes. Surprisingly there are a lot of older German couples on the trail, as well as young high school gropus...we seem to run into Spring Break areas for school trips. One morning I got up early and got on the trail by 7:30 and it was so wonderful. I had the whole trail and every spider web to myself for about two hours...

We were treated to a dinner by a man from Austin, Texas. His name is Kelly and he is a restaurant owner there and was out traveling about before opening another and he had this large food budget he just could not use up...so the four of us helped him. I ate a delicious pesto lasgna while we overlooked the setting sun on the Italian Riveria...sigh, it is a place to be missed.

So now I am in Rome...such a different city. Large, large, large and dirty. Cheap internet though.... Today is the Italian Labor Day and so there is a large free concert that is going to take place in a near by Plaza that about 100,000 students have arrived in Rome for...our train was full of them. I think we are going to head over that way to see how crazy it gets.

We are in Rome for five days, including today, and there is so much to see here. Hopefully I will get pictures up soon, I am reliant upon Sarah and her photos, so it is not as easy as it once was. Austin and Whitney are in Rome at this time as well, so we will probably meet up with them at some point too...

OK, I am sure that you are tired of reading now, so I will let you go and write more when I have some better stories. Take care everyone...

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Comments

[Marco Polo]

Good report
I was delighted to read your report about Monterroso and the Cinque Terre. Ciao, Ismael, from Brazil