Living la vida Cinque Terre

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Heading to Firenze (Florence) after three night in the Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre region was on the itinerary of just about everybody in Gimmelwald and I see why. Its just so ... authentic. Whatever your idea of what untouched, sea-side towns on the Italian Riveria would look like, this is it. (Google it to see what I mean). The families here go back centuries and they are very much still towns where people spend their whole lives. Its just a perfect day to take a lazy hike from one end of the five villages to the other. Its where the Europeans apparently take their families on vacation to get away from the tourists who flock to their own home towns. Very few Americans or Canadians here, although I won't pretend that Cinque Terre isn't "on the map". It is (otherwise I would never have known of it). Even though I didn't find an Italian sugar-mama to take care of me during my stay, unlike some other trekkers I ran into, anyone who comes to Italy is required to spend at two nights here, giving yourselves a full day to hike around the towns. Then again, some people have stayed a whole week and that wasn't enough.

The hostel I stayed at, Ospitalia del mare, was very, very nice, considering where I stayed at in London and Paris. No hot tub, but easy beach access. Rooms were huge and clean, and we got fresh towels and linens for the bed daily (that's a treat, trust me), the showers were hot, not coin-operated, and you didn't have to push a buttom every few seconds to keep the water coming.

I've been able to manage in Italy despite my absolute lack of language ability, but have picked up the basics. Buon Guorno ("Hello"), Grazie ("Thanks"), Scusci ("excuse me") and un'atre biarra ("beer me"). But amazingly I'm not the only one totally lost. I was actually able to help out a French couple on the Cinque Terre train and was able to convince a train car of European passengers that in fact getting off the train in the middle of a tunnel was the right thing to do (and I was right).

On to Florence ...

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Comments

[Older than you]

Happy Birthday
Been going to Gimmelwald for 20+ years. Wine, hot tub, and the view, hell who cares how old you are? When I did Schlithorn there was no hot tub only Big Beers @ Walters. Have Fun

[Kathy & Brian]

Bona notte
I actualy took Italian in highschool and college, but I'd probably resort to the same few phrases that you are! Have fun in Florence! Our friends thought it was the best Italian city by far.

[Catherine McGrath]

That's right
I'm so glad that you enjoyed Levanto! Kat and I knew what we were talking about eh?