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Happy Birthday Allan!
Dawn and Allan on "our terrace", 70 steps up a winding path, above the quaint, charming little village of Vernazza, with a view down to the sea. Ciao family and friends
It's now the beginning of July and I'm still in Russia enjoying the white nights of midsummer in temperatures around 30deg. Getting up to date with these blogs is a slow process but it's still happening so I'm backtracking here.....
......at the end of April I farewelled Turkey and flew from Istanbul to Rome to begin my week in Italy. I could only fit two destinations into my schedule here, both of which I'd not seen on my previous visit but had heard lots about. Although it was sad to leave Turkey I was excited about the next stage of my journey as I travelled north on a full train up the western side of Italy to La Spezia on the Ligurian coast (very close to the French Riviera). I'd inadvertantly arrived at the beginning of the long weekend which celebrates the 1st of May and it seemed that many Italians were heading to my destination for a holiday as well. However, I like travelling by train and the trip passed quickly as I soaked up the very typical Italian scenery.
Where was I going? To the Cinque Terre meaning "five lands" and consisting
Kim and I in front of our apartment
Hosts Michelle and Guiliano made us very welcome....a recommended place to stay. of five ancient coastal villages, each having its own distinct character, dotted amongst terraced hills with steeply sloping vineyards, olive groves, lemon trees and other orchards on an 18km stretch of sheer, rocky coastline. The five little "vertical" villages are built right out of the rocks and seem to balance precariously on cliffs that sink dramatically into the ocean. Liguria, this region of Italy, has been defined as a "corridor of land caught between the Apennines and the Mediterranean", and the Cinque Terre is the epitome of that description.
The Cinque Terre is said to be one of the best preserved semi-natural areas of the Mediterranean because it doesn't have excessive housing development or major roadways. There are few cars as the villages are not easily accessible by road. Centuries old footpaths and mule tracks wind up to about 150-300m above sea level leading from village to village. These ancient mule paths once connected the villages of the Cinque Terre to Via Roma, the main road that connected all of Italy to Rome. The saying is true, "all roads lead to Rome" and in the village of Monterosso the main street, with the name Via Roma, can attest to
Vernazza street.....shopping anyone?
Not a car in sight...they wouldn't fit on the tiny, twisting streets with lots of steep steps winding up between the houses and at times becoming interior passages. Vernazza was our favourite village but to the locals it isn't so quaint when hordes of tourists arrive for the long weekend. The locals (less than 1000 of them) are pleased to see them all depart again. this. These mule paths have been maintained and used over the centuries and now provide stunning views for hikers of the sea-swept cliffs. The main railway between Rome and Paris runs along the coast, mainly in tunnels, and local trains connect the villages which are only minutes apart for those who don't want to walk. Human activity over centuries, especially viticulture, has created the terraced landscape in which the stone walls are so extensive as to rival, according to some, that of the famous Great Wall of China. This, combined with the crystal clear sea, architecturally interesting villages and the variety of paths, makes the Cinque Terre an increasingly sought after location among Italians and foreign tourists, as the influx this weekend was to prove.
In recognition of the uniqueness and beauty of the Cinque Terre, it has been named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and designated a National Park to protect the characteristic landscape by limiting development and resource usage. In 1997 the waters of the Cinque Terre were made a Marine Protected Area to safeguard the diverse range of animals and vegetation that are present, including several rare types of coral. To walk in the
Splendid view
Vernazza is dominated by the Round Tower sitting on top of the rocky point in the photo. Down to the right is its little beach tucked into a sheltered bay. Cinque Terre, you must buy a hiking permit. This "Cinque Terre Card", a ticket that includes hiking and train/bus travel between villages, earns revenue to help the Cinque Terre National Park restore and maintain abandoned terraces.
At La Spezia I caught a local train to the little fishing village of Vernazza and by early evening had found my wonderful accomodation high up a hill (thankfully host Giuliano carried my pack up) and had time to settle in before my best mates Dawn and Allan (flatmates from Uni. days and on holiday from NZ) and their daughter Kim (currently living in UK) walked up the steep little path. Now you understand why I was excited about this destination! It was a special occasion, being Allan's birthday, and what a magical setting for a reunion. So began our four days in Vernazza together (we were originally booked for 3 nights but didn't want to leave so stayed one more), with a good drop of wine and scrumptious Italian olives, cheese, etc., on "our terrace" overlooking the village and harbour (great choice thanks Dawn). It was to be a super time of walking, exploring, relaxing, eating fine food (gelato, seafood, pasta, pizza
A couple of Kiwi tourists "wow "over the view
Here's a closer look at part of the medieval ruins. Below you can see the church tower looking over the small harbour. Note the terracing on the hill. and pesto....mmmm!), drinking local wine and watching Mediterranean sunsets. Ah, paradise!
It seemed to be no time at all before I had to say goodbye to Dawn, Allan and Kim. Thanks guys for a truly memorable time. I'm looking forward to trying out your pesto back in NZ Dawn. It was then onto the train again to set off for the second part of my Italian itinerary but that will have to wait for the next blog. See you all then.
Take care.
Love Dee.
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Mary
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Awsome!
Dee, it is an amazing journey, we will need your help to replicate your trip ourselves. Thanks for sharing it with us.