Day 13 - Italy

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This morning I woke up to the intercom "30 minutes to Bari...". I had slept about 10 hours and I really needed it.

First off the ferry, I found my way (via Taxi) to the train station. Took off from there to Bologna on the Trenitalia Eurostar. (http://www.trenitalia.it/en/treni_stazioni/eurostar/index.html)
No smoking allowed (I love you, Trenitalia... God Bless).

Today was definitely Irish. Much of the 12 hours in transit, I was reading Irish History for Dummies. I also had lunch in a restaurant on the train... a bit pricey at 26 Euros for the complete meal... but I wanted to have the experience.

In Bologna, I didn't have time to look around and hopped on the first train heading towards La Spezia (near Cinque Terre). And, for the first time this trip, I had some travel difficulties reminiscent of U.S. airline experiences... but with a different flavor.

Things were going swell... rolling along... about 2 hours from La Spezia... with one more connection to go. Well, at the stop *right* before the town I need to make a connection at... we sat there for awhile and then the train staff told everyone that since the train was about 25 minutes late, they just weren't going to go any further. No joke. I heard one Italian guy just rake a train staff guy over the coals... which is comforting since I don't get the impression that the Italians have gone mad.

The next train was late, but at least we made it to the next city and, lo and behold, I missed the connection to La Spezia by a few minutes. It was then either pay a few extra Euros for the Eurostar or wait an hour... so I took off on the Eurostar about 20 minutes later.

Got to La Spezia... seriously underestimated how far away Cinque Terre is from the train station there... and, since it was already 9PM, I took a taxi which cost 30 Euros (which kind of hurt, I might add). Also, the drive out makes the Ozarks' curvy roads seem pleasant. It was one hair-pin curve after another... at one point I looked out and we were about 200 to 300 feet above the ocean on a steep hillside. And, for all my advances in overcoming motion sickness... this was really testing it... the taxi driver made the turns really hard. And, to top off the night, he brought me to the wrong town! (Luckily, it was only 3 KM away).

Woozy, hungry, tired, and miffed out how much I've spent today, he dropped me off at the edge of Manarola (the towns appear to block regular through traffic). Walking down the hill, quiet and listening to the creek beside the road... seeing the first building of Manarola, it all became worth it. Sounds kind of funny, but it just clicked. There is a church and the town has a movie-like feel to it. The hostel has been great so far... laundry facilitys, friendly people, 5 min. token showers... yeah... and now I'm going to get a snack before lights out at midnight... 😊
http://homepage.sunrise.ch/homepage/avong/cinque_terre/

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Comments

[Rebecca]

beautiful pictures, as usual. may i have your express permission to use some of them as desktops and screen savers? hehehe.....hey, i hope you feel better! drink lots o' orange juice (or just borrow some oranges off those trees!)

[Augusta]

Looking up
Sounds like things are looking up. I wasn't able to look at your itinerary because I don't have the right program to read it. I'll have to ask that it be re-sent from Mom. Still can't wait fo you to be here in Bahrain....no more hostels! Woo hoo!