Happy December....
Yesterday I took the train from La Spezia to Rome, a very nice 4 hour ride along the Med Sea and through the farmlands of Tuscany and western Italy. It was very nice.
Cinque Terre was amazing, however my last two days there crazy storms rolled in off the sea. It made for some amazing storm watching and crazy surf, even spraying foam on the balcony of my apt...it was wild....but cabin fever set in a bit. Each day I set out for some walks, but the weather was brutal...cold wind and rain... I ended up back in the apt in the afternoon and just read for the most part...for hours.... :) It was a wine, cheese, and bread party...
Yesterday as the train headed south the skies opened up and the sun appeared. Given Rome is a much further south, it is a good 10 degrees warmer here. I welcomed the change.
I cant imagine visiting Rome in the summer. Last night, a Sun night in winter, the streets were full of tourists...quite the contrast from the village of Riomaggiore where I was for 5 nights. In Riomaggiore things were so relaxed....people ventured out in the morning, then after 1pm you would think the village had been abandoned....good luck even finding food until after 5pm.....then after about 9pm back to being abandoned. :) This is partly due to it being the off season and partly due to their normal schedule. Rome is quite the opposite, the options for food are endless and everything is open all day and night....and its always bustling with traffic and motor scooters. Cars arent even allowed in the villages of Cinque Terre, it was great.
Tomorrow my travels come to an end and I fly back to DC. I will spend the next couple of weeks with my family in Virginia, then return to Portland after Christmas. Its been a good run and look forward to returning to Italy and other countries in Europe in the future. In just over one month I hit Rome, Sitges, Barcelona, the olive farm in Tuscany, Pisa, La Spezia, and the villages of Cinque Terre....not bad at all..... I will post a few more pics later and call it good. Thanks for everyones support and kind messages over the past few weeks. Peace, T
Monday, December 1, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Cinque Terre - Day 4 - Happy Thanksgiving!
Ciao Turkey Eaters! Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope everyone is having a pleasant day with friends and family.
I am in the village of Riomaggiore, the southern most village of the Cinque Terre. I am still staying in an amazing one bedroom apt right on the water. The weather has continued to be beautiful each day - clear, crisp, warm in the mid day, and cold at night.
On the first day I hiked from Riomaggiore through Manarola, to Corniglia...covering the first three villages. The next day I took the train to the northern most village of Monterosso and hiked south to Vernazza. And today I hiked south from Vernazza, back through Corniglia, Manarola, and back to my apt in Riomaggiore. I have now hiked each leg of the coastal trail connecting all 5 villages. Needless to say, each leg is stunning, amazing, and ubelievable in its scenery. I feel blessed to have had such great weather each day. http://goeurope.about.com/cs/cinqueterr1/l/bl_cinque_map.htm
I have formed a bit of routine staying here...... each morning I wake up and go to the cafe in Riomaggiore for espresso and a pastry. I then take the train or hike to the nearby villages and explore until late afternoon. After walking all day I return to the apt for a late lunch and wine. I then read on the terrace and watch the sunset until 5pmish. My terrace is ridiculously awesome. Right on the water, possibly one of the best spots in all of Riomaggiore. I still cant figure out why Dominico gave it to me at such a low price. Regardless, I am absolutely loving it and the sunset each night on the Mediterranean is beyond description. After the sunsets the clear sky becomes full of stars over the sea, and the whole scene is just really unbelievable. At night I make dinner, watch some BBC or CNN :) and usually crash very early. As it is November, there is no night life at all here and even by day the streets are close to empty. Many businesses are closed for the season, but there is just enough open to make it pleasant and relaxing. I love it.
I really just cant believe what I have stumbled into here - from the apt, to the trails, to the villages, to the perfect weather....its all hard to believe at times.
I have to admit today I certainly thought of all of you today as it is Thanksgiving and felt a bit lonely after a month now of sightseeing alone...all this solo walking everyday...thank goodness for my Ipod. :) But I certainly cant complain, I feel very blessed, and this has been the highlight of my travels thus far.
I have to be out of the apt on Sunday morning. Dominico has offered me two other units to move to if I wish to stay longer, but I think I will be ready to move on by Sunday. I will keep you posted and hopefully be able to post more pics of my hikes along the coastal trail called Sentiero Azzuro. From this computer I cannot post any pics of my hike today, but it included sections through high mountain side olive groves where locals were harvesting as I passed by, and as always stunning views of the sea, the villages from the high ridges, and the many vineyards carved into the mountain sides. Its really all just unbelievable.....
On this Thanksgiving, please send your thoughts and prayers to the people of Mumbai, India who are suffering through a tragic terrorist attack that started yesterday...... We are all very blessed to be where we are. Peace, T
I hope everyone is having a pleasant day with friends and family.
I am in the village of Riomaggiore, the southern most village of the Cinque Terre. I am still staying in an amazing one bedroom apt right on the water. The weather has continued to be beautiful each day - clear, crisp, warm in the mid day, and cold at night.
On the first day I hiked from Riomaggiore through Manarola, to Corniglia...covering the first three villages. The next day I took the train to the northern most village of Monterosso and hiked south to Vernazza. And today I hiked south from Vernazza, back through Corniglia, Manarola, and back to my apt in Riomaggiore. I have now hiked each leg of the coastal trail connecting all 5 villages. Needless to say, each leg is stunning, amazing, and ubelievable in its scenery. I feel blessed to have had such great weather each day. http://goeurope.about.com/cs/cinqueterr1/l/bl_cinque_map.htm
I have formed a bit of routine staying here...... each morning I wake up and go to the cafe in Riomaggiore for espresso and a pastry. I then take the train or hike to the nearby villages and explore until late afternoon. After walking all day I return to the apt for a late lunch and wine. I then read on the terrace and watch the sunset until 5pmish. My terrace is ridiculously awesome. Right on the water, possibly one of the best spots in all of Riomaggiore. I still cant figure out why Dominico gave it to me at such a low price. Regardless, I am absolutely loving it and the sunset each night on the Mediterranean is beyond description. After the sunsets the clear sky becomes full of stars over the sea, and the whole scene is just really unbelievable. At night I make dinner, watch some BBC or CNN :) and usually crash very early. As it is November, there is no night life at all here and even by day the streets are close to empty. Many businesses are closed for the season, but there is just enough open to make it pleasant and relaxing. I love it.
I really just cant believe what I have stumbled into here - from the apt, to the trails, to the villages, to the perfect weather....its all hard to believe at times.
I have to admit today I certainly thought of all of you today as it is Thanksgiving and felt a bit lonely after a month now of sightseeing alone...all this solo walking everyday...thank goodness for my Ipod. :) But I certainly cant complain, I feel very blessed, and this has been the highlight of my travels thus far.
I have to be out of the apt on Sunday morning. Dominico has offered me two other units to move to if I wish to stay longer, but I think I will be ready to move on by Sunday. I will keep you posted and hopefully be able to post more pics of my hikes along the coastal trail called Sentiero Azzuro. From this computer I cannot post any pics of my hike today, but it included sections through high mountain side olive groves where locals were harvesting as I passed by, and as always stunning views of the sea, the villages from the high ridges, and the many vineyards carved into the mountain sides. Its really all just unbelievable.....
On this Thanksgiving, please send your thoughts and prayers to the people of Mumbai, India who are suffering through a tragic terrorist attack that started yesterday...... We are all very blessed to be where we are. Peace, T
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore
Yesterday I braved the elements and took the train from La Spezia to the first village of the Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore. I picked up the trail there and hiked through the first 3 villages and took many pics, some of which I was able to upload last night. The weather improved and while gray skies persisted a bit, it didnt rain on me much at all.
While I was in Riomaggiore, on a whim, I popped into a Property Mgmt office to inquire about apartments. I met a very nice man named Dominico who had a few to offer at prices I couldnt believe. It is the lowest of the low season here now as the fishing season just ended, apparently many apts and rooms are sitting empty. I still couldnt believe the prices he was offering. I agreed to meet with him this morning and go from there.
I am now in Riomaggiore. I left La Spezia this morning by train and reconnected with Dominico. He showed me three apts, all were insanely cheap. I chose one with a balcony right on the water. :) Its a very nice one bedroom apt, with a kitchen, private bath, and beautiful (and huge) balcony hanging over the rocks with the sea crashing below. Its insane. I took pics, but the computers at this internet point dont allow external hardware, so Im not sure when I.ll get to upload any. From here I will explore the other 4 villages each day and hike the many miles of trails connecting each. Ive already made my first trip to the market for pasta, vegetables, bread, cheese, and wine. I.ll feel like a local after being here a week!
Needless to say, Im in a bit of heaven...in Cinque Terre for at least the next 5+ days....no worries about navigating trains or buses or where to go next....and staying in accomodations I never dreamed I would stumble into for so few euros.
Im hoping to find an internet point in one of the other villages that will allow me to upload pics of my apt and more of the gorgeous surroundings. I still have yet to explore Vernazza or Monterosso.
Someone tell Steve Laggizzino Im thinking of him right now. :)
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Peace, T
While I was in Riomaggiore, on a whim, I popped into a Property Mgmt office to inquire about apartments. I met a very nice man named Dominico who had a few to offer at prices I couldnt believe. It is the lowest of the low season here now as the fishing season just ended, apparently many apts and rooms are sitting empty. I still couldnt believe the prices he was offering. I agreed to meet with him this morning and go from there.
I am now in Riomaggiore. I left La Spezia this morning by train and reconnected with Dominico. He showed me three apts, all were insanely cheap. I chose one with a balcony right on the water. :) Its a very nice one bedroom apt, with a kitchen, private bath, and beautiful (and huge) balcony hanging over the rocks with the sea crashing below. Its insane. I took pics, but the computers at this internet point dont allow external hardware, so Im not sure when I.ll get to upload any. From here I will explore the other 4 villages each day and hike the many miles of trails connecting each. Ive already made my first trip to the market for pasta, vegetables, bread, cheese, and wine. I.ll feel like a local after being here a week!
Needless to say, Im in a bit of heaven...in Cinque Terre for at least the next 5+ days....no worries about navigating trains or buses or where to go next....and staying in accomodations I never dreamed I would stumble into for so few euros.
Im hoping to find an internet point in one of the other villages that will allow me to upload pics of my apt and more of the gorgeous surroundings. I still have yet to explore Vernazza or Monterosso.
Someone tell Steve Laggizzino Im thinking of him right now. :)
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Peace, T
Monday, November 24, 2008
La Spezia
Ciao Freedom Lovers! Im in La Spezia. Its very nice, a port town on the sea. Its a 10 min train ride from the first village of Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore. Im about to head there now and hop on the coastal trail that leads through all 5 villages.
The weather has turned a bit nasty. Its very cold and rainy. I had taken for granted the weather conditions given how nice its been over the past 3 weeks. I am still going to brave the elements :) and explore today. Hopefully it will improve by mid week.....
Gobble Gobble. -T
The weather has turned a bit nasty. Its very cold and rainy. I had taken for granted the weather conditions given how nice its been over the past 3 weeks. I am still going to brave the elements :) and explore today. Hopefully it will improve by mid week.....
Gobble Gobble. -T
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