But This Time I Didn’t

The day of departure is always fraught with tension and anxiety. I should remember this when planning, but I always seem to forget. I should plan these days so that I leave in the morning and just head on to the next leg of my journey, but instead I try to milk every last second out of every trip, thus ending up in the same situation every single time. I planned it so that we would have until early afternoon in Cinque Terre before moving on to Pordenone. We didn’t want to walk too far, in case we were too late coming back. We didn’t want to go to another town, in case we lost track of time and didn’t get back in time for our trains. There was all this worry because we had many legs of a train journey to reach our destinations, or at least I did. So, we dawdled around Vernazza all morning and waited…

The shops were open, the town was bustling and the “business centre” was hopping. We went back to our favourite shop, Katrina’s, and we tried on a variety of clothes. Nina had already bought a handbag there about 10 minutes after we arrived in the town on our first day. I had seen a dress (or 3) that I loved and had decided I would go back and try them on even though I swore I wouldn’t buy any clothes while on holiday. (Bringing only a carry-on is the best budget-minder). Katrina’s is owned by Katrina, an American who came to Italy, fell in love with the place and a man (though not necessarily in that order), and hasn’t looked back since. That was almost 6 years ago. She still talks about the states but seems to have settled in nicely to life over here. Though her shop is tiny, there is tons to see and she always has time for a chat. We visited with her a few times while in Vernazza. In the end, Nina bought a jacket and I did buy a dress. She gave us stories and we were happy to give her our business.

I bought a tile from an Irishman who had prime retail space right at the harbor. His wife had owned the shop for 20 years but the town had told them they had to move out. Another foreigner that came to the Cinque Terre, fell in love and never left. No one expects it to happen, or plans for it, but years pass and before you know it they are looking back and marveling at it all.

We spent some time in the church. It is cold and dark but such a fantastic space- today it was the perfect place to sit, to think, to listen to my own thoughts and to dream. If you sit quietly you can hear the waves crashing against the shore. If you look towards the windows you can see the sea. It is in just the right spot to sit and appreciate all that is around you.

We wandered up the path that led to Monterosso, knowing we weren’t going to do the walk but wanting just one last picture of Vernazza from up the hill. The path took us through the back alleyways, climbing stairs and passing by beautiful doors that led to mysterious spaces. As we walked past, seeing names on doors or things people had hung out to decorate their space, I wondered who lived there, and what they did. The locals always fascinate me. I love wandering in and out of the shops, asking questions and learning everyone’s story. This is one thing I love most about travelling. It’s the places and the sights that I love to photograph but it’s the stories and my time with people all around the world that claim a small piece of my heart which I leave all around the world. I love talking with them and getting a feel for life in the town. And I love imagining what life would be like if I were just to stay.

But this time I didn’t. Shopping, lunch and then it was time to say goodbye. It was good to hang out with Nina and though a short visit, we had an awesome time and I did all that I hoped to do and saw all that I had hoped to see in the Cinque Terre. The rest of my day was pretty uneventful. I did feel that I needed to redeem myself after almost getting on the wrong train the other day, so I went and asked about catching an earlier train and ended up hopping from train to train and rushing around a few stations. I went from Vernazza to La Spezia to Pisa to Firenze to Pordenone, changing trains in between. A lot of trains, (perhaps too many), but I made it and made all my connections without any problem!

By the time I arrived in Pordenone, it was 9:30. I was tired but my uncle and cousins had waited for me for dinner so after stopping at another cousin’s house to say hello, we headed to my other cousin’s pizzeria. How wonderful it is to be surrounded by family. I love that as soon as I stepped off the train I saw my relatives waiting, and went up with a hug and a kiss as if 5 years hadn’t passed since the last time I saw them.

Some yummy food, good chats and a nice drink to end the night and it was time to head home. While it may not be my real home, it truly does feel like I am coming home when I am here. When I visit, my uncle always goes to such trouble to make sure that things are just right for me. It’s so sweet and I really do appreciate it. I know he’s a dedicated bachelor and so it’s not really his style to have someone else in his space. But tonight I came home to a lovely new duvet on the bed, some chocolates and water on the dresser and extra blankets in case I got cold.

I went upstairs and headed to my bedroom. I was expecting to be in “my” room, the room in which I spent my 21^st year and all my other visits since, but instead my uncle followed behind me and told me I would be staying in the front room. My Nonna’s room. This was her space. Until Dad and I moved her down to the front room a couple years before she passed away, this was where she always slept. This was where I could hear her snoring and this is where I crept past quietly when I came in late and this is where she would call out to me to say good night.

By the time we came home from dinner it was almost midnight. I was tired. I really just wanted to throw my head down on the pillow and crash. But instead I unpacked. I hung up all my clothes and emptied my bag. I arranged all my stuff and then went and got ready for bed. And then I started typing.

I didn’t want to go to bed and not record how I was feeling. I wanted to make note of how it felt to pull up to the house. I wanted to note how I broke out into a big smile when I saw the gate open and the building where the rabbits and chickens used to be. I wanted to write about how when the key turned in the door to come inside my shoulders relaxed and I exhaled. I still call this Nonna’s house even though she’s been gone a few years now. Even though she’s no longer here, I feel her everywhere with me when I am here, especially in her room. The year I spent here with her left such an impression on me. I love Italy, I love everything Italian and she is a part of all of that. So even though I was tired, I spent the last hour thinking about her, crying because I won’t see her again and I miss her, especially when I am here. We had so many good talks- I never knew if she really understood what I was saying, but she was a wonderful listener. I will spend the next few days talking to her. I feel close to her. As always, I feel blessed. Every night we exchanged a “buon riposo” and a kiss and hug. Buon Riposo, Nonna. xo

You Climb the Hill and I Will Wait With the Old Ladies

What a day! Let’s just start by saying that Cinque Terre was all that I had imagined, and more! What an amazing place! If I had more time… I can definitely see why women fall in love with the place and never leave. If I had a few more days…

We decided to take Rick Steves along with us for the journey. I have travelled with him before and his self-guided walking tours are excellent and his reviews and suggestions are usually spot on! I find him a very trustworthy companion, indeed. And the fact that I can shove him in my bag when I don’t need him anymore makes him even more perfect! 🙂

We bought our day pass and decided that we would walk some and train the other sections of the hike. They say it’s a 4-5 hour hike through all the villages but unfortunately 2 of the 4 hikes are closed due to flooding and mudslides. Trails are hopefully going to be re-opened later this year, but as of this morning, the only ones open were between town #5 and #4 and #4 and #3, as Nina calls them. That’s Monteroosso al Mare to Vernazza and Vernazza to Corniglia. We are staying in Vernazza so it’s perfect for us. As Rick Steves, and many other guide books state, these are the steepest and hardest of the trails and of course, these were the only two we could do.

We set out this morning after a lovely breakfast of bruschetta and coffee at a little cafe downstairs. Il Pirata (there is a long history of the pirates who raided and attacked the Cinque Terre) is owned and operated by Massimo and Gianluca,twin brothers who have brought a little piece of Sicily to Cinque Terre with their cannoli, various other pastries and sense of humour.

We were prepared for the hike ahead, though I am not sure we really imagined what 365+ steps would look like. What we did know, however, was that the estimated time of 90 minutes was a gross underestimate since we both knew we would stop every two minutes to take pictures. It was good we started early in the day and it was soooo good that I wore my runners as the hike was steep and often not so smooth. Comfy shoes were a must- I can’t imagine why anyone would do it in heels or flip-flops.

The villages we passed through were quaint and oh-so-isolated! The wildflowers were lovely and so colourful and made the walk even prettier. Fields of tiny spring flowers; orchids outside houses obviously thriving in the local weather; lemon (massive ones!), orange and grapefruit-filled trees; irises as big as a dinner plate; rosemary hedges and vineyards- the smells were outstanding!  In Venezia everything is done on water and this is a challenge for them; here they have to bring everything up stairs and hills. Such hard work!

Corniglia was small and quaint. We had the most delicious gelato at Alberto’s Gelateria. I tried the one made from local honey but then went with limone and basil! What a delightful combination. We took some time to sit and enjoy the view, Nina dropped her camera and then we went down another hundred or so stairs to the train station. We weren’t sure our knees would hold up at this point!

From here we went on the train to Riomaggiore. Here’s where we took our first Rick Steves’ tour. We wandered along, went in to the church and then decided to have some lunch. We had decided this morning that we would have something to either eat or drink in each of the villages. I would have been happy to have gelato in each of the 5 in an effort to compare at the end, but since Rick Steves has said that Alberto’s was the best in all of Cinque Terre I was okay with having other stuff in the other towns.In Riomaggiore it was “il cono speciale” at Siamo Fritti. It was a big cone filled with fried fish of all sort (including baccalà) and some fried veg (super healthy, of course!). After this we went to the harbour and took pictures of the angry sea. I can’t get over how it crashes and hurls itself at the shore. People were daring it and carelessly going on the rocks only to be almost caught up in the crashing waves. A man sat peacefully fishing while the waves crashed and rolled around him. It was amazing! He was obviously a local who was used to this. I could have stood for hours and watched as the waves pounded the shore- in fact I took so many pictures of the waves that you could actually play through them quickly and watch the action. I know the sea must be calmer at times. There’s a boat that take people from town to town but that isn’t running while the sea is so rough, and there are “beaches” and swimming holes in most of the towns. And there are stairs that would lead you to the water’s edge, only while the seas are battering the shore, they are easily climbing up the stairs themselves.

On to Manarola next, which might have been our favourite town in the end. We started off, grabbed a coffee and then went straight to where the view seemed best. After we thought we would take a little time and do a little more wandering. This was Rick Steves second tour for us, and again, it was a winner! Up through the town, to the church and bell tower, through the vineyards and rows of lemon trees, purple heather and rosemary, past the wooden stations of the cross in the mountain that some man made as a tribute to his father, and then into the cemetery where I took what might be my favourite photo of all five villages.

Back on the train, we headed to #5-Monterosso al Mare which is an interesting combination of new and old. We were in need of a toilet so went to a bar to order some food and drinks so we could use theirs and not the public one in the centre of town. The town was really devastated by a flood in 2011 and they have been rebuilding ever since. We walked through the old town, saw that striped churches and the oratory of the dead, which was interesting. Apparently people who belong to that confraternity (of the dead) still use the building when someone dies and there’s a funeral. It was in a pretty poor state of disrepair but the skeletons all around, with the cherubs, were interesting. Very different.

This was the last of the 5 for us and it was the only one I couldn’t photograph as there isn’t really a way to get the houses with the water as they are separated. I was pretty determined and Nina was a good sport. We took a “short cut” that seemed to climb pretty steadily which wasn’t easy with our weary legs. We were getting closer but I still wasn’t satisfied. In the end, I walked out on a staircase that was getting pretty close to the crashing waves and I lay on what we think used to be an old lighthouse (if my italian served me correctly) in order to get the best shot I could. Nina didn’t want to join me so she kept my bag (and the keys to our room, in case I didn’t make it back) and stayed with the old ladies on the bench, far away from the edge of the road. I could have stayed for hours, listening to the waves pounding the shore, watching them roll back and then crash full force in to the rocks. Every now and again everything would go silent. I would look cautiously over the edge of where I lay in amazement that the sea had calmed only to witness it building up again and getting ready to pummel the steadfast rock wall. It was only when I felt the spray of the water that I realized it was time to climb back up.

We missed the next train back by just a couple of minutes as Nina was afraid if she called down to me and startled me I would lose my balance and topple in to the sea. So we went to a bar where we could listen to the waves crash under us as we sipped prosecco, and nibbled on some olives and potato chips. A great end to our trek of the Cinque Terre National Park.

Back to Vernazza for dinner- stuffed mussels for me and trofie (pasta) with pesto for Nina and then home. I think sleep will come quickly tonight. We have the morning to do some more exploring (we are going to work on a better shot of Vernazza) and then it’s off to Pordenone for me as we will say arrivederci aloe Cinque Terre!

I Didn’t Know Cinque Terre Had Five Towns!

I knew today was going to be busy, so I made sure I was all packed and ready to go before going to bed last night. I set my alarm for 6 to do some last minute bits with the idea that I would head to the market at the Rialto for 7am when they opened. Imagine my surprise when I stopped in Piazza San Marco to take some pictures and found that it was unusually foggy and wet towards the water. Men in funny hats and clothes were milling about, the fog was rolling in and the sun was just coming up over the gondolas bathing everything in an eerie glow. Of course, I had my camera out and at the ready.

What an awesome location for a movie set! And what a surprise to come upon it. I think I might have taken the picture that will make it on to the wall above my bed. I think…

I made my way to the markets only to find that most weren’t open yet. I wandered around the area congratulating myself for having found my way so easily and only getting lost once. I wished I could stay longer and wait for the stall owners to set up (they were all coming in with their boats laden down with fruits and vegetables and such) but there was so much to do and I had a schedule to keep. As Henry A. Kissinger once said, “There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” That’s how I felt today. If I hadn’t had my tickets bought and someone to meet, maybe I would have been more flexible but that just wasn’t the case.

Shockingly, (or not so,really) the water transportation workers were on strike today, just during the hours that i needed to buy my tickets. I managed to figure out the self-service machine and got my ticket and was on my way. I was starting to wonder if I should have just braved it and walked the way to the station. In the end I was happy I hadn’t as I thoroughly enjoyed the ferry ride along the Grand Canal to the station. As I watched people sipping coffee on their balconies overlooking the canal, I thought that I could definitely live in Venice. There is a magic about the city. Everything is done by boat-from mail service to laundry service for the hotels, to construction workers bringing all their materials to sites to people mover across the canal.

It was a good thing that I arrived early to the station. I needed to pick up all my train tickets (I had 6 in total) and the line up was long. I took a number for tickets and then went back for a number for the information line. I had numbers for both lines, figuring whichever got called first could surely handle my questions. Good strategy as my first number hadn’t been called by the time my second number did. With tickets in hand, I boarded my first train for Florence.

The train was clean and quiet and before i knew it, I was in Florence. The next connection was just as easy and I easily found the train for La Spezia. This was a different experience. There were homeless people asking for money, women giving cards for you to read about their families and how they needed money, loud families running up and down the aisles and some rather shady looking young men who were up to no good. I had debated choosing a quieter, emptier car but realized afterwards that it wouldn’t be wise to be on my own with all my luggage.

I was doing so well, proud of myself for all my preparation and how it was all paying off only to hear a woman yelling at some man about the wrong trains etc. I got off to look at the board, the doors shut and the train started moving. Luckily I took all my stuff because it turned out that I was on the wrong train! Not sure where I would have ended up but I was happy the crazy lady scared me enough to send me off the train. The ride to Vernazza was uneventful and quiet. It was through a lot of dark tunnels and when tree was suddenly daylight, I gasped, jumped up and grabbed my camera. It was like I had never seen the sea before- I couldn’t stop grinning and snapping happily.

We haven’t made it out of the town yet. We wandered a little, ate some dinner (fritter mista and apple cake), did a little shopping and are now back at the hotel to blog and plan our day tomorrow. We are hoping for good weather as we have lots of ground to cover, even more than Nina had imagined as she really didn’t know there were five towns in Cinque Terre!