Leaving Cinque Terre

Our last day in Cinque Terre was windy!

Sunday, we woke up and Mom was ready to linger over a cup of coffee. I went with her to the twins' place, where we enjoyed cappuccinos and their decadent breakfasts. Once again I had the ricotta cheese with sugar and cinnamon. Britt and Sandy joined us and afterwards we walked through the town before packing our bags. Today was overcast at times and windy.

We packed our bags at our place and Ivo assured us he would help us take them down the 6 treacherous flights, which was a relief. We checked the train times at the internet café and then walked down to the waterfront to check on the ferry schedule and I observed how choppy the waters were as a result of the wind. Then we noticed that there was no ferry desk and surmised that the ferries were not running today. The wind was so strong that at some time during the night it carried my blue top off the laundry line even though I had a clothes pin attaching it to the line. Mom and I asked around to see if anyone had seen a wayward blue top but no one had.

So we enjoyed the view of the choppy water for a few minutes before going to have lunch. I had a slice of pesto pizza and then shared some pizza and salad with Mom. I’ve noticed that the food in Italy is prepared meticulously and the presentation is artistic. It is serious stuff…much more than just sustenance for your body. One of our guides described religion as being a pervasive throughout the culture of Italy. I have enjoyed seeing the mosaics on the wall, such as Christ’s monogram and the mosaics of the Pieta, which were in the walls on Vernazza’s main street. Practically all the buildings have these touches, and the music of church bells ringing is frequent. Food in Italy is also central, much more so than in other countries, to the country's social and cultural identity.

Ivo helped us carry our bags and we ascended the hill towards the train station. Our train was delayed by about ten minutes; this was the second time this had happened in the past few days. I guess Italian trains aren’t as punctual as some others.

We hopped the train with all our baggage to Sestri Levante. There we evidently didn’t get off the train at the correct time and missed the Genova connection. So we waited in Sestri Levante for about 40 minutes before catching the next one. Now we are riding the train towards Genova and should arrive in about 35 minutes. In Genova I am looking forward to seeing the Old Town and the home that is believed to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus.

What I loved about Vernazza and Cinque Terre: the ferry, walking the hills, pesto, gorgeous views of the water and the sun setting over the water, sunshine, hanging clothes out on the line and having them dry in the AM, the casual nature of the place (this is a place where North Face labels are abundant)…no high heels here!

Advice to travelers going to Cinque Terre (and mostly for me if I ever go back): take casual clothes and layers. Get in shape before you go. Also, you really only need to spend 2 full days there to enjoy the hiking, shopping, food, etc. in the 5 towns at a relaxing pace. Hike between all 5 towns but also find some time to take the ferry!