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| Cinque Terre is actually 5 mountainside towns on Italy's northwest coast. Vernazza is town #4 |
| Erin's Cinque Terre Journals 5-24-02 As has become our custom, we left Florence all in a rush. We got up normally, showered and packed, and somehow were almost late for our train. But we did make it, which was a relief. We headed for La Spezia, the jumping-off point for the 5 towns that make up Cinque Terre. We'd heard it was really close by train, and would likely be cheaper in accomodations as well, so the plan was to get off there, explore rooming options in town and if needed to call ahead to find a room in Cinque Terre. Well, the train was packed almost the entire way there, so we stood for most of the hour and a half to get there in a cramped connector compartment. Then once we departed in La Spezia, we found that the information booth at the train station had very recently closed (they still had signs up pointing to a non-existent service desk), and the only other place to find hotel info was to walk around or go all the way down the slope to the dock area. We declined to do that on such a hot day with our heavy packs, and jumped on the next train to Cinque Terre instead, to risk it. After a little book research and some advice from friends, Glenn had determined that Vernazza (town 4 out of 5) was a likely place to offer a pleasant stay. So we departed the train there, walked down to the harbor area (a short walk this time), and were heading for the Albergo Barbara (recommended by his friend from former workplace), when we were approached by an elderly lady who asked us if we needed a room. We agreed, and she took us across the square to her residence, where she had 2 rooms to let overlooking the harbor square and water. We bargained her down a bit and accepted the room, thinking with relish of the evenings listening to the crashing waves right downstairs. We agreed to stay for 3 nights to get this deal, and she was glad to agree - less trips up three flights of stairs to show her room to others! We arrived in town in early afternoon, and quickly found lunch. The pizza wasn't great, but the view was unbeatable. We were sitting under some colorful large umbrellas just inches from the breakwater of the harbor, where waves were crashing up and making a big show for us. After eating, we wandered around a bit to check out views and restaurants for possible dinner sites later. Then we camped out to catch some rays in the afternoon sun on some of the big boulders of the breakwater. I found a great spot, which was right behind the rocks that were getting wet but still far enough out that people weren't walking over me to get further out. Glenn joined me, and minutes later a big wave came and soaked us both! So we got up and moved across the harbor to some much higher rocks, and sunbathed peacefully for a couple more hours. When it started getting a bit chilly, we went by the local grocery store and picked up some salami, cheese, bread, wine and cookies for dinner, and brought them back to the room. I had to run around a bit down in the square to find a place that would open the wine for me - we've gotta get a bottle opener out here somewhere!!! But overall it was a very nice evening indoors. Glenn had picked up a copy of James Patterson's 1st To Die, and ended up enjoying it. This is nothing short of a miracle, as Glenn does not read for pleasure and especially not fiction. But he sped through over 100 pages that first day alone, and I was pleased to read my book alongside! We shot some pretty sunset photos out of our window around 9:30pm, then called it a night. |