Cinque Terre

For some reason, the name of this national park kept reminding me of a fraternity brother's habit of saying "Tierra Del Fuego!"

Actually, judging by the beauty of this trip, I may know why it kept coming to mind. The views we had today can probably be topped only by the island near Antarctica.

The day started out overcast and dull, with the added bonus of a two-hour train ride out to an Italian national park named Cinque Terre. The name means "Five Lands," and the park's main attraction is a trail with a length of eight miles that links five coastal villages along the Ligurian Sea.

The trip was suggested by Jen, a graduate student with the study abroad program. She and Danielle, the director of the study abroad program, had made the trip a few weeks ago and thought it would be fun.

Our train ride took us to Riamaggiore was socked in by fog at times, which limited the views on our way. Before entering the station, we went through a fairly long tunnel, and at the end we were greeted with a sweeping panoramic of the Ligurian.

The small town marked the beginning of the first trail, Via Del Amore, or the Trail of Love. It was a one-mile hike to the next city, Manarola, which we walked fairly easily though.

The towns themselves seem carved out of the steep faces of the mountains that plunge into the sea. Centuries old storefronts and villas overlook the rocky shoreline, providing a sense of tranquility.

Even though we were hot, sweaty and hiking.

The next leg of the trip was a two-mile hike to Corniglia. At that point, we decided it would be prudent to catch a train, since the other trails began to get increasingly diffuclt. In fact, the two miles to Corniglia were some of the toughest walking we've done since we've been here.

It was amazing to see not only houses but gardens perched on the side of the hill. Jim pointed out a "tractor," which consisted of a seat with a motor that was used on a rail to lug the farmer and his goods up and down the sheer sides of his vineyards.

After waiting for about an hour, the train arrived and we rode to Vernazza, where the decided we would take our lunch.

Wow.

Walking down into the city was like being taken back in time. Even though it was a popular tourist destination, the little village seemed to have not changed over time. There were numerous ristorantes to choose from, and the two of us chose the Ristorante Belforte.

The restaurant had a beautiful view from the point of the city, although several others were noted even higher up the side of the sheer cliffs, Nonetheless, our view was breathtaking, and included a sea gull that perched on the railing behind Crystal waiting for a handout.

Eventually, one of the cooks did bring it out a plate of anchovies. He seemed pleased.

I think the seafood was grabbed out of the sea, and the menu boasted of vegetables taken from local gardens. It was great.

We hung around the city while our group reassembled and I took the opportunity to snap a few shots of residents watching the tourists take over their tiny town. It was a beautiful place.

Our last stop on the ride was the beach resort town of Monterossa. This was the icing on the cake.

A beautiful sandy beach which eventually blended back into the rocky shoreline we were accustomed to, this tiny town seemed like the Italian answer to Eureka Springs. You went from your train immediately to the beach, walking along it until you reached a tunnel that took you back under the tracks and through a hillside to reach the center of the city.

The city itself was tiny, dotted with shops and ristorantes as well as two ancient churches, one of which was undergoing renovation. I did my duty by leaving a Euro in the donation box as instructed.

Crystal and I roamed the backstreets, marvelling at the structures and the people of the city. We stopped for gelato and sat at the municipal building listening to some older men discuss something.

It could have been anything, really. The soccer game that the young men in the bar were loudly celebrating when goals were scored, the nagging of their wives, the direction in which the sun rose this morning, anything. But their expressiveness and gesturing was a treat to behold.

We roamed the city some more before catching the 6 p.m. train back to Riamaggiore, in order to catch the 6:45 train back to Florence. En route, we passed through Pisa, which will be our trip tomorrow afternoon.

I really doubt it can match today, though. I'm ready to open a photo shop in Vernazza, personally.

Ciao for now!