Back to Italia

Things have been super busy here and we're waaayyyyy behind on our posts. We haven't finished talking about Italia yet - and since we left that wonderful land, nearly a month has passed and we've been to four other countries!

To refresh your memory (and mine), when we last left our heroes (in Italy), they were examining the antiquated underground pigeon farms of Orvieto. Orvieto was roughly the halfway point of our trip, which looked essentially like this:

1. Pisa ☑ (A)
   
2. La Spezia and The Cinque Terre ☑ (B-C)
   
3. Florence (D)
   
4. San Gimignano ☑ (E)
   
5. Sienna ☑ (F)
   
6. Orvieto ☑ (G)
   
7. Rome (H)
   
8. Sorrento, Almalfi Coast, Capri (I)
   
9. Mt. Vesuvius (J)
   

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So it seems that the next city up is Florence!

Hiking the Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre is one of Italy's beautiful, coastal gems. We were lucky enough to spend three days in the national park hiking along the coastal cliffs and sunbathing on almost-private beaches. The weather was beautiful and the flowers were in full bloom; I don't think it could have been any prettier.

The first morning we hiked between four of the towns and ended up at the Lemon Festival in Monterosso. We started the day in Manarola, the second town. From here we took the flat, 45 minute hike and killer switch-back stairs to Corniglia.After exploring the town of Corniglia, we headed out on the hour and half walk to Vernazza. The views coming up on Vernazza are breathtaking and make you want to pick-up and move the Cinque Terre.
We grab slices of pizza and enjoyed a harbor side picnic. After lunch, we started the up and down and up and down hike to Monterosso, the last of the five towns. Just before arriving in town we bought lemons from terrace farmer; you would never believe how sweet and delicious a lemon can be after a long hike. The Lemon Festival was in full swing when we arrived into town a few moments later.After enjoying some lemoncello, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and sweet lemons, we spent the afternoon sunning on the rocks just off the beach.
We ended the day by taking the Via Dell'Amore stroll from Manarola to Riomaggiore to watch the sun set over the Ligurian Sea. We climbed down off the path and watch the sunset from some rocks in the water.

And, of course, you can find more pictures of this beautiful place here.

Welcome to Italy

Laura and I have been traveling in Italy for the last week for our "summer holiday," as it is known in Europe. We started in Pisa, then trekked to the Cinque Terre, gazed at magnificent art in Florence, then visited the hill-top triumvirate of San Gimignano, Sienna, and Orvieto. Most recently, we've been seeing the sites of Rome. Pictures and more details will be coming soon, but first I'll give you my personal orientation to Italy.

Everything in Italy - particularly middle to southern Italy where we have been - exists in one (or some combination) of the following three states:

1. Disrepair
   
2. Complete abandonment
   
3. Covered in a thin layer of grime
   

As negative as all of that may sound, it all contributes to the incredible atmosphere of the country, which is frenzied and unique and friendly and (this week) blazingly hot, and yes, also obscenely beautiful. After all, how can we expect a country dotted with the remnants of "the ancients" not to be in disrepair?

We have seen the pastel buildings of the Cinque Terre clinging to hills on the oceanside, smelled the fresh lemons in the terrace groves, seen the Italian laundry wafting in the breeze from city balconies, climbed thousands of steps, eaten more gelato than should be allowed in a lifetime, walked through underground caves, stood in awe of some of the world's finest masterpieces, retraced the steps of Roman Caesars, and - most importantly - we've managed not to get anything stolen.

"Holiday" isn't the right word at all. We're on an adventure. Welcome along for the ride.