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.

Domburg & the Beach

On Thursday morning, before embarking on an epic journey to Bruges, we headed out to the beach to walk along the ocean and pick up sea shells. The beaches in the Netherlands are beautiful - mostly due to the fact that they have not allowed building close to the water or on the dunes. Now if only the water wasn't 60 degrees in the summertime...

Peace Palace

On Tuesday, dad and I rode our bikes to Scheveningen Pier and back. It was a quiet day on the North Sea, but I can imagine the crowds and activity on summer weekend.













On the way back we stopped at the Peace Palace in The Hague. The building was completed in 1913 and was designed to be a place to arbitrate disagreements between states, international companies, and treaties. Currently the building houses the Permanent Court of Arbitration, Hague Academy of International Law, International Court of Justice, Carnegie Foundation, and Carnegie Library. However, contrary to popular thought and my own, it is not where they try war criminals. This building is only for matters of the states and international organizations.


While the building was paid for by Andrew Carnegie and designed by the French architect Louis M. Cordonnier, the interior design and decor is a collaboration between the many countries that make up the UN. I wish I could post pictures but photography was not allowed inside; so you will just have to come visit and see for yourself.

The room that impressed me the most was the "Japan Room". The walls were decorated with handwoven tapestries that 48,000 people worked to complete. The front of the room had four 600 year old Ming Vases that were in immaculate shape. The "Japan Room" is where the council meets to go over administrative items and such, and so each country has its own chair for its diplomat/ambassador to sit in. On the chairs are hand embroidered crests of each country. The floor covering is the second largest, single piece Turkish rug - and despite all the foot traffic over the years is in surprising wonderful shape.


Outside of the Peace Palace is The World Peace Flame Monument. In the center is a flame that was lit from a torch from all seven continents. The flame is surrounded by The World Peace Flame Pathway. In the pathway there are 196 stones, one from each of the United Nation states and 6 others, brought by their ambassadors/diplomats from their home country. We looked for the stone from The United States on the map of the monument, but someone had crossed it off the diagram.

To the North Sea or Bust!

And bust we almost did.

Armed with bikes, the camera, a blanket, and a Fiets map that proudly proclaims "Miles of bike paths with easy to follow signs," we headed off to the North Sea. Anticipating a short seven mile ride, we hoped to stop off at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague and be on the beach by lunch time. Somewhere along the way we missed the sign for Route 44 - most likely because a group of rowdy teenagers spray painted over it and any other surface nearby.

Unfortunately, by the time we realized the lack of signage, we were happily biking through Leidshendam and a few miles north of The Hague. Turn around. Pedal. Pedal. Pedal.

Rijswijk? What? Isn't that city south of the Hague? Turn around. Pedal. Pedal. Pedal.

Ahhh! Those buildings with the colorful local nicknames...Finally The Hague!

After a trip through the Gemeentemuseum - which was quick mostly due to the fact that our stomachs were eating themselves by around 2pm - we continued on to Scheveningen. The name "Scheveningen" was used as a password by the Dutch resistance during WWII because even though the Germans could learn Dutch, their native accents prevented them from correctly pronouncing the name of this seaside town. (We just called it "the beach town".)


We quickly dropped the bikes off and headed to a seaside cafe to enjoy lunch and a beer. The cafes were full of groups playing board games, couples lunching, and old people laying out. I think we saw more people in their swimsuits in the cafes than on the beach.

After lunch, we laid out our blanket on the beach and relaxed while watching kite flyers, surfers, and little kids playing in the surf. Since the water is in the 60s year around, we skipped a dip in the ocean.

In a hurry to get back to Delft for the tragic Clemson game, we followed road signs back and were making great time. Until a sign directed us to go left directly into a building.

What???

Our 14 mile ride that somehow ballooned to 28 miles.