Italy

Hello to everyone,

I missed blogging during my week stay in Italy, no internet in any of our Italian apartments. So, this week I'll try to catch up, and share with you some of the highlights of the trip. Most importantly, we'll post some pictures for you to enjoy!

Cinque Terra Photo Album

For me, the highlight of the trip was sharing all of it with our wonderful daughter Anne, and her husband Ryan, my very favorite son in law !! I think the fact that we were together, and had two more sets of eyes and ears made everything very special. Anne has that incredible enthusiasm and energy that added the element of fun to our experience, and Ryan has the photographer's perspective, which encouraged each of us to stop and look at what he saw, noticing all of those small things we wouldn't have seen otherwise. So, to be in Italy with them was a blessing, and I am so thankful that they were able to come and be with us.

We began in Rome, then very early the next morning, got on a train which took us four hours up the western coast of Italy to Cinque Terre. The train itself is an interesting experience, all of the interesting people who get on and off, and the towns we saw along the way. Italy is beautiful, and green, always so good for my soul, after living here in the desert. So, we arrived in Cinque Terre on Sunday, loaded with our backpacks. Yes, I carried my own backpack, kind of challenging to pack that light!! The apartment in Vernazza overlooked the most beautiful scenic harbor, and village square, busy, noisy and unique. Our balcony gave us a view of the locals drinking coffee in the restaurant right below us, yelling good morning across the square to their friends, and preparing to feed the many people that would visit that day. No cars are allowed in Vernazza, so every morning, very early, trucks are "let in" only to deliver goods, and pick up the trash. Cinque Terre is made up of five villages along the coast, which have now been made into a national park to preserve them. There is a hiking trail, which gives visitors the option of hiking between the five villages. We began our second day, by taking the train to the first town, Riomaggiore, and walked all around that wonderful little village, then began the hike to the next village. And on we went to four of the five villages, with our apartment in Vernazza being our destination. Wisely, we took the train to the last village. What incredible, gorgeous views we enjoyed along the way. Each town was so picturesque, all like storybook villages, colorful tall houses sitting on the sides of hills, boats, flowers, lovely people and food. I recommend Cinque Terre to everyone, a great start to our week in Italy.

More on Italy during the week, and pictures too. I'm sending my love to family and friends. Miss you all! Lynn