The day started with us sleeping in until 9:00! No tours or scheduled events for the day! After breakfast, we headed out for a day of hiking and visiting the five town along with coast. What a fun day we had in the hot Italy sun! Landslides closed many of the trails, but one that was open was between Vernazza and Corniglia, talk about a workout! Stairmaster 10! It was not a coastal walk, but up and down steep, rocky hills that sloped mostly up, up, and up! We took the train to Corniglia, and just to get up to the town, it was 350 steps! I should have turned back right then and there, but Bob and Nathan were eager to go, so off we went. Two hours later we arrived in Vernazza, and I wanted to sing to the Heavens when we finally reached our destination. We have posted pictures of the breathtaking views. Needless to say, one of the first things we did when we arrived in Vernazza was wash our hands and faces, then had lunch.
In Vernazza, the most amazing thing happened which proves once again the old cliche that it is a small world! We saw the Moeller class that just graduated accompanied by Brother Ron and other chaperones. We had so much fun talking about our mutual friends and neighbors! It began when a few of the guys saw Nathan’s Sycamore gym shorts, and they asked us where we were from, and because we knew they were from Moeller (their shirts, etc.), we said Montgomery. They said “no way”! It was a highlight of our trip to see these young men, and they kept calling over their friends when they discovered we lived in Swaim Field–we talked for about 20 minutes with about 15 of them, and they invited us to hike to Monterossa with them. They really wanted us to come, and Bob would have in a minute, but he knew that Nathan and I were about ready to collapse, and he didn’t want to leave us on our own. These boys had just arrived so did not just finish the two hour hike we just completed–they were ready to go!
Another fun tidbit is that there are Americans everywhere. In fact, in the lobby restaurant area, Bob and Nathan will be watching the World Cup with a bunch of people from Indiana. Since it begins at midnight here, I don’t think I can stay awake.
A Jackie and Barry report from Lake Como before I sign off–they are having a lovely time visiting wineries in Bellagio, and mixing with the rich and famous. We look forward to meeting up with them in Venice to exchange stories. Barry will not believe it when I tell him that there are vending machines at the train stations within Cinque Terre that sell toothbrushes, toothpaste and other toiletries since it is a place for hikers and back packers who just “wing it” in nature along the way.
Love you all, and will write again tomorrow evening.
That Vernazza shot is amazing