You're off to Sienna

Buon giornata fellow bloggers,

Your last day in Cinque Terre was full of walking the trail.  The REAL TRAIL. I have yet to see a goat in Italy but I have definitely found the GOAT TRACK that is made out to be the Cinque Terre Trail.  It's a steep climb from sea level up the mountain to the top of the trail between destinations and then dwon again to next village.  In places it's a sheer drop to the rocks and the sea with no barriers to protect you. When you encounter another walker on the trail take your time and negotiate who is going to be on the seaside when you pass.  The trail is only a few feet wide in many places.

You were lucky last night to be able to attend the Manarola festival and you had a good night dancing under stars with a few wines and beers at the end of a big day.

On the home front, there are many issues living in close quarters with 3 women travellers.  Underwear is washed in the shower and spread around the bathroom to dry, farting has become a competition of who can be loudest and competition is particularly fierce at nights when everyone is in bed.  It's eye-watering stuff and I'm affraid the girls are far more superior at this SPORT than the guys.

Pics for today.

One of the walkway tunnels.  This is to Riomaggiore and is 110metres long.  The walls have amazing murals.

35 deg heat, 2 kms uphill for this side of the trail.  The trail has many lizards and they sometimes dart out when you walk by.  You had one almost run through your shoe.

The beach at Vernassa.  about 100metres in total. The whole village makes use of this small section of the coastline for sun bathing and swimming.  The viilage iteslf is well worth a visit and has a number of Vernassa unique clothes and products on offer.  The gelato is great.

I'm writing this at the train station while waiting for the train to Pisa aeroporto where you agreed to give a rental car a go to get us all to Chianti in the middle of Tuscany where the plan is to spend 5 days and 4 nights sampling the wine and enjoying their hospitality.  Chianti wine is regarded amongst the finest in the world. As Hanibal Hector remarked at the end of the movie 'Silence of the Lambs' "I'm having a friend for dinner along with a fine Chianti ....." This is the area that produces the very same wine.

Train arriving gotta go. Ciao. 

Seaside Cinque Terre

Prego, (welcome)

You had a relaxing day yesterday.  A late start to the day 8.00am, a bit of a tidy up around the villa and with your travel bags, a rest and then a walk through Riomaggiore to see the sites.  Rosy and Joanne were keen for a ferry ride around the bay and to each village but the sea had a heavy surge and no ferries were running.  They ended up going for a walk along one part of the trail 1.5hours between Monterosso and Vernassa about 1.5kms but mostly uphill.  They had a swim, did some shopping and we all met up again back at the villa around 8pm.  Sorry no pics of their day.

But you guys came with Frances and I around Riomaggiore, then a train to Corneglia, the third village along the trail.  A much smaller village perched 365 steep steps above the train station.  There are only a small number of shops to visit and 4 small restaurants to eat at, although the village does have 4 or 5 snack bars to buy food from. 

The unique feature of Corneglia is the narrow lanes and close concentration of the village homes, closer than in Roma and anywhere else you've visited.  In total I think the entire village would fit within 6 NZ 1/4 acre sections.  It's close quarter living and clothes lines extending from the windows of each dwelling almost touch one-another. If you need to wear something different other than from your own wardrobe then just reach across and borrow from your neighbour - underwear included. There's no privacy but that's how it is in most of the villages we've seen throughout Italy.  The people are once again, very friendly and the tourist season is important for their economy, so the welcome is very warm. 

One thing I do appreciate while shopping in Italy is that the shop-owners leave you alone to try out their offerings and pay little attention to what you're up to.  Of course they're happy to help if you need them.  Shopping in Italy is a very pleasant experience.

Here are some pics of your day in Corneglia and back on the trail between Riomaggiore and Manarola.

The main shopping lane in Corneglia.  YEP there are shops with their products displayed in the lane, it makes for a tight squeeze when you bump into others also shopping.

The station below is Corneglia and the village in the distance is Manarola.  The trail between runs through a tunnel to the left of the train tunnel. Frances's umbrella has been a blessing.  365 steps straight up to the Corneglia in 30degs, a formidable challenge for anyone.

This is an entrance to a home in Corneglia, they are all like this one.  I had just helped two young girls close and lock their door as it was falling from it's hinges and needed to be lifted to be closed.  Watch your head as you enter!!!

This restaurant is at the top of the trail between  Manarola and Riomaggiore, a welcome respite after a gentle walk up the hill. Pimms and a snack while overlooking the sea and across to France in the distance. It's a real tough trail to walk ...... NOT!!!

The restaurant is built against the cliff-face.  Each day all of the fresh food must be carried up the trail by hand, including the many bottles of water, coke, wine and beer that are consumed by the walkers who drop in.  What a mission!!!

 At home after a tough day of sightseeing.  You have the top level to yourselves and the roof balcony complete with table, chairs and a view of the sea and village shopping area below. It makes for interesting viewing throughout the day and at night.  The only thing lacking is air conditioning (that's a BIG gap - believe me) I know you're experiencing the cold at home, this is the other EXTREME but with no way of controlling the temperature.   

 Stay warm and well bloggers.  You've decided to try one of the tougher trails today, watch this space to see how you go. Ciao, buona sera.

Riomaggiore

Buona notte (Good evening)

A great day in Cinque Terre bloggers.  A train trip to the end of the line and the 5th village MonteRosso, then the train back to the second village Manarola, a swim and then walk back to Riomaggiore along the cliff-face pathway overlooking the sea.  A swim at Manarola then another at Riomaggiore when you got back from the walk.  The water was cooling and you needed it, the day was hot and humid at around 28-30 degs.  The odd raindrop along the way and you dived into a restaurant for shelter and lunch.  An excellent mixed seafood salad for just 6 euros waiting for the shower that never came.  2 carafes of vino de casa (house wine) later and you were happy little campers and ready for the walk home. A couple of cold beers back at the villa and up the hill for happy hour at the hotel outside on the landing.

Rosy showed us (in excellent style) the way how NOT to enter a train.  We called it PLONKING.  She fell UNDER her bag as she climbed aboard and blocked the entrance way for everyone else. WISH I had had my camera ready, what a laugh!!! She was laughing hysterically too. No danger, just a brilliantly funny experience.

We've bumped into many kiwi's here in Cinque Terre, and it's good to be able to English to others and learn about their travel experiences too.  We all agree that Aotearoa is still the best country, all bias aside.  Italy could take many lessons from us kiwis.

Pics for today.

Sorry guys, I just had to put this one in to show you that we are all well. Lunch in Manarola sheltering from the rain that never came. A beautiful mixed seafood salad (6 euros = $11NZ)

This is along the Cinque Terre walkway between the first and second villages, Riomaggiore and Manarola.  This was the shortest distance between 2 villages only 20 minutes and very level all the way.  Below them is a sheer 50 metre drop to the sea.

All along the pathway between Riomaggiore and Manarola there are padlocks attached to wire's suspended from the rockface.  It has something to do with lovers put a lock on the wall and someday your true love will come along and unlock it.  This was one of 1000's I came across. Pinnochio is a BIG deal in Italy.

The Cinque Terre trail is an easy walk, paved and gentle.  There are restaurants and bars along the way squeezed onto the pathway at various points.  Lots of seats along the way to rest and a handrail the whole way.  Spectacular views and and a marvel of the engineering skills of the Italians.

WHOOPS how did this shot get on here.  Please do not view!!!

Frances decided to do some sunbathing along the way. 

(NO!!! I did not take this shot Frances did!) I refused to look at this woman ?!! Earlier in the day Joanne and I tried to get some shots of a giant rockface sculpture of Aligianti (Neptune God of the sea) in Monterosso.  We climbed a huge hill and walked down onto the beach and then around to a private jetty to get the shots.  On the way back we realised the beach was a private nudist beach. .... but no-one was nude, thank goodness for that?!!

ALIGIANTI - Neptune.  (Shot taken with second camera, mine had become full) To give some perspective of the size that's a house to the left.

Monterosso the furtherest village of the five.  Can be reached by train or a 5 hour walk along the trail.

Sorry to hear about the bad weather at home.  This kind of Summer is coming NZ's way soon.

I would post more pics but it takes around 1.5 hours to do each blog, the interent is so slow.  It's usually at the end of a long day too and after a few wines before bed. 

Ciao bloggers you're doing well in Italy and in the Tuscany region.  Another big day ahead.

Arriverderci.

       

Cinque terre

Buon giorno, Quaranta 40degs,  (Thanks for the info. Krazie, I'm glad you're here with us)

Another hot one fellow travellers.  Spent most of the day in transit from Scicily to Cinque Terre in the Tuscany region in Northern Italy.  Taxi, Plane, Taxi, Train, Train, Train, Taxi.  Pretty stuffed at the end of the day but still managed a swim in the Tyrennian Sea off the coast. 

Cinque Terre has a sheer cliff coastline and a walkway that rounds around the coast and between 5 villages.  The cliff faces are magnificient and the rock has many different shapes, forms and colours.  It's yet another feature of this amazing country.

We have our own villa on the top floor of an apartment building, complete with a balcony on the roof.  It sounds graet but without air conditioning in this sweltering heat, it's a challenge to rest and sleep at night.  I know you guys are feeling the cold and will have little sympathy, but it is very draining on the energy levels and the girls have slowed considerably.

Stay good fellow travellers.  You're in for a big day of walking and at least a few swims along the way to keep cool.  Buon giornata enjoy your day.

The dolphins are so friendly that they will follow you on to dry land and all the way home.  Pisa railway station

PLANKING at La Spezia train station 6 mins from Cinque Terre.  The troops are feeling tired.  Joanne (Rosy's mate from Napier) has been travelling throughout Europe and Africa.  She has joined us for the next 8 days.

The Italians were lucky I arrived just in the nick of time to save their tower from falling. We left Rosy at the aeroporto/train station catching up with Joanne, while we took a taxi to see the leaning tower of Pisa.

Frances wearing a Tower on her head.

We couldn't go through Pisa without doing the leaning tower. An amazing complex with magnificent churches and halls.  The Piazza del ??? is surrounded by walls and battlements that make you wonder who they were defending it from?  Awesome and well worth the hour we spent walking around.  No cost unless you want to enter the buildings, 10 euros, 18 euros to walk the tower but the queues were long so we didn't bother.

Our intrepid traveller has done her dash!!!  Crashed out at 10 pm. 

It's been a big day.

Take warmth from you walk around Pisa and, today, along the coast of Cinque Terre.

Love and best wishes.

Arohanui.

Ciao.

Siracusa and Catania

Salve mi amico,

MOLTO CALDA IL GIORNO, (very hot today - 40+)

You went in 2 different directions today.  With me, we were up early to catch a bus to Catania (no mean feat!!) about 20 minutes ride and then another to Siracusa another 1 hour.  With Frances and Rosy, after a good healthy breakfast at the hotel you went to Catania for a look.  It got a bit scary for the girls in Catania and the comfort and confidence of staying safe and knowing your way around Acireale, meant you didn't stay long.  Back on the bus and head for home asap!

Catching buses in Scicily is very difficult.  You get given wrong directions by everyone you ask where is the bus stop, you spend time waiting at the wrong stop only to be told by the bus driver when the bus arrives that you have to walk another 2kms to get to the right bus stop. You arrive just after the bus leaves and have to wait another 30 mins, 1 hour or like you did today 2 hours in 40deg heat for the next one. OMG!!! 

But you're not alone, because the locals are doing the same as you. YES, just like on the Italian mainland the bus drivers here don't really want anybody to get on their bus. They would rather spend the day on their cellphones talking to their girlfriends all day while they drive around the city.

An early start tomorrow 6.15am drive to the airport in Catania then a 1hour flight to Pisa and bus to Cinque Terre.  Four nights in Cinque Terre coming up.  Cinque means 5 and terre means terraces.  There are 5 villages on 5 terraces from the seaside to the top of hill.  We'll be walking between all of them over the next few days, so bring you're walking shoes, water bottles, sunscreen and hat.  It's going to get rough!!!
Pics for today.

Yep, it's as hot as it looks. The Greek theatre in Siracusa built in the 5th century BC.  The tomb of Archimedes is amongst the trees in the background.

This is the neocropolis in downtown Siracusa (For Kahurangi and spatial design studies. I couldn't get in to show what's inside)  

For just a few euros you can hire a floating bed and sunbathe while floating.  No danger of going to sleep and drifting out to sea, you're roped to your neighbours and the shore.

The horse drawn carriage ride home from a night on the town.  Singing up a storm. 

Waiata Māori of course!

The building on the top of the hill is something special.  In Napoli.  People were taking photo's of it so we did too.  So there it is!

The bridge leading to Hadrian's Castle.

Rosy's first Italian kiss.

Our waiter was especially friendly to Rosy. She ended up with a kiss .............. on her hand!!!

A real Italian gentleman!!!

P.S. Acireale, Catania and Siracusa all sit only a few kms from Mt Etna that is billowing smoke and is very active at the moment.  Given what happened in Pompei (just up the road) I'll confess to being happy to be leaving the region despite it's beauty and the friendly people. Many cars and some buildings in Catania are covered in volcanic ash.

Ciao for now blog followers. 

Sorry for the tourist shots. Camera disk was fulll and missed some classic shot today.  I'll be sure to keep it shorter next time, in case it's beginning to bore you.

Quaranta!!! 40degs!!!

Salve!!! (Hello!!!)  (We're getting your comments, cheers.  Not sure how to reply directly)

You're melting today.  40 degs yesterday hotter today - Sunday =Domenica!!!  Quiet on the streets of Acireale.  Chiesa (church) was beautiful and managed to understand some of what was said and follow the mass.

Yesterday you met Pinnochio's father Guiseppe.  He is only in his 20s and very handsome.  Also met Romario, Nino, and Luigi.  These names make the visit seem seem all that more authentic.  There is very little English spoken in this town and thats been good too.  There is no real shopping centre and the street near to the hotel is probably the nearest thing to the main shopping area.  A few clothing and gift shops dotted along the street and heaps of pizzeria and tabacchi (dairy type stores). It's a very authentic Scicilian town and people are very generous, totally unlike the Italian mainland and the experience so far.

Saw about 20 weddings yesterday.  Seven (one after the other including a double wedding) in one church.  The Scicilian families lay on beautiful weddings, the wedding dresses are spectacular (says someone who doesn't pay attention to those things!!!).

Rest up and keep warm in front of the fireplace or heater there at home, you're also resting in Italy today and enjoying the air conditioning. Take it easy at work this week and drop into the blog now and then when you're free to see what you're up to.  Tomorrow let's go to Catania a major Scilian city only 15 minutes away, and take a look around a huge Greek amphitheatre. Arohanui and God Bless.
Pics of Acireale.

This butcher shop offers freshly butchered horse meat!!!  YUM YUM - not!!!

Maceleria Equine.  Horse meat on the bone - giant bones!

One of two very impressive wedding cars.

The other one.  It's around 10pm still 25+degs. People are just starting to come out for dinner?!!! We ate alone in a restaurant at 7pm ..........way too early.

Frances, her chauffeur and the other wedding car.

With Luigi and Claudia at La Taverna restaurant.  They have live lobster but we had vegetarian pizza - delicio!!! They gave us glaases and metal spoons for our takeaway desserts - cafe and pistacihio ice-cream 

The Meditereanean sea at Santa Maria La Scala where you and I had a beautiful swim.  The water temperature was perfect and the water crystal clear.

The red carpet leading into the church where you saw 4 weddings take place.  To the left of this courtyard is another that opens onto it.  There were weddings happening in their at the same time.  The courtyard was a popular place for photographs into the early evening.  Thats where today's Sunday mass was held.

Ciao ariverderci bloggers.Get back to work!!! 

buon sierra

my turn again. tis coada here! calda is the word for HOT! i have been people watching again. lots of oldies sitting around the square talking and people watching. they look at us and probably have no way of figuring out where we come from. for one, we are much bigger and taller then them, and of
course our flat noses and strange sounding english (i like to think of it as exotic sounding).

the people here have their own tikanga - unlike the romans they are not a tipping society and we are not sure if they are offended when we do. the sicilians here are very generous and from what I read they have this pay back thing going on (shirley you would never survive here because if you do a favour they try and pay it back double) just about every place we have been to they have given us something for free e.g. ros and I were given sweet almond cakes as we left the restaurant and last night eljon and I were given peaches, and dessert in glasses (they love to give).

Ros is having withdrawal symptoms as we havent yet had a wine, (even though it is only 2pm in the afternoon) and she is insisting I hurry up. I am dreading the outside temperature.

last night I saw a big car and I said to eljon hei there goes a big car, (a normal size - semi van) it wasn't until it drove past and I noticed a big sign on the back that said funerali. (so we guess it must have been a hearse) even that looked small for a hearse. I had been wondering about what they do with their bodies as I have not yet seen a cemetry so I can only surmise that they cremate - will suss that out. especially when you consider our countryside is littered with them.

k ros is hassling me to go out. so much for siesta time.

ciao for niao
p.s some of italian is alot to be desired apparently some of my sicilian is english sounding eg sicily sounds more like shishelean as in sh..

  

from the bella donne of Italy

Buon Giorno
K folks here it tis from the bella donne of italy.

taha wahine titiro. the men and the women are stunners - and I mean stunning looking - mama mia - a sight for these wide open māori eyes - . the fashion, the bods, the architecture, the sculptures, the art - magnifico, stupendo... in fact on more then one or two ocassions have I smacked my lips, kissed my fingers and sent muchos gracia to my new italian friends... beth they are everything you think they are - they speak with gusto, speed and much arm waving. 

tip one: learn some italian before you come, if you fail to do that, come with someone who has. if you don't have one of those (eljon to the rescue) - learn to speak with big brown eyes and lots of gracia heart! they are very grateful that you make the effort. I notice alot of our fairer skinned comrades - tourists (poms and americans) don't seem to manage that very well... even buon giorno gets you a long way... oh and ... ma scusi (excuse me please) is great too.. as is quanto costa (how much?) - so all you hard out shoppers that is a biggie - quanto costa! ma scusi quanto costa!

tip two: come with shoes that are made for walking... i am so greatful for my shoes, and ladies you can get shoes that do the whole bit - they not only look good but they work well too (important to have broken them in well before the start of the trip though - cause for the first few days I had elephantitis (commonly known as swollen ankles) from 27 hours of flying at just under a 1000 km/hour. -also pleased  that all that walking I do back home has paid off. come here charged and ready for new experiences, which includes walking - and you are a long way toward enjoying your trip.

I do love the challenge of being somewhere totally out of my zone - and not being in charge, relying on my hands and heart to do the communica. great not thinking about work too! From what we have picked up teachers are not well paid and from Ros's talking with an ex teacher, education is seemingly undervalued, if the salary of teachers is anything to go by - so teachers back home you are on a millionaires salary... perhaps you are having to work much harder for your bucks though - which would seem reasonable given the salary difference.

I love the way the italians (parents and grandparents) talk to their bambino - no wonder they are so physically verbose - that is how they talk with and to their children from the womb. nice..

ok! I have lots zooming around in my head and eljon is wondering when I will get to give you my take on italy. so here it tis... eljon and ros have gone off to recoup our double paid trip here and I have decided to stay here to blog or blah..blah.. but I will leave you for a while and go do the streets of acireale - where we are now.  a little bit of boutique looking to start the day, and then a swim in the mediterraneo! ah mama mia!

chiao for now
p.s life is good


soooo much to do... under the heat of the italian sun.