Sunday, July 16, 2006
Life slows down in Cinque Terre. The picturesque terra cotta buildings seem to be carved right into the hilly coastline in the small one or two road towns that make up the co-op known as Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso. There isn't much more to do here but hike, swim, and eat. All businesses are owned and operated by the locals (they prefer it that way), and the towns are connected to each other (and the outside world) by footpaths, rail and ferry boats that service each town's very small harbor. The hills surrounding the town are generally terraced, and are laden with vineyards used to create the local wine. Cinque Terre wine (or vino di Cinque Terre), as it is called, is a sweet semi-dry white table wine. It's easy to drink a bottle (or two) on a hot summer day before it loses its cool.
Beth and I spent our days in Cinque Terre hiking, relaxing, and letting the locals "show us Americans how to eat," which was fine by us. We met a number of Americans and Australians as they passed through, usually on their way from or to Rome, and enjoyed several hours of great wine, great conversation, and great pesto (it was born in Cinque Terre). All in all, it wasn't a bad way to spend a couple of days.
We're pressing onward to France, so it's now time to try to pick up yet another collection of phrases in an effort to, er, "blend in." Soon Beth and I will be waiting on the race course waiting hopefully for an American rider to be the first to round the final switchback at the top of L'Alpe d'Huez (Floyd Landis, perhaps?). Whether or not that happens won't really matter, though, as the experience we'll share with a million other spectators on the course will likely eclipse whatever the race result will be. I'm extremely excited to be a part of this spectacle, and I'm glad that I'll be able to share this with Beth. I don't know how I managed to talk her into doing this, and it's hard to believe that it is actually going to happen.
Update: Added pictures!
1 comment:
Damn you in the land of where pesto was born. Bring me home some of my favorite food. By the way, I'm watching the tour on our couch right now looking for you.
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