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Had the BEST day!
Off to a church party in the main square now.
Invited by Angelo and his wife Paula.
Half those on the tour are going.
Well, here I am on the train to Pisa!
That sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
My first fail on a train.
Couldn't find Coach 2.
So I just grabbed a seat.
Seems to be OK.
Still going to Pisa!
Had a wonderful day on the boat tour.
I wandered down to Angelo and Paula's house right on the water.
The only one on the water.
Met there around 11am and then took 50 paces to the boat.
( Nearly.)
There were 11 people all told.
All from the USA.
A mother and son.
Three couples.
And 2 friends, girls.
They were all great fun.
Alessandro, our first mate welcomed us on board and was the tour guide for the trip.
He's the tall one in the picture.
We started with nibblies ... as we cruised along.
Bread
Dips
Nuts
Cheeses
Olives
Etc
Perfect day.
Blue sky everywhere.
Everyone was chatting and laughing.
Alessandro explained that in the 1970's when tourism seriously hit The Cinque Terre, people stopped farming.
They realised they could make money from tourism.
But as a result, all the terraces that previously covered absolutely every square inch of every hill and steep cliff face were left to revert to nature.
You can still see evidence of them.
We saw photos ... and the entire coastline was covered in terraces, mainly vineyards.
So, once the terraces started to disappear, there was nothing to hold back the enormous flow of water down the steep slopes.
Mudslides happened and the cliffs would side into the sea.
This area suffered horrendous damage in the huge rain storm in 2011.
Mud flowed through 2 towns in particular up to the ceiling of the ground floor.
Still much more to come on this one.
I might lay in bed in Florence and finish it.
Yep.
Here I am, on the bed, in Florence ... With a balcony!
We just motored along this magnificent coast line being fed and watered(!)
Wine and champagne no less.
Angelo set anchor just off Manarola, the 4th of the 5 towns.
His boat could not get into the harbour there so half of us climbed into his wooden speedboat that was being towed along behind us.
( I thought it was a spare!)
And he boated us into the shore.
We walked up numerous stairs to a lookout he recommended while he went back for the others.
The view from up here was unbelievable.
The water is crystal clear and the colours of the houses and boats everywhere made it seem like magic.
Once the others had landed, we headed off to a restaurant of Angelo's choice and sat down to an enormous lunch.
Platter after platter just kept appearing.
Emily, you would have been proud of me.
I ate ...
Squid.
Octopus.
Anchovies.
Calamari.
Fish of all sorts...
Etc.
It was all delicious.
And, not once did I ask what it was!
Thought that would be rude.
And, since I was there, I embraced it.
The octopus was my favourite.
Delicious!
Chatted all through lunch with 2 American ladies and one told her husband that she was going to adopt me.
I said I'd write to my Mum and let her know.
They were great fun.
Then dessert came.
And I thought, if we go swimming soon, I'll sink.
Off for a walk through the town.
Now, I asked Aleesandro if he knew where I could get the Manarola 'Step by Step' charm.
Now, I have to admit, he did not look like a 'jewellery' type of guy ...
And I was right.
He didn't know.
Then we stop for some lemoncello, just to help us along our way...
And the shop right next door was the one with the charms!
I got one.
And bolted down the lemoncello as well.
Another short ride out to the boat.
And we were off again, out on the open sea.
Angelo asked us if we would like to swim.
It was a resounding YES.
He stopped the boat and both he and Alessandro walked all round the edge of the boat, peering intently into the water.
'O-OH,' I thought.
( I had previously asked why sharks were not a problem here.
They didn't know really.
Thought they just liked Americans.
I quite liked that.
The odds were in my favour.)
No.
They were looking for jellyfish.
Very big ones.
With tentacles.
Apparently only saw a couple so all OK to swim.
There were little ones ...
But apparently their sting doesn't bother you too much.
Off I jumped.
It was beautiful.
Very salty so very easy just to float around.
Nearly everyone swam and we were there about half an hour.
As people gradually made their way back on board, we set off again.
Still marvelling at the scenery.
We stopped again about 50 yards from a waterfall.
And dived in and swam to the rocks under the falls.
This water was falling from way way up.
And you had to swim to the rocks..
Clamour up onto them, careful to tread only on the 'green' on the rocks.
( Brown was slippery. Green was fine.)
I stood under a waterfall at the Cinque Terre!
And it was magnificent!
And I swam in the ocean to get there!
We all had a ball.
Swam back to the boat and headed sedately back to Monterosso.
I didn't want it to end.
I had had a ball.
When we arrived back and the guys were tying up the boat, there was a young black lab going crazy on the pier.
Kept looking like she wanted to jump on board.
Turns out it was Alessandro's dog come to greet him.
So we all disembarked and all followed Angelo back to his house...
( 50 paces)
To pay.
Then, he said... "Don't go anywhere."
And promptly walked us into town for a coffee or gelati at a pub.
So we all settled in for another 3/4 hour.
There was a lot of laughter!
Finally, we all said goodbye and headed off.
I made my way back through the tunnel to the old part of town and my room.
Showered, changed and headed back to the church party.
There was singing.
A huge spit roast type thing.
People everywhere.
But I was just too tired by this stage...
So, back through the tunnel and home.
About a 10 minute walk.
It was an amazing day.
The scenery.
The company.
The boat trip.
Angelo and Alessandro.
Manarola.
Lunch
Swimming
Much laughter.
And I swam under a WATERFALL!
I loved it.
Email to Paula, Angelo's wife...
Amazing boat.
Amazing Captain and First Mate.
Amazing weather.
Amazing scenery.
Amazing food.
Amazing company.
Amazing Manarola.
Amazing clear water.
Amazing swims.
AMAZING Waterfall!
Just an absolutely amazing day really...
Thank you all so much.
I loved it.
What a memory of a beautiful part of the world.
Her reply ...
Beautiful!! Thanks so much. Love your top!
( Long story.)
- comments
Andrew Browning That's fine for you........where's our blog?It's 4.50am Sunday and I wanted to read about Angelo's boat tour.Back later.
Mum Hi Sweetie Like Andrew I'm waiting for the boat trip blog, not as early as Andrew though, hope its all great fun. Love Mumx
Greg Yes, where is your blog ?? We were up early also, had to go and get the paper to read all about the Hawks 10 goal Grand Final win over the Swans !! Leanne very, very happy !! We were there with Mal and Therese. Great day but still probably not as good as yours !! Have fun.
Chris Doesn't look like you had time for your Blog, cuddles all round . Wind is blowing a gale today already had to cut up a branch that got blown of the tree, not a very pleasant day at all.Such a beautiful place, how many pairs of sneakers have you gone through, so much walking. is "13" still holding up, still has to make it home, that will be the test, so you had best put the Doctor in your hand luggage.
Andrew Browning Back and still no blog.Hmph
Sue Too busy partying for the blog.....Church party ..what does that involve?... whatever it is enjoy!... I am so jealous...May 2015 can't come soon enough for me...UK or bust I say!! xoxo Sue
Mum Hi Sweetie Like Andrew I'm waiting for the boat trip blog, not as early as Andrew though, hope its all great fun. Love Mumx
Daryl Swimming in the Med to a waterfall launching itself off Italy - not every day you do that!What a great day in a series of great days.
Andrew Browning Magic.
M Look at that gorgeous blue water!! I would swim there to if I was a jelyfish
M What a sensational day. I felt like I was right there with you on this one mum. I think I was looking forward to this day more than you, maybe, but yes!It sounded fantastic. You swam in the Ocean... Remember me swimming with the Dolphins? You swam in the ocean, the. You swam to a waterfall! Magnificent stuff! Sounds like you were well fed. Look at you just eating all the things!! Sitting and eating all the things! So proud right now! This is definitely on my to do list!