The trail to Corniglia

Since it is so hot, we decided to try the trail very early on friday morning.  So at 7 am, we took off for Corniglia.  I thought I dressed right, but within a half hour, my pants legs were zipped off.  Thankfully too - since we needed something to wipe the sweat out of our eyes.  It was SOOOOOOO hot and humid I don't think I've ever been that sweaty.  The trail is a difficult one, two hours of steps up and then about aa million steps down.  I'm not sure which is more difficult.  But by the time we arrived at the town, we were out of calories and water.

One thing I realize is this......

I am such a dork.

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first morning in Vernazza.....Due Cappucini por favore

I have to have at least due cappucini each day....that is two a day.....I LOVE italian coffee.

 The barista was laughing at me because I was scooping every last bit of foam out of the cup.  So when she made the second one for me, she happily piled it high.



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Dinner with Giuliano

Giauliano works very hard.  Not only does he take care of the lovely apartments he has lovingly made, and rents to tourists, he also works in a restaurant on the piazza at the la spiaggia (beach).  Since it is the last evening he is working, we decide to dine with him and we make a reservation.    Lovely meal.  But I am so sleepy I am like a child falling asleep in my spaghetti. 

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Cinque Giornati nel Vernazza (five days in Vernazza)

We arrived in Vernazza on wednesday afternoon after a fabulous morning in Lucca.   The train trip was NOT uneventful, like everything we do here.   Each day has been a fun filled trip of stories.

I SO hope I can remember them all to share, since we have not been on the internet since wednesday.  It has been nice to be so disconnected, but I want to share this trip with you all, and I want to be able to revisit it again when I am home.  Italy is amazing.

So, the first story, on el treno, hauling our luggage (I thought I packed light).  Kim and Don step onto the train and Kim can't get the door to the car open.  So Don, looks up and points to this handle and says to Lucy(Kimy) - "Pull that"......

SCARED me to death (Scaramuccio)(that is another story) I was JUST about to step onto the train with my luggage when the AIR swooshed out like an explosive gust and my heart skipped a beat.  Of course, Kim and Don opened the door and made a clean getaway, when a man came from the other car and, shaking his head, pulled the handle back into place.  When we finally got on the train, we laughed until we cried.

We arrive in Vernazza after two train changes, and haul our luggage down the steps of the train station to the common area and enlist Kimy to  call Giuliano.  But he is still on his way from Lucca to get his daughter Sophia, so we head up the hill since I know where to go. 
  OH MY GOD it is hot. 

This is the view from our room......



We stow our luggage and go directly to the beach for lunch.








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Bon Giorno Bicicletta

The bicycle rental opened at 9am, so we were first in line this morning.  The air was cool and breezy.  The sounds of the city had begun hours before and we had already consumed due cappucini and some frutta.  We were off to ride the circle around the city, on top of the wall around Lucca.

So about halfway around, I bravely take my phone and begin to video.......

We check out of Lucca in just a half hour and take a taxi to the train station.  About an hour or less on el treno, we will be in Vernazza, calling Giuliano to check in at the beautiful place we will reside for the next week.

No internet there, so blogging will be sparse, unless we can figure out something - likely we will, if we have to find an internet cafe.
But for now, arivaderci, a domani a presto. (Goodbye, see you soon:)

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Day One in Lucca Italia

Today was a one in  a million days.  A dream of a day.  Due cappucini in a local bar with Kim and Don, 3.20 euros, a bit of fruita at the apartamente (79 steps up) and then we rent a bicycle built for four and begin to pedal around the top of the wall.

 I check my phone.  It is a God thing no doubt, because Raluca has called - she is at  our apartment door.....so we turn the contraption around and run back to meet her.  This is the first time she and I have seen each other in two years, since we met at the Eurhotel in Firenze.  That is another story for another day:)  She and I were instant friends.  A very brave girl, to come meet strangers in Lucca for the day.  SHE IS a darling.  Our Raluca.  We all decided we want to take her home with us.

While we spent the next 40 minutes bicycling, Raluca went to find just the perfect photo op....And Kim was at the wheel of this bicycle thing, complete with a BELL (she rang it at every SINGLE PERSON that we passed) Kimy Ringy Dingy. We pumped our glutes into shape and it was up hill both ways, as everything in Italy IS.


So, then.  Off to lunch.  You gotta think like this in Italia.  Because if you wait too long, the Italians close everything down and go take a nap somewhere.  And we aren't into naps on this day.  We want FOOD - Italian FOOD and Italian WINE and Italian BEER.

So about two hours later, we walk.  Searching for a garden that Linda saw when we were bicycling on the wall.  Always, a quest is SO much fun.  We went the same circle around and around, each time seeing something different, wonderful having Raluca ask for directions when we got sort of lost.  And finale, we find the palace and the garden and we walk into another sort of paradise.

Later, we return to the apartment to freshen up a little.  Drink a toast of Prosecco to our friendship and to the day, and await a call from Kims friend Anna, who has invited us to dinner in her home with her fiance Fiorenzo.  He is a photographer, like Raluca, and I am so happy for them to meet, for Anna to meet our Raluca, for Raluca to meet our Anna, to celebrate their coming wedding, to have a REAL italian dining experience in a REAL italian kitchen.

  And OH my, we weren't disappointed.  I knew it would be good, but I had no idea it would be CRAVEABLE.  What Fiorenzo called a lasagna, like no lasagna I've ever tasted.  I mean, NOTHING like I've ever tasted.....And he told us how he made it.....I don't know if we can even come close to matching it.  Amazing, thin as paper pasta sheets, light, beautiful cheese, lightest meat sauce, italian cheese, the real thing.  Then a nice rare beef roast, sliced so thin and lovely, with oven roasted potatoes, then a beautiful clean and fresh, crisp green salad.  Grappa. Finito.  Fiorenzo says the only thing that would have made it better was if he could speak english, he would have made us laugh.  Because, in his own words -  he is very funny:)

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Planes trains and automobiles

Finally after two years of plans and a long day of traveling,  we're here!  In Italia!  Mangia! (Let's EAT!)
One car, three planes, a bus, then another bus, a train, and a taxi, and 79 steps.  UP. We are finally here.




And the best part of it all, besides the fact that we are in the heart of Italy, in Lucca, is that our friends, Kim and Don have been here long enough to get settled into our apartment, buy some food and wine, and greet us with all of the above, on the rooftop terrace overlooking the mountains of Tuscany.


  After a few minutes of freshening up - a quick shower, plug in the phone and computer, we sit in the Tuscan sunshine and laugh about the adventures of travelling such a distance.  Our only snafu in the entire day and night was the train trip.  We purchased our train tickets to Lucca from Florence.  And with minutes to spare, found the exact train, (miraculously) and hopped aboard.  After making sure we were on the right train with some kind Italians, we settled in for the short trip.   About a half hour into our trip, the ticket puncher dude came by to punch our ticket.  Well, Linda and I are pie eyed after so many hours travelling and we look at him like he is from Mars.  I dig through my papers and stubs and tickets from the day and keep handing him items -  finally finding just what he is looking for.  He looks at me and ticks, like only an Italian can.  Not good, he says, shaking his head and looking in my direction.  We look at each other and panic.  We think we might be headed in the wrong direction.

But no.  Nothing so terrible.  He ticks again.  And shakes his head.  Like we've done some horrendous wrong.  WHAT?  I'm tired and ready to just be there, and need some grace  and kindness right then.
He says we FORGOT to validate our ticket.  And we look at each other like he just spoke in Martian.  Forgot?  Evidently there is some machine that you have to put your ticket into before you board.  He says, "It a says a it a right a here a in a english a".

But he is going to give us a break.  Instead of taking us to jail, he will only charge us a fine of five euros, but don't a let it a happen again a.   Not to worry.  We've learned our lesson.

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