From Coast to Coast

Today on our way out of Venice we saw delivery boats on the canals delivering food to the stores along the canals. We also saw the garbage man in action. We noticed earlier in the week in the evening ps there were bags of garbage outside homes, and doors, when we left our hotel we saw the garbage guys picking up all those bags, and later saw those guys giving the garbage to the garbage boats on the canal. 

Over the course of our time in Venice we noticed it was SOO difficult to find big litre litre and a half bottles of water that are cold! In a grocery store you can buy a water bottle at a litre and a half for 49 cents. But it's warm. Which when you need water it does the job, but on an over 30degree day you just need a cold refreshing water. The same size water bottle gets anywhere from 2.50 to 4 euros when cold. Cold small water bottles are the same price, and often seen more frequently. 

It is interesting that Rick Steves describes Venice as eventually becoming a glorified museum. It is a sad thought to think. But honestly when we were walking to the train this morning 815 you could see the locals that were out and about. Some already got groceries, some walking dogs, and the ransoms in between. There weren't many. It was clear as we were there that it really is a city that thrives on tourism, more then some other cities. As we got closer to the train station there was a constant flow of Italians coming into Venice to work. Also an interesting thought that there are so many the commute in.

Train stations are the airports of Europe. I mean that in the sense back home you have a layover and someone asks if you seen to that city you say you been to the airport. The same is to be said about the train stations in Europe. We travel through so many. Today we certainly had our fair share of trains and stations. From Venice the high speed trains all day through Florence to the opposite coast were booked, so we had a long day. The timing was only an hour worse then it would have been if we were on high speed, but regardless of the timing, it was a long day. 

We left Venice and made the 2 hour train journey to Bologna. From Bologna we had another hour and a bit train to Parma. From Parma we had 2 hours to La Spezia. And a ten minute train to Riomaggiore. Unfortunately for us, the nicest train was also the shortest train. The train ride was pretty but nothing beats the views in Switzerland, it is so surreal that even from the train no other scenery will beat it. But we made it, and had a nap when we got here. 

There was an accident of 2 passenger trains in southern Italy. No worries we are safe. Unfortunately though we don't have internet so no one will know this until we have it again. Thankfully we have Luke's phone that has a data SIM card so our parts know we are A OK and that's what matters. They can pass the message along. scary thought though. Especially as it isn't the first time on our trip that there has been a train crash.

But on to happier things. We made it to Riomaggiore which is on the Cinque Terre, which is 5 lands that are on the coast mountain area. We have plans to hike them but will see, depending on how we feel we may just enjoy the rocky beaches. 

We really haven't booked nice or fancy places. It our closet room in Venice that was stuffy and hot wasn't a clue then I don't know what is. But we were very pleasantly surprsied at what we came to today. We thought we had booked just a plane room as we have in all our hotels B&B and hostels. But we have the cutest local apartment! We have a living room, a kitchen where we have a stove where we ca on amke our own food! And!! We have a fridge so we can make our own waters cold. We were even greeted to a heart out of our pillows on our bed. We actually get to sleep in the same bed again! We also have a balcony that overlooks the Main Street and is great for people watching. Reminds me of our honeymoon. We enjoyed our dinner on the balcony over wine watching the people pass. 

 

After dinner we walked down to the marina, and around to where the rocky beach we might enjoy later in the days. Then we found a rock to sit on and watched the beginnings of the sunset. But we were to early to watch the full sunset and were needing a refreshment so decided to head back. 

 

It was a beautiful beginning of the sunset, and yu can see the city on the mountain side. We are sure that many of the apartments here are rented out to tourists, and we wonder how many people are locals actually living here. It was a beautiful relaxing evening on the ocean, and in our cute little apartment home that's ours for a few days. 

 

Cinque Terre so far is beautiful and glad to have a few days here to relax, to hike, to sweat and just enjoy what there is. Although we don't have a fan in our apartment, we aren't in direct sun so our place is cooler, and there is drastically more space for air to flow so we are definitely comfortable. Much more comfortable then our room in Venice. 

We also found wifi at the hotel, the same people own. But it isn't close enough to our apartment to get wifi. So you may periodically get blog updates. I'm really not sure yet. They may be days behind.

Well another city, more memories, and lots of stories.

And so the adventure continues...