Today was amazing, to say the least. Because today, I visited the land of my dreams which is none other than Cinque Terre. This morning, Clairanne and I got up around 6:30 in order to meet with some of the other Linguaviva students at 8 and board the bus. The ride there took about two and a half hours. When I caught my first glimpse of Cinque Terre from the bus window, I nearly hyperventilated. It was that beautiful. When I saw the deep blue Mediterranean, the steep, green cliffs, and the brightly colored buildings built into those cliffs; my breath literally got caught in my throat. I was blown away, and this is coming from a person who dosen't get emotional over that kind of stuff. When I saw this unreal, magical world I felt that I was in a dream. It was so unreal. I will never forget that feeling as long as I live.
We were dropped off at Cinque Terre's second town, Manarola. By the way in case you don't know, Cinque Terre is made up of five separate towns: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Corniglia, and Monterosso al Mare. In fact the name "Cinque Terre" literally means "five towns". Anyways, we walked through the village of Manarola and enjoyed the view of the sea for a few minuetes. Then we hiked the trail alongside the Mediterranean to the first town, Riomaggiore. Along the way, you could see hundreds of locks along the fencing and railings of the sea. It is a tradition in Europe for newly wed couples to put a lock on the railing of a bridge and throw the key into the water. This symbolizes that their love is now sealed for eternity and that nothing can break it. After spending some time in Riomaggiore, we took the train to the third town, Vernazza, where we had lunch and went for a swim.
Advice to anyone thinking of traveling to Italy(and probably any other place in Europe): be aware that PUBLIC RESTROOMS ARE SCARCE. Usually when you do find one you will either have to pay .50 cents to get in or(if it's a free one) you might be required to squat over a hole in the ground in a filthy stall. Not a pretty picture, trust me. Also, stock up on tissue and hand sanitizer as restrooms don't always have toilet paper or soap. Just make sure you're ALWAYS prepared. Also, if you visit a beach in Cinque Terre, just realize that there might not be a place to change into your swimsuit. I'd recommend wearing one under your clothes. Or, if you're like me, you could always hide inside a crevice in the rocks and change there. No biggie, just make sure no one sees you!
The beach is totally worth it though. The water feels great this time of year, and the rocks are fun to climb on. I wish I could've stayed there longer to go rock climbing, hiking, or exploring. I would've also have loved to visit the other towns. I have to go back someday, maybe that's where I'll have my honeymoon if I ever get married.
Afterwards, we got gelato before we had to leave around 5pm. It was a wonderful trip, but I wish I could've gone there on my own time with some friends and not have to worry about meeting up with the group, etc. It was a good experience though and it has given me some inspiration for some possible art projects. That'll be it for now. Sono molto stanco! I am very tired!
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