Mixed Feelings But Italy (Part One)

I will be honest with you, my readers, I had no intention in posting a blog today. As my grandfather Gillis is in the hospital ill. I considered writing about him but I thought that I should put more thought into what I say about him, than whatever came to mind as I write this blog. But I was just talking to my mom who wished I would post some pictures of Italy, to cheer her and my father up. So...I shall

Also, thank you for all the comments on the last blog, I enjoy them and, in Bowles's case, answering his questions which, while never on the right topic, are still pleasing to try and answer. I did not enjoy as such the identity theft which my sister StacEy practised and you are right Maddie, I was standing on the third hill, where Edinburgh castle is. I now owe you two drinks next time I see you...and who knows when that will be?

We went to Italy this past summer, and StacEy, Andrew and I spent a day in Turin in the province of Piedmont, where the recent Olympics were held, before meeting up with our parents. It is a really beautiful city, I strongly reccomend it to anyone. Especially good is the Italian Film Museum, well worth a visit as we spent half the day in there. Ths sad part is I have no pictures from there, I must have forgot my camera in the hotel, c'est la vie. Anyways we departed via rail towards The Cinque Terre, which is a national park in the province of Liguria. I know the park's name looks french but is not pronouced the same at all, you can ask me next time you see me. On the way I was almost arrested by the police for having my feet on the train seat, but I pleaded I was foreign and had 'never' been on an European train before. This seemed to work and I know it was a bit crass of me but as neither my sibling or Andrew were moving to help me I had to do something.

But at last we came to Vernazza, the town where we stayed. It is in the center of the five towns that make the Cinque Terre (Cinque...five...hmmm). The problem I have with writing and posting pics of this place is that it can never compare with being there. I mean the most amazing place I have ever seen period. I am quite serious, it was the most spectacular looking place that I have seen of all the places I have been in my life (Which have been a fair few). Now I know that in a later blog I am going to say that I would love to live in the province of Tuscany and you will say, 'what about the Cinque Terre Gillis. you bloody flipflopper?' Well, culturally speaking I prefered Tuscany and it is the second most beautiful place I have been, but no, seriously, visit the Cinque Terre for the scenery (And take me with you). Just fantastic, and the water was as warm as it looks. Also the rail line ran under the hills so it really was this beautiful solitary place. Between the five towns is a foot path that runs along the side of the hills, with the steps (and there were a blooming lot of them, seriously, sometimes over 600 just going up) carved out of stone. We stayed at a hermitage that is beyond the hill on the left of this pic so it was a job just to get to your bed every night. Better yet, I will show you in the next two pics just how far it took to walk to the town. Here are the folks, Andrew and StacEy coming down into the town one morning. I ran ahead (Somehow I turned out to be a bit mountain goat even in my shape). Also note that only after a few years of Andrew's connection with our family and he is already stained with the Tilley parasite. The next pic is taken a second later with no zoom from the base of the steps in the town.You can just make them out to the right of the house in the center. So it was quite a walk just down to the bar in the evening. There were a few tourists but really it was not overcrowded in a visible sense. I have a few shots from within the town itself, commentless.

The next one is actually the backyard view from where we were staying. Then a shot down to the town from where we were staying. I will follow it with some more shots of Vernazza and then I am off. Since I am likely to going back to Canada this week I will probably not have an update this coming weekend but there will be loads more pics from Cinque Terre and Tuscany. So if you love them, great, if you don't...meh.

Clicking off,

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