Unexpected Boat

Yesterday was a lot. Today I just have one thing, but it will be most of the day. I'm in a tour group to Cinque Terre, a series of coastal villages. While obviously from the name, there are 5, this tour will only hit 4. The bus leaves at 0700, so I am glad it's a 3 minute walk from my hotel. The bus ride takes us through an entire region of nurseries and then marble production. Once we get to the train stop, we take the train to the furthest south village, Riomaggiore.

Photographing it from the Northern side was purely for goats, but I do it anyway.

After taking some pictures, I enjoy a nice refreshing frozen treat before hopping the train to the next town.

The train takes us to Manarola, where I have a little more time to wander around and take pictures.

And splash my feet in the water a bit.

The train then takes us to Vernazza where I find a nice ornament that looks like a lemon.

I also spend some time talking to a nice Australian couple on the same tour. This is their honeymoon and first time out of the county and they talk up Sienna as a good place to visit, but caution it will take more than an hour. Good info since I'd been thinking of suggesting that as a stop on the way to the Villa, but with the luggage in the car, it would have needed to be a very short stop.

The last village is Monterosso al Mare, and because the weather is mostly cooperating, we travel by boat instead of train. I did not realize there would be a boat ride. I love boats.

This last stop includes lunch, but the Australians want to hit the beach instead of eat seafood. I have lunch with the tour and talk about different places we've traveled and agree that the best vacation is always the next one. Though this one is pretty alright. He also suggests I see if there are any openings for a night time tour of the Colosseum, a plan that certainly seems like a good idea if I can stay up late enough.

After a little shopping and enjoying the scenery, the group heads back via train to our starting point and catch the bus back to Florence.

A friend said she had the best steak of her life in Florence, but couldn't recall the restaurant. I describe her experience to the hotel staff, and they send me to Trattoria Dall'Oste. No idea if this is the same place, but it does look like a lot of fun. I start with a beef carpaccio, which is probably meant for a table of 4.

While I sip on the lovely red the waiter recommended, I hear some other Americans complaining that they can't order white wine by the glass and decide that I should catch up on some reading. The cut I've selected is a ribeye, and the beef is Chianina, an Italian cow. While I won't claim this is the best steak I've ever had, it is a very good steak and a great end to the day.

I do such a good job of eating steak and reading that they gifted me a small bottle of wine on the way out.