One of the charms of Cinque Terre is the coastal walk between the 5 towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.
I read that it took 4 and a half hours to go from Montesorro, where we were, which is the start of the trail, to Riomaggiore. We try on our first day to tackle the trail. A coastal walk should be pretty easy - only a 90 minute walk and we’ll be at a less Jersey Shore-esque beach (we hope) and there we’ll get some sun. We don our bathing suits, dresses, and as for footwear, Ann chooses sandels and I go with flip-flops.
Walking partly up a mountain, we are slightly out of breath but hopeful until we come up to a little hut and a sign. 10 Euros to walk the trail and it can’t be done in flip-flops or heels. With a sigh we head back down to the beach at Monterosso where we unwisely bake our skin to a shade of lobster red.
The next morning, we decide to try again. Our skin is an overcooked salmon colour - an improvement on yesterday but not by much. I only have one t-shirt so it wis that and a pair of leggings with trainers for our coastal trail adventures.
[caption id=”attachment_1395” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”This is just the beginning”]
Now I know I’m out of shape. But the first 15 minutes of the walk almost floors me. Of course, I’ll attribute that to the nearly vertical stair climb we have to undertake. You see only a few stairs above you, think you’re nearing the top but when you get there, there are more, and more, and more. We are climbing up a mountain.
We do reach a top of sorts but the trail continues like a wave on the side of the mountain. We trudge on in 30 degree heat, full sun and no breeze. The bits of shade we do find we rest in for a moment and then carry on.
[caption id=”attachment_1394” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”Taking in the view (AKA resting)”]
One thing we can’t do, was complain. On the trail in front of us, and in our wake, are mostly retirees - some not in the best shape - but I don’t hear any of them moan. They take a break when they need to and rest when they can. Have snacks and water and walking sticks. Most of them have sturdy boots. That’s what I want to be doing in my 60s. And flying in a private jet. You should always have a few dreams in there.
[caption id=”attachment_1392” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”We’re all hitting the trail”]
And suddenly through a break in the trees we can see Venezza in all it’s glory. And glori-ful it is.
But once we sit and drink water and look above at the next climb to the next town, we think 90 minutes of walking is enough. Maybe it’s time to take the train back and write postcards and have dinner and write this post. So we do.
Saturday, 18 June 2011
Cinque Terre coastal walk
Friday, 17 June 2011
Cinque Terre: the new Jersey Shore
On the train to Monterosso Al Mare, we sit in a train car with a group of older Italians. One asks us where we are going. When she hears Monterosso, her nose crinkles in slight disgust and says “that’s where all the Americans go.” I took it as an insult to us - oh she thinks we’re Americans does she - but what she actually means I won’t truly understand until we arrive later that night.
In Monterosso, the ratio of Italians to foriengers is 1 to one million. Of course an exageration but not by much. And most of them are American and most of these Americans are those you might see on the Jersey Shore. Big muscled, overly tanned, tribal tattooed, greasy haired, gold chained, beer-pong playing loudmouths with (but not always) backwards facing baseball caps. All in the middle of a preserved Italian paradise - the Riviera Ligure.
This is the view from our window.
But it is countered by this view.
And this view.
At least we get to relax and Ligure pasta is very tasty. It looks something like this.
Thursday, 16 June 2011
ILLUMInations: 2011 La Binennale di Venezia
When I told people I was going to Venice in June, a number of people instantly said I should go to the Biennale. It’s an international Art Exhibition that happens every two years and it takes over the city. You’ll walk down a side street and a sign directing you to a participating country’s exhibit appears. We go to Arsenale, only one section of the two main exhibits on Sunday. It is so diverse and in turns, it is amazing and WTF (as in What the F**k is that doing here and why is it art).
Instead of me explaining each art work and what I think of them, I’ll do it in pictures with captions. Not of everything mind you, but enough for you to get a flavour of what we saw and you can let me know what you think. Bice Curigar, currator of this years Biennale which he’s titled ILLUMInations, says this of the festival: “The endevour was to establish a rhythm, like poetry; but also to create unexpected encounters between works and artists from different cultural backgrounds working with different criteria. We are in fact convinced thst the world of art is not just a colony of individuals acting alone: it is above all a communion of intents.”
[caption id=”attachment_1361” align=”aligncenter” width=”300” caption=”Ann interacting with the exhibit”]
[caption id=”attachment_1363” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”Mirror reflections”]
[caption id=”attachment_1364” align=”aligncenter” width=”300” caption=”People looking at pictures of people”]
[caption id=”attachment_1365” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”Two toilets and a light. Yep, that’s right.”]
[caption id=”attachment_1371” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”Melting statues”]
[caption id=”attachment_1374” align=”aligncenter” width=”300” caption=”A brief moment of The Clock”]
[caption id=”attachment_1376” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”An alternate universe Buzz Lightyear”]
[caption id=”attachment_1381” align=”aligncenter” width=”300” caption=”Chemical plant or art?”]
[caption id=”attachment_1383” align=”aligncenter” width=”300” caption=”A bucket of teeth”]
[caption id=”attachment_1387” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”A wall made entirely of Ukrainian Easter Eggs”]
[caption id=”attachment_1384” align=”aligncenter” width=”300” caption=”It says what it is on the tin”]
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Italian adventure: our days in Venice
We left Friday night for Venice. It was one of those days. My cousin Ann, who was coming with me on a 10 day Italian adventure, got locked between my front door and our inner door, which resulted in a broken window and a few cuts and scrapes to get back in. At the airport, the flight was delayed by 45 minutes and when we hit the ground in Venice, we missed the bus to town by a minute so had to wait 40 for another.
But it didn’t matter. We were in Venice and about to start 10 days of touring, eating, walking and trying a bit of the local wine. We were greeted off our boat (the local transport is all on water) by Andrea who led us through the winding streets of Venice to the apartment we rented for 3 days. It smelt of old and stagnent water but as it was the smell of a majority of Venice we quickly got used to it. But we had a fridge, stove, a sitting room and bedroom with a very powerful fan. We were set.
We decided to immediately look around Venice and get something to eat. Crossing the Rialto Bridge there was a couple drinking wine over a candle and looking lovingly in each others eyes. Other couples were stopping to snuggle and stare out across the canal. Ann and I being both related and interested in men, did not stop to be romantic, and made a bee-line for the first open-looking restaurant. It wasn’t open but I did get to see a cat size rat scurry out of the restaurant and disappear into the darkness surrounding the canal. Maybe it was a good thing it was closed.
After another failed attempt, we stumbled upon XIXI where Ann had some bread disguised as pizza and I had a glass of red wine (being allergic to cheese, pre-made pizza will never be doable). Very tasty for me, very bready for her. We took a bottle of red and two large pastries to go and wandered back to our home for the next three days. Wine, pastries and a movie ended our night way too late but we were giddy! Italy awaits!
The next day, the skies were onimous. But it didn’t bother us. Why would it rain on our vacation? That’s silly talk. First up, coffee. Expressos for 1 euro in a beautiful Italian bakery. Now time to explore….
We made it to the first canal and the rain hit. After 20 minutes standing under a bridge, we bought umbrellas - I went for black, Ann for blue (which was unfortunate as the dye ran and dyed her hands a beautiful shade of blue). We did St Marks square and had a wander, ate over priced food (don’t ever, ever eat too close to the square - you are garanteed to pay too much) and took tons of photos while trying to hold an umbrella.
[caption id=”attachment_1355” align=”aligncenter” width=”168” caption=”Wedding pictures in St. Mark’s Square”]
We headed home for a quick refresh and had a long nap instead. Walking through Venice, we discovered a tiny restaurant tucked away in a back street. Turns out to be an award winning one (name to follow when I can find their card) and had a meal to die for. Mixed fish for two and grilled vegetables. Thanks to that place, I’ve fallen in love with Monkfish. They fit us in between sittings and we saw them turn a lot of other people away after us. Definitely book a table there if you can and say hi to Luca and Stephan from us.
We tried to end the evening in their favourite bar but as it was also a top restaurant and the owner looked like a chicken without a head, we didn’t drop Lucas’s name and instead wandered. We found the local hospital (always good to know where you can get local medical attention) and the rows of ambulence boats that were docked nearby. Never thought about how they would deal with emergency services, but that would make sense to have on an island that was mainly water.
Night ended with a series of photos taken on my night setting and another glass of wine overlooking another canal.
Sunday was our last full day in Venice. We stumbled upon a church and listened to part of the Italian service. We thought our Grandma would have liked that as she’s Catholic and it was a Sunday. Something to tell her when we got home.
We then went to the Beinnale before heading back to St. Mark’s Square for an hour long walking tour and a gondola ride. Now I’m not usually one for going on walking tours. I like to do it myself but it was only £3 more for the walking tour as well so we booked it. less than 20 minutes in we realized this was not a deal at £3 - we would have been better off just hitting the gondolas. Ann took her earpiece out so she didn’t have to hear the woman drone on. In future? No walking tours.
Gondola was as expected. We got to ride with two Italian grandmas and two teachers from the states. Our driver was an unimpressed Italian. As was expected.
Our last morning in Venice ended on a sad note. At 6 in the morning I woke up to a number of texts from back home. Call me. Call me as soon as you get this. I did and in the bathroom of a small apartment in Venice, I found out my grandma was dead. It was sudden and unexpected. I told my cousin the news as we stood facing each other in the middle of the living room of our Italian apartment. Now we had a day to wait to find out when the funeral would be and then we could figure out how we could get home.
Thursday, 2 June 2011
I hope I get to go to space (or at least to the #nasatweetup)
One Christmas, my mum bought my sister and I a movie for our stockings. Mine was Space Camp. The ever informative IMDB describes Space Camp as the story of a group of American kids who go to space camp during the summer holidays. They learn how to operate the Space Shuttle. A team, consisting of a guy who just entered to meet girls, a wannabe astronaut and an instructor (who wanted to go on a mission instead of teaching), win the chance to sit in the Shuttle while the engines are tested. Then they’re launched by mistake…Ooo kids in space. It also starred a bevvie of (now) well known actors including Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson, Kelly Preston, Tate Donovan, Tom Skerritt and the super cute kid version of Joaquin Phoenix who played Max, the little boy his robot friend Jinx wanted to send to space (hence the whole being accidently launched thing).
Though I watched this film religiously, my love of space didn’t come from a film. It came from the classroom. We talked solar systems, made panoramas circling round a light bulb sun, constructed sun viewers out of cardboard and mirrors so we could safely watch the solar eclipse. I sat crosslegged on an edge of carpet in primary school to watch the launch of a shuttle into space. Reading every book possible, I researched what I needed to do to be an astronaut. My plan? To actually be the first kid in space (The kids in the movie didn’t count). I learned all the constellations and dreamed I’d get a telescope one day.
Yes. I joined science club.
And that little piece of genius called the Canada Arm? My country made that.
Most of all, I remember the day of the Challenger crash. The space shuttle ripped in two, the plume of white smoke forking into bright blue sky. Reagan said at the memorial, “Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short.” Through all the disaster, in my child’s mind, all I could think of is that a mum died - the first member of the Teacher in Space program. How was that possible? I’ll never forget her face.
So I saw yesterday that there were entries being taken for a #nasatweetup - 150 people will be selected to see the very last launch of Space shuttle Atlantis before it is retired to a hanger somewhere to gather dust. It is, in fact, the last launch before the whole program is retired. The lucky winners will get to tour NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, view the shuttle launch and speak with NASA managers, astronauts, shuttle technicians and engineers.
I know its too late for me to go into space but I hope I get selected for this. It’s a long shot but the 6 year old in me is holding it’s breath. Isn’t that what you do to make your dreams come true?
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
New Twitter follow button: Great for browsers, bad for mobile
Yesterday talk of another new Twitter feature came out. Nothing to do with an inbox flooded with emails but all to do with a nifty new follow button you can add to your website.
Currently, if you have a follow button, anyone on your site who wants to follow you gets taken to another browser. The nifty new follow button will bring up a pop up and if you’re already signed in, you’re now following that Twitter account without having to really leave the website you are browsing. Nice.
On a mobile? Different story. A new browser opens and you have to type in your details. I don’t know if you’re like me, but I hate to fill in forms on mobile web browsers so it’s really not improved my experience. It would be great if the JavaScript could read if there was as app signed into Twitter or Twitter authorised so it would allow for a smooth user experience and interact with that data.
If you want to get the new button to add to your site, there’s an easy to use form here: http://twitter.com/about/resources/followbutton
Wordpress users can go to the widgets section in their CMS, add a text space to the sidebar (or wherever your theme allows it) and drop in the code. Word of warning. There are only two colours available as background - black or White. Hopefully they’ll allow you to input your own hex reference in the future but until then, it’ll look mighty ugly if your site is green.