it was july 26 2008

cinque terre has to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. it is a series of five fishing villages all along the northern italian coast connected by a sea coast walk/hike that is a national park offering some of the most breathtaking views ever. we started our day in the first village riomaggoire and followed the path thru manarola, corniglia, vernazza, and monterosso. this incredible feast for the eyes takes you along the cliffside, through vineyards, locals gardens, and picturesque villages. what started out as a pretty leisurely walk turned into quite the hike. the scenery made it all worth our while. the water below was so clear you could see clearly to the bottom even from high above. this stop on our travels was completely different than anywhere we had been, the beach life and relaxed vibe allowed us to ease up, enjoy the sites, the sounds, the warm breeze, the cool water and really enjoy the great outdoors.

cinque terre was were we met Jean, the lady from australia that we feel in love with. we spent our evenings listening to her stories, sharing ours and enjoying another traveller's company. she shared her watermelon with michele, told us of the moon rising, watched the sunset and was indeed a sixty year old retiree, but was a damn good woman.