Locanda dalla Compagnia Riomaggiore

As the traffic had been horrendous yesterday we decided to hit the autostrada and pay the tolls to save our sanity and hightail it to our next destination. 130kms and 10 Euro later we arrived in Santa Margherita Ligure, which is just up the road from Portofino. <br><br>This place is a bit larger than we are used to and Italian towns all have small car parks and narrow ...

... ticket said La Spezia on it but didn't specify which one since there are apparently two stations in the tiny town; one on the outskirts and one in the center. The girls and I along with probably another dozen American tourists got off on the wrong one and had to search for help. The only person at the station other than us was the train engineer. He helped some but we had to wait in the rain for around half an hour for the next train to take us to either the central station or ...

... Eisenhower tunnel with more curves less light and cars going less than half your speed next to you for 11 minutes solid. It gets a little weird having inches to spare on your left and traffic on your right. And inevitably, once you emerge from the tunnel, you are immediately on a bridge that spans the space between the next tunnels. So there is no more room for error on the bridge, just better light, and then into the next tunnel&#8230; Over ...

... ll see how it goes. <br><br>Tomorrow I am off to Milan, and kindly enough staying with a friend of the women who owned the horse place I worked at. Can't beat free, and many of the people that I met there vouched for him so, I'm off to another city. I'm hoping to make Milan, Verona and Venice by the weekend so I can go to Parma and see my cousin on the weekend. Wish me Luck!<br><br>Missing you all!<br>Benita<br><br><br>

<br> Tuscan Riviera Portovenere<br> Had seen it on Getaway and looked very pretty.. Found a hotel with sea views and have spent 2 nights here resting , climbing around local castles&#8230; eating sleeping and watching the boats go in and out&#8230; not much English here but we are not hungry or thirsty so all going well&#8230;.<br> Tomorrow we are off to the South of France.. 3 nights planned in Nice.. Really looking forward to it but have loved Italy&#8230;

... There was something special to me about the people in these towns who still live off the land (and sea) &#8212; it seemed that instead of taking this beautiful place for granted, they appreciated it even more than I did, and in a deeper sense.<br><br>But we certainly appreciated our time in the sun, too. My two friends jumped in the ocean and swam with the biggest, scariest-looking jellyfish I have ever seen (I conveniently forgot my bathing ...

... on hills, along the water. All there is to do here is to enjoy: food (gelato of course, I still go by the saying: one gelato a day keeps the doctor away), beaches, and trails. I woke up early this morning to be first on the 5 hour footpath (pffff! I did it in 3.45 hours!) which is basically 9 km of stairs and hills, with the most amazing view! <br>So I'll just stay here for a few days.. and sunbath..<br>

... the rocks look really cool - they sort of had holes in them. Its hard to explain,they were just weathered rocks but they looked so cool. The water was the hottest I have ever been in. Richard, who has been to Austrailia and the Dominican agrees, as does Jyles who has been to Mexico. It was also an aqua-green colour and crystal clear. You could see to the bottom, and you could see the rockface all along the water, as well as the array of fish ...

... the air conditioning etc and we managed to communicate quite well &#8211; she didn't know any English. When we first arrived the guy was yelling out to the lady and it was just like the add on TV back on Oz with the Italian man and woman talking to each other and he scares the birds off the garden.<br><br>Everyone here has a beautiful vegetable garden and lots of fruit trees. Grapes grow everywhere, peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, beans, herbs etc ...

... t get lost. Maps cost 3 euros and the one that I had ripped out of my guidebook got stolen. Yes, some sticky fingered jerk stole my map when I first got into Venice. I had it in my backpocket and even double checked it after I put it in there thinking,'I want to make sure I don't lose this so I don't get lost.' After I found it was gone, I rearranged my purse and pockets so the only they could get at was used klennexes. I hope they enjoy those :)<br>