I checked the board to see which platform I was supposed leave from. There was no information next to my train, so I went to the information desk to find out that I had made it to Florence just in time for the scheduled train strike which started at 9:00am and went until 9:00pm. Florence was the first place where I started to feel the tourist nature of Italy. Stranded Americans littered the train station and no one seemed to understand the way which Italian train strikes function. It is the choice of the conductor as to whether or not he wants to strike and no one at the information knows what each conductor's decision is going to be. Luckily I was able to find a train to Pisa that left within 30 minutes. Crisis avoided!
Met up with Natalie and her family and took the bus to the leaning tower. This was the first time on my travels I had been in such a massive tourist zone. Thousands of people littered the area and hundreds of pictures were taken "holding up" or "pushing over" the tower. I can regretfully say that we partook at the encouragement of the ridiculousness of our surroundings. I guess you could call it "touristy peer pressure".
We didn't have very much trouble getting a train to La Spezia which is the major train station before getting to Cinque Terre but it turns out that all of the conductors of the trains going to Cinque Terre were on strike. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the only way to get to there would be by Ferry.
We took a bus over to Portovenere which is a significant port for the region. This is where the update will be more about pictures than content. As with Neuschwanstein, these pictures hardly do the area justice.
The large castle like structure guarding the port.
This is a view of the five towns in Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore. Note the steepness of the mountains surrounding the cities.
A picture of the third of the five towns, Corniglia. It is the only one of the towns that is without beach front real estate. It is also known for it's stairs, which we will experience to the fullest.
This is another picture of Riomaggiore, the water was brilliantly clear. As we found out later that day, it was quite refreshing and is perfectly suited for cooling off after a day of hiking or sunbathing.
After a stunning boat ride, we arrived to Vernazza where we would be staying. After visiting all the towns, I think that I prefer Vernazza most of all. It has a great little beach area and at night, when all the crowds are gone, it is really quaint and has a strong local feel.
This is the view of the landscape from one of the highest points in the city. This is a place I could spend months just lounging around.
We had dinner that night on a rooftop restaurant which over-looked the Mediterranean and had a decent view of Monterosso which is the busiest of the five towns.
Took this picture from the dinner table. One of the greatest parts about the trip was that everything in the towns was affordable. The dinners were actually less expensive than I had anticipated and really make for a great vacation destination. Also, the markets in town would provide quality produce and fresh seafood for the extended stay, cooking contingency (which hopefully I will be able to take advantage of one day).
I got a healthy dose of the need to be a flexible traveler. I think that the travel confidence I have built up over the years of trips to Europe with Asheville High, my dad, and my college buddies helped me to turn setbacks into new adventures. A lesson which can only be learned by experience.
Location:Pisa and Cinque Terre, Italy
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