2018 Italy Vacation, Day 14: Manarola Sans Tech

Kathi and I had been scurrying all over Italy; that was mostly my fault.  I wanted to see everything.  Before we left, Kathi made me promise we would take some time to slow down and take it easy once in a while.  She had a long wait, but today was the day.

We were excited to return to Manarola and go for a swim.  We had tried the night before to make arrangements with a snorkeling outfitter, but they were closed when we called after returning from San Marco D'Urri and did not open until later in the morning, after we would leave for Manarola.  The fates were telling us something.

After a slow breakfast with cappuccino, we dressed in baiting suits, threw a credit card and some cash in the pocket, put two towels in a free string bag we had gotten at the airport, and headed to the train station - no phones.  Freedom!

We got our train tickets at the kiosk, validated them, and hopped on the train.  It was a short and pleasant train ride to Manarola; in my head I mocked the tourists with their busy schedules (although that had been us just the day before).

In Manarola, we made our way down to the harbor.  We scouted for snorkeling outfitters in a last ditch hope that we might find one to book a trip.  Failing that, I stopped at one of the small tourist shops in the village and purchased a mask for 10 euros.  We walked the promenade to the ramp which led to the Ligurian Sea and laid our towels out to claim a patch of coveted, sunny space on the ramp.  There were less than a handful of people present when we arrived.

We sunned for a while before getting up our nerve to plunge into the sea.  Other people trickled in.  The ramp was covered with algae and looked a little slippery so I jumped off the wide flat wall that bounded the ramp.  The water was refreshing, very deep, and crystal clear.  Tropical fish swam all about and having the mask was great.  Kathi joined me and we swam about, found a rock to stand on, and explored the deep black water along the craggy rock coast.

We returned to our toweled real estate and lavishly baked in the sun.  One group of young boys and girls amped up the chill vibe as they cavorted about in the water, primping, and admiring themselves as they took selfie after selfie.    

There was a 7-8 meter-high perch above the sea that lent itself to big jumps so I decided to give it a go. This is when the selfie-lovers came in handy.  Kathi asked one of the clan to take my picture as I jumped and email her the picture.  She agreed.  I crept up the narrow, jagged path to the top, steadied myself, and leaped!  Kathi said they got a good shot.

In thanks for the photo, I loaned the mask to our photographer and more selfies ensued.  At least some of their group did actually swim with the mask to look at the fish (its intended purpose).

We returned to our sun napping, swam some more, explored more grottoes; I jumped off the perch again.  A large group of snorkelers and divers showed up, no doubt, to take advantage of the ramp access into the water, the fish, and the deep crevices to explore.  Our little spot was now crowded, but not crazy.  It still had a locals feel.

When we got hungry, we packed up our towels and gave the mask to an Italian mother with two kids but only one mask and snorkel.  She was grateful and made her daughter come and thank us.  We were just trying to share the fun we'd had and pass on the life-mantra of doing more to live, not just buying more things to have.  That mask would have just sat in the garage with our other masks, so we were happy to give it another life.

We strolled back into Manarola and eyed the menu for a restaurant we had passed on the way in - da Aristide.  It had an inviting covered seating area on the main square so we took a table.   Kathi had troffia with pesto and I had gnocchi with pesto.  We shared a 1/4 liter of the house blanco, frizzante, and some great local bread.  It was a lovely slow meal and I would highly recommend the restaurant both for food and location.

After lunch, we hopped back on the train to Levanto to retrieve the car and head back to Fiesole for another repeat visit to a favorite town.

I have to say, this was one of our favorite days in Italy.  We slowed it down as Kathi recommended, ditched the devices, and lived it like the locals.  We savored our unhurried time together and  enjoyed our food and conversation with leisure; these are travel tips and life lessons I will not soon forget.  If only we had four more days to do the same throughout Cinque Terre!  My hope is that we will find out way back.

P.S.  We never did get sent that photo of me jumping off the ledge.  Disappointing, but seemingly appropriate.  No photos of that day; just memories.

2018 Italy Vacation, Day 12: Hiking Corniglia to Manarola

Today, we were splitting up.  Kathi was heading back to MaM to take a cooking class (see the separate blog post), and I was hiking from Corniglia to Manarola to Riomaggiore.

I left early and tromped up past the train station to get a bite to eat at Il Pirata delle 5 Terre. Planning to hike all day, I treated myself to a cappuccino and a pastry.  Satiated, I returned to the train station and hopped on the train to Corniglia.  I arrived in short order and it took me a little while to find the path, but when I climbed above the train station I found the familiar white and red stripes that marked the trail.

Corniglia is the only Cinque Terre Town without a harbor on the sea, it sits on the bluff.  Looking south, you can see my first destination, Manarola - not far as the crow flies,.  Unfortunately though, the quickest way, along the Coastal Trail (45 minutes), is closed.  So, instead, you have to take the high road, the  Panoramico Trail, to the small village of Volastra, and then descend to Manarola (2.5 hours).  

From the train station, I had to climb a long series of switchback steps to ascend to the town of Corniglia.

Here's the perspective from the top looking down and south.

Looking east. you can see the neat rows of vines that support the local wine-making culture.

 The path takes you past the Chiesa Di San Pietro.  As a man with a mission this day and a set time to meet Kathi back in Vernazza, I did not stop to explore the church. 

A multitude of stone steps greets you as you climb high above Corniglia.

Looking back as you climb, you get a splendid view of the town.
 The trail is well marked - this sign pointing back towards Corniglia, my starting point.

The trail continued upward - for me, over a steady hour, with only brief interludes of level ground.

 

Other trail markers point to side trails within the Cinque Terre National Park.  This one also points me in the direction of my intermediate destination - Volastra.  The distance, of course, is in kilometers.  One kilometer is 0.6 miles.

While it takes more effort than the Coastal Trail, the Panoramico Trail offers stunning comprehensive views of the coast.  Manarola, perched on its promontory, juts into the Ligurian Sea.

After an hour of climbing, the trail finally levels out and becomes ridge walking.

High above several rock slides that closed the Coastal Trail, the Panoramico Trail passes through a resident's backyard.  Looking north, Corniglia and Vernazza are hidden by the many mountain folds, but Monterosso al Mare is visible in the distance. 

If you look closely, you can see the collection of homes that make up San Bernardino at the top of the peak in the middle of the photo above.

This lucky resident's trialside home...

Colorful lizards hunting for prey along the stone walls....

Looking beyond the resident's garden, Corniglia stands like a coastal sentinel on the peak below.

Turning my attention to the south, beyond the terraced vineyards, Manarola beckons.

After about another 30 minutes, I rolled into Volestra - a small village on a high plateau above the sea.  Even though I had plenty of water to drink, I couldn't pass up an ice cold coke from this small cafe.

 I continued up the hill to check out the Sanctuary of our Lady of Health, the Parrocchia "Nostra Signora della Salute".

 It had a simple but elegant interior.  

 Inside, the sanctuary, I was struck by this beautiful sign, which loosely translated says 'Up in the hills full of olive trees and vineyards that the vital auras surround and streak, the streams bring forth the perfume of your flowers to Maria of the health and she regards this fortunate land benignly.'  Beautiful!

Perhaps hopped up on caffeine and not paying full attention, I continued past the bus station and ended up on the road climbing towards the village of Groppo (above Volestra).  

Looking back down at Volestra.

I could see Manarola down below and, without seeing any trail markers, surmised I was headed the wrong way.  I walked back down into Volestra and wandered until I came across this devotional. 'In times of trouble, Mother Mary speaks to me, speaking words of wisdom - follow the path to the sea.'

Pilgrims, use this map to avoid a similar fate.  Find the red trail in the narrow alley and follow it to Manarola.

Wandering about, I did come across this beautiful window.  

 

Having stumbled about for 30 minutes or so in Volestra, I continued on the correct trail, walking among the stone walls, terraces, and vineyards that punctuate this gorgeous landscape.

Looking back at Corniglia and Monterosso...

Manarola is getting closer - almost there!

The trail finally starts its descent towards Manarola.

Coming into town...

Manarola means "big wheel" and refers to the town's mill wheel used to make olive oil,  Its reportedly still located along the waterway that flows down the mountain, through the town's ravine, and on to the sea.  I looked for the manarola briefly, but did not find it.

Making my way to the harbor, I passed through the piazza which held the Catholic Church of San Lorenzo (1338), and its opposing bell tower - used to watch for pirates.  

The plaque on the facade of the bell tower pays homage to the soldiers fallen in WW I

 The church of St. Lawrence (San Lorenzo).

The inside of the church, like most in Italy, was gorgeous and it made me long for this beautiful architecture and decoration in the new world churches.

I liked the way the church was oriented so that these windows would catch either the rising or setting sun to cast a beam of light on the crosses.  Those medieval builders knew a thing or two.

Continuing towards the harbor, the commercial hub of Manarola began to present itself.

Closer to the harbor, stored fishing boats alluded to the work that supported this community more prominently in the past (and perhaps that sustain the locals long after the tourist season ends).  

The harbor is picturesque with its boats protected by the large stone jetty.  The large stone outcropping facing the harbor square is popular with thrill-seekers as they collect the nerve to jump off its precarious peak into the waters perhaps 50 feet below (much to the crowds delight!).

Walking the seaside promenade around the Punta Bonfiglio, as all the millennials snap selfies and hurry away to prove they were somewhere else, the explorer finds this shoreline where a concrete ramp leads down to the water and a small swimming area that provides a little more solitude.  See the landslides that have closed the Coastal trail between Manarola and Corniglia.

It was getting late, so I hurried back up through the town to find the trail to Riomaggiore.  The easy paved coastal train, aka the Via dell'Amore, likewise was closed due to avalanche damage and so I had to climb back up past San Lorenzo, past the town parking area and up a series of steps to merge with route SP 370 for the alternative way to Riomaggiore.  My tale continues in the next blog post.