Florence and Cinque Terre

Il Duomo Cathedral 

 Hello y’all, since I last wrote, we spent a day in Florence and two days in Cinque Terre.  We toured Il Duomo Cathedral in Florence.  We climbed to the top of the dome, using the narrow, spiral staircase which seemed to go on forever, for someone who has a little claustrophobia.  It certainly was worth it for the view, both inside and outside the dome.

                       Lower portion of the Dome

Upper portion of Dome

Narrow stairs

The view from the top of the dome

Sunset in Florence 

Off to Cinque Terre, the five towns built on the rocky coasts, and connected originally by paths over rocky mountains, or what I call cliffs.  The day we arrived, we hiked the shortest, but steepest path to Riomaggiore.  This was one of the steepest, toughest hikes that I think I’ve ever done.  Wth that being said, I have a bad memory, there is currently a heat wave here, and I have the flu from the cruise.  The following day we hiked to the two towns north of where we are staying, in Manarola.  The hike were not as steep, but much longer, and the heat persisted. After 6 hours of hiking up and down to both towns, Corniglia and Vernazza, we took the train back to Manarola.

The view from our apartment in Manarola

 Looking down at Manarola from the top on our first day’s hike.

Looking down the other side at Riomaggiore.

          Well deserved coke after the first day hike.

Leaving Manarola for the second day’s hike.  It really is built on a cliff.

   Our final destination of Vernazza with Corniglia in                

                                  between.

Some of the terrain on the trail above and below.

In Corniglia for a lunch break.

Still growing grapes on the hillsides.

Walking into Vernazza.

The small beach in Vernazza.

Tomorrow a train ride to Lucca, where we will start our real hike on Monday.

Caio