I arrived in Monterosso at 3:00 in the afternoon. I found my hotel/hostel, whatever it is and no one was there even though I had scheduled a check in time. They had just posted a sign with a number to call. Too bad I didn't have a phone or wi-fi connection...I only waited about five minutes trying to decide what to do...find another place? Go to Florence? Sleep on the beach? and then a guy pulled up and apologized for being late. He checked me in and showed me the most excellent room I would be staying at in the paradise of all paradises for the next two nights. It was excellent in that it was a big bed with a balcony, closet, and bathroom alllll to myself. It was like a studio apartment minus the kitchen. It was actually in an apartment building. They must have just turned one or two of the apartments into this kind of hotel accommodation.
Anyway. I went out to explore and I was just blown away. Never ever have I been somewhere that beautiful. There is nothing like it. I was just in absolute awe from the buildings to the beaches to the creepy cool church and cemetery I found high up on a hill. I took almost 100 pictures in two hours of wandering.
Now, last October, Monterosso and Vernazza (the village next door) were severely damaged by flooding and mudslides. So yeah, it's off season so a lot of stuff is closed, but because of all the damage there are only three pubs and two restaurants open in the entire village. The village is really dedicated to repairing everything for around May when the tourists like to come. It seems kind of like a come together bonding project for the village. I think Italy is a pretty poor place as far as money from the government goes so there are many fundraisers and websites collecting donations for these two Cinque Terre villages. I kinda feel like I'm helping out by staying here. :) They need a lot of help. It's been three months and it's still not looking good.
I will tell you more about the Cinque Terre in my next post, but basically there is a 9 km (5.5 mile) hiking trail connecting five beautiful little cities along a stretch of the Italian Riviera. Because of the mudslides, only 1/5 of the trail is open. :( :( :(. The trail from Monterosso to Vernazza is closed, but I did the first 100 yards of the hike up about 200 stairs to see a great view of Monterosso. It was absolutely breathtaking. I had to sit down. On the way back down, I was so busy looking at the view that I didn't see the thorn branch hanging down, and I totally caught my nose on it and got stuck and all scratched up!! If was painful but I guess that's karma for sneaking up a closed trail.
I found a market and bought some carrots, an apple, a loaf of bread, some nutella, and some yogurt so I would have breakfast and snacks for the next couple days.
I went back to my room to drop off the groceries, and then I sat on the beach which is one block away. I sat for a couple hours. Yes, a couple hours. And no one walked by that entire time. I had the whole thing to myself and enjoyed every minute of it. I thought about my trip thus far and how surreal it has been:
Bruges was worth the trip in and of itself. It was the most beautiful little city I have ever seen, and it will be had to beat.
Eating Belgian chocolate and waffles in Belgium.
Seeing half naked ladies literally selling their bodies in Amsterdam and everyone around being totally ok with it. Marijuana growing in shops and live porn show advertisements and everyone being totally ok with it Then there's the canals and bikes and Anne Frank house...I can't decide which group of things I enjoyed most. ;)
All of Germany was just a history textbook/fairy tale and a half. Cute homes. Cobble stone streets. Castles. Town walls. Absolutely amazing everything.
Then there's my semi spontaneous side trip to Salzburg where I first saw the Alps. In fact, I got stranded in them. Alone. I saw Mozart's houses. I visited the Sound of Music sites and lived the story of the von Trapps.
I ran off the side of the mountain with the most beautiful Swiss man in all the land and together we flew over the city of Interlaken.
I went from the Swiss Alps to the Italian Riviera in one day.
I sat on the beach for two uninterrupted hours.
I have eaten more carbs and hot chocolate in the past two weeks than I have in the rest of my life combined.
I have become so much more confident in my ability to really do anything. If I can get around Europe..an unfamiliar place with very little communication...I can do anything, ya know? I still can't believe that I'm 21 and wandering around Europe alone. I still can't believe that my purpose in life right now is to just see the world. No homework. No work. No tests. No nothing. Just me and the world.
I also thought about how much I miss my family. I'd really rather be sitting at home surrounded by them than surrounded by anything else in the whole world. I'm so fortunate to have something I love more than the Swiss Alps, the Italian Riviera, and all the pastries in the world combined. I feel guilty wishing I could be home with them while I'm sitting so peacefully on the beach in Italy, but it's the truth. That's how much I love them. All of them.
I thought about high school, boys, school, my future, my past, the next day, the next year, and everything there is to think about. All in perfect serenity.
I went to see the town at night and was stopped on the street by an Italian man. He was probably in his thirties. We chatted (in english) for a few minutes, but I got nervous when he was asking me where I was staying and if I was traveling alone. I admitted to traveling alone but pretended that I did not know the name of my place. He seemed like a nice guy..and we parted ways.
The city was glowing. I can't imagine living here and seeing this every night. I guarantee that the locals don't even notice the beauty of their city anymore. So sad :(
I made it back to my room and got ready for bed. I read more Rick Steves and also studied some Italian. Tomorrow I hike, and I'm so excited!!
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