Location 7: Firenze

I arrived yesterday afternoon in Florence after 3 days in Venice, which in turn were preceded by 2 days in Vernazza. Vernazza, a small coastal town in northwest Italy, is part of the popular vacation area "Cinque Terra." The area derives its name from the five coastal towns that it encompasses, and the area is sometimes called the Italian Riviera for the abundance of natural beauty, both on land and sea. The two main highlights from that excursion are as follows... First, the hikes. It takes about 90 minutes to hike between each town, for a total hike of several hours if you want to hike the entire five-town route. Neha and I hiked between Vernazza and the town to the south when we arrived, and between Vernazza and the town to the north the next day. These are the two most arduous hikes, and the one to Monterroso (on the second day) is particularly difficult if you don't enjoy hiking or are out of shape. Neha had a tough time, but we both made it in good form. The hikes themselves traverse the hillside and cliffside along the water, making for gorgeous views. Second, the food. The seafood is particularly good, as it is in most coastal towns where it is all freshly caught and served in the local fashion. However, I found that I enjoyed the two things the folks in that area take particular pride in: pesto and foccaccia (separately, though of course they can go together). They claim to have invented both, and their pride is well justified. Very yummy.

On we go to Venice, about which I don't have too much to say. I imagine that once upon a time it was quite a beautiful vacation spot, but to me it's lost most of that charm. The streets and alleys and canals are overrun by tourists (who far outnumber the locals), which just saps the experience of something new and engaging that I enjoy. If one wanders the streets and alleys late at night, taking odd turns here and there to escape the more travelled routes, one can still sense the haunting beauty of Venice that inspired so much devotion in years past. The alleys can get quite small, usually softly lit, and you turn a corner to encounter a simple stone bridge over a canal, under which a local lies in his boat having a cigarette. That stuff is very cool. Some of the sights were also quite impressive of course, but you can read about those in the books.

And so we arrive in Florence. Today Neha and I completed a bike tour, in which we biked across the hills of Tuscany, stopping for a nice lunch, and pausing for a tour of a local winery and olive oil producer. The tour guides were very nice and funny, which is key for any tour, and the group was filled with folks our age (or younger). The only downside was the heat. It was about 95F today, and we all were sweating profusely. I'm personally proud that I made it up the large hill we had to tackle without the aid of the van, which most of the group utilized....though I'll admit I had to walk some of it, and I was dying when I got to the top. The Tuscan countryside, it should go without saying, is picturesque, filled with vineyards and olive trees and small towns that look sublime. So far I can't say the same for the city center, which is almost as bad as Venice in terms of the number of tourists (Americans and Canadians dominate). Luckily we've met some nice locals who've given us great restaurant recommendations, so at least we should be eating well.

Ciao ciao.