Travel Day! Today we took the train from Florence (which station was conveniently just a ten minute walk around the corner) to Riomaggiore in the Cinque Terre.
We had one last go around (make that three for Dave) at the breakfast buffet. I thought it might be interesting to compare breakfast plates.
Then we said good-bye to our lovely Hotel Croce di Malta and set off, bright eyed and bushy tailed (as one usually does, in the beginning).
There were some train station shenanigans while we waited:
We saw the Carrera marble mountains as we whizzed by:
Unfortunately our train was a bit late arriving at our connection station and we found our travel mates, all of us wearing the same confused expression and wandering aimlessly looking for someone to ask which other train would stop at our tiny village of Riomaggiore (many don’t). Someone else managed to find a guy who looked like security. He knew which train and he spoke a bit of English, so of course I eavesdropped like the veteran traveller I am and lead my little crew and our luggage to the new platform to await the new train.
There was a very suspicious-looking guy just lounging against a waiting train, and even though it was 20 minutes before our train was due to leave, he was telling everyone that this was indeed the right train. I believed him . . . Thousands wouldn’t (as my Grandad used to say).
Turned out he was right, and it was indeed our train. So we all got to where we were going in the end.
Heaven.
Lorenza greeted us with smiles, hugs, beer and snacks – such a warm welcome every time.
Don is in his happy place:
After much needed siestas, we headed out for dinner, so back by request – a little Italian food porn:
You’re welcome.
Jan and Don Travel the World 