Italia, Day Two

Below: Jody and Chris in front of the Pisa Duomo.  Happy couple enjoys patio dinner overlooking the cliffs in the Cinque Terre town of Corniglia.

This morning we got right on our way to the Cinque Terre. As luck would have it Pisa was on the way. We stopped in Pisa where we had some trouble figuring out where we could park (we may still get a ticket in the mail) - and visited that rather famous landmark. The Campanile (tower) is located on the Campo dei Miracoli, or Field of Miracles, which also houses a Duomo (dome), Baptistry, and Camposanto.

From Pisa we continued driving northwest toward the college and harbor town of La Spezia - from there we connected to the curvy road that brought us into the Cinque Terre. Translated, this name means "The five lands" - and it is the collective name for five distinct villages situated on the cliffs of Liguria and overlooking the Mediterranean sea. The names of the towns are: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso.  If you have trouble remembering them ask Chris to teach you the song he adapted to the tune of the Backstreet Boys "I Want it That Way" ("I never want to hear you say - Riomaggiore.")

We stayed in the town of Corniglia, at the very same inn our friends Charles and Carol stayed in years ago.  Corniglia is the quietest village in the Cinque Terre, and is said to be the one most likely to offer you a glimpse into life in the CQ the way it was until just a few decades ago (this is shamelessly lifted from our Frommer's guide).  The room had a great terrace right outside where we could see and hear all of the activities in the small town square, and we could see the sea from our window.  (We could also hear the local cock a crowin' starting each morning at 5AM.) 

Our first evening in the CQ was celebrated with a delicious dinner at our inn's restaurant. I had the gnocchi with pesto which was outstanding - Liguria is the birthplace of pesto.