Cinque Terre

     Cinque Terre means "Five Lands."  It is made up of five little towns built into the cliffs along the coast of Italy.  I went with several friends so we rented an apartment instead of staying in a hotel or hostel.  The apartment was in Manarola and had an incredible view.  If you look closely at the following picture, our apartment was the yellow one all the way to the left. 

     The five towns are reachable by car, train, or hiking trail.  We hiked from Manarola to Riomaggiore and then took a train to Monterrosso al Mare.  The trail from Manarola to Riomaggiore is called Via dell'Amore which means "The Path of Love."  All along the path there are locks with initials on them.  Legend has it that if a couple writes their names on a lock, locks it to something along the trail, and throws the key into the ocean they will always be together.  

     There was a giant rock along the beach in front of one of the towns.  We had never seen anything like it before and just had to climb it!  The hike through the mountains was difficult but the view made it well worth the effort.    

     One of the towns, Vernazza, had recently suffered a flood and mudslide.  The bay used to be full of water but when we saw it, it was all mud.  Many of the buildings were destroyed in the mudslide but in January, artists from all over Italy came and painted murals on the doors of the boarded up buildings.  They painted them as a symbol of hope for the people of Vernazza.  The murals were beautiful and the thought behind them was so moving.

     I attended my first Italian Mass on Easter Sunday in Manarola.  It was a awesome experience and a fantastic trip.  Staying in an apartment gave us a lot more freedom than a hotel or hostel would have.  I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Cinque Terre and hope to visit again someday!