Karl's Travels

Monday, May 20, 2013

Mount McKinley

The mountain in the middle is Mt. McKinley from a distance of about 45 miles.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

MONTEROSSO AL MARE

From Vernazza we took the train to Monterosso. Again mainly through tunnels. This is the last village we visited.

Looking up the hill as I got off the train.

Starting to walk into town.

Decided that for future reference I needed to know where I was. Notice the tunnel.

Walking into the village along the coast.

Nazi pill box left over from WWII

View from the top of the hill as I start down into the village. There was a road and tunnel through the hill but I opted to take the pathway up the hill. I think the views were worth it.

When we got into the village the tour included a stop at the bell tower, and the old church built in the 1200's and then the finale. We had a wine and olive oil tasting a a local shop. Both the wines and the olive oils were grown and processed there. They were delicious.

After our tasting we were on our own for about 90 minutes before we had to meet back at the train station and catch the bus back to the ship. The restaurant recommended by our guide was closed for a private party so I wandered around and found this trattoria. The pizza was excellent.

Street scene

Another street scene

On the beach looking toward the train station.

Same scene different angle.

I just liked these two shots.

Cinque Terra is definitely a place to revisit. What I would like to do is hike from one village to the next seeing all five and spend as much time as I like doing it. I would also like to eat and drink my way through the villages taking time to enjoy the wines, olive oils and local seafood. Walking time between villages is under 2 hours.

As of now however some of the trails are still closed because of the mud slides 2 years ago. When I go back it will be in the fall. You can see in the pictures that there weren't any crowds anywhere. Also maybe I lucked out but the weather was excellent. It was cold in the morning in the shade and I needed a jacket. The jacket came off as the sun came out and it was very comfortable. It was a grand day.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

VERNAZZA

From Manarola we took the train to Vernazza.

I sat on the sea side of the train so I could take pictures. I had no idea almost all of the trip would be through tunnels. This is the only picture I got.

I think this village was the most picturesque of the three we saw on the tour.

Notice the difference in the lighting in these two pictures.

If you'll notice just to the left of the last tree there is a stairway. That stairway and later a pathway goes all the way up to the radio tower. I climbed all the way up there. The view was spectacular but the sun was in the way and pictures weren't very good.

MANAROLA

The bus parked at the top of the cliff and we walked down into the town. There was no way the bus could go any further.

On the way into the village.

A small stream through the village

A Nativity display on the hill. From 12/8 to the end of January the hills in Manarola are illuminated with more than 200 figures and 12,000 lamps making their display the biggest lighted Nativity scene in the world. Also notice the terraced hillside.

Still walking into the village.

Notice the building in the upper right hand corner. That's where the cemetery is located. I walked the path along the cliff on my way up to the cemetery.

Taken along the path up to the cemetery

View from the cemetery.

This is a poster near the train station showing what the Nativity scene looks like when it is illuminated.
I went to You Tube and found this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E10DGu7XpRY

ON THE WAY TO CINQUE TERRA

After leaving Civitavecchia (Go ahead, try to pronounce it.) the port for Rome, our next port of call was Livorno. During my first visit to Livorno I took the shore excursion that spent the day in Florence. This time I opted for a day in Cinque Terra. These are pictures out of the bus window as we approached the first village on the tour.