Laters London - MC and JD's adventure back to NZ

Lazy starts are beginning to punctuate this trip, although today there was good reason as Jo was still moving slowly. The airbnb provided coffee and a percolator along with a selection of herbal teas so we were off to a good start!

Rick Steves is an American travel writer who has informative travel guides and an app with audio tours for many European destinations which we have found to be a good mix with the free walking tours. Today we set off around the old town using his commentary to give us a bit of background.

We found a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi, numerous churches and an old convent before ending up on top of the hill at the cemetery. Back in the 1800s cemeteries were declared a health risk and began to be located out of town. In the Cinque Terre there are not that many options so the cemeteries were located up the hill away from the main town. Giving the best to those who have left us - a fantastic view in peaceful surrounds. The other result of this is that people are not buried but have their plot above ground in quiet lanes of marble niches, some five high. It was quite moving seeing the history here, often there are pictures on the plaque commemorating the person.

On our way back down the hill, a great result of walking the other way to which we had come up, we stumbled across a vineyard, doing tastings, with no one else inside! Winning. Although the Cinque Terre may not make the best wine in Italy, it is pretty darn drinkable, and even just to see and learn about how the terraces were manmade is definitely worth the visit. They even serve you a plate of nibbles to accompany your drinks.

Sufficiently boozy after two generous tastes of wine and a limoncello (rather early in the day for this!) we made our way back to our flat for lunch. Next came a solid nap for Jo and a trip to the beach for Crom.

Out for dinner where we went for the typical Italian fare of pasta, with wine, followed by gelato. Thought that we were having dinner with Rick Steves tonight as well, although it turned out to be just another punter. Italy is great.

mc_rombie

73 chapters

Wine tasting and the beach

August 16, 2018

|

Monterosso, Italy

Lazy starts are beginning to punctuate this trip, although today there was good reason as Jo was still moving slowly. The airbnb provided coffee and a percolator along with a selection of herbal teas so we were off to a good start!

Rick Steves is an American travel writer who has informative travel guides and an app with audio tours for many European destinations which we have found to be a good mix with the free walking tours. Today we set off around the old town using his commentary to give us a bit of background.

We found a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi, numerous churches and an old convent before ending up on top of the hill at the cemetery. Back in the 1800s cemeteries were declared a health risk and began to be located out of town. In the Cinque Terre there are not that many options so the cemeteries were located up the hill away from the main town. Giving the best to those who have left us - a fantastic view in peaceful surrounds. The other result of this is that people are not buried but have their plot above ground in quiet lanes of marble niches, some five high. It was quite moving seeing the history here, often there are pictures on the plaque commemorating the person.

On our way back down the hill, a great result of walking the other way to which we had come up, we stumbled across a vineyard, doing tastings, with no one else inside! Winning. Although the Cinque Terre may not make the best wine in Italy, it is pretty darn drinkable, and even just to see and learn about how the terraces were manmade is definitely worth the visit. They even serve you a plate of nibbles to accompany your drinks.

Sufficiently boozy after two generous tastes of wine and a limoncello (rather early in the day for this!) we made our way back to our flat for lunch. Next came a solid nap for Jo and a trip to the beach for Crom.

Out for dinner where we went for the typical Italian fare of pasta, with wine, followed by gelato. Thought that we were having dinner with Rick Steves tonight as well, although it turned out to be just another punter. Italy is great.



1.

On our way!

2.

The second longest travel day... so far!

3.

What we came to Norway for

4.

Travelling through postcard worthy scenery

5.

The city of seven mountains

6.

Our first overnight train and Ryanair sucks

7.

Tiger Woods and Ellie Lock

8.

Scotland in the school holidays

9.

A sleep in and a distillery

10.

Island hopping in Scotland

11.

A Ben is a mountain

12.

Highland weekend

13.

Hopefully the earliest start of the trip

14.

Catalonian culture and Spanish summers

15.

Travel lessons

16.

The Moorish Kingdom in Europe

17.

Exploring sunny Granada

18.

Holy shit it's hot

19.

Seville round 2

20.

Back to Madrid

21.

Spanish Culture and 101 Montaditos

22.

Travel days and Swiss facts

23.

Toddlers and Mountains

24.

Cow fighting and Swiss horn orchestra

25.

À bientôt Suisse et ciao Italia!

26.

Back to the seaside!

27.

Wine tasting and the beach

28.

Scenic walk and the beach

29.

Falling Towers and the Renaissance

30.

Michael and David

31.

Florence round two

32.

Avoiding flying Italians

33.

Tour de Umbria

34.

Don't go chasing waterfalls between 1 and 3pm

35.

Saints and signal failure

36.

Floating city and random catch ups

37.

Sunsets, pasta and tiramisu

38.

Ciao Italia, zdraveĭ Bŭlgariya

39.

More Romans and the Ottomans

40.

Balkan bites

41.

Victory Day!

42.

The oldest city….we have visited

43.

Pilgrimage to ANZAC Cove

44.

Living in caves

45.

Sun comes up, sun goes down

46.

Hiro tour let’s go!

47.

It’s a party in the sky with Turkish Airlines!

48.

Corn, fish sandwiches, and the art of bargaining

49.

The longest travel day by far

50.

Chilling and a cultural education

51.

Famous graves and forest walks

52.

Living like a local

53.

Escaping the city

54.

New York, New York!

55.

Bagels and memorials

56.

Old faces and sexy shoes

57.

J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS

58.

Green space in a concrete jungle

59.

“Bonus” night in NYC

60.

Toronto!

61.

We can play dodgeball!

62.

The bright lights of the big waterfall

63.

Roughriders and Whiskey

64.

The Sunshine State

65.

Going to the zoo zoo zoo

66.

California Sunsets

67.

I feel the need, the need for speed!... and shopping!

68.

Beverley Hillbillies

69.

A day at the beach

70.

Escape to suburbia

71.

Back to the hustle

72.

Last day on tour

73.

The most beautiful country in the world

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