Left Manarola early Saturday morning after a farewell coffee at our local....and he was just getting used to us (sweet Italian boy) Had one last look at the amazing view and begrudgingly set of (we'll be back, Sharon and Jo will anyway...maybe just Jo!!)
Went to pick up the car from La Spezia, the walk from the train station turned out to be not so quick......about and hour and half later we found it!! We set off in a cute little Fiat, had our sights on Parma for some prosciutto and some porcini mushrooms....yeah easier said then done on a Saturday! Ended up having lunch in a trattoria where nobody spoke a word of english...we had to play the mute pointing game, after a lot of grazie's we ate, wishing we knew the lingo after we saw what was arriving on everyone else's table. Ours was nice though, and about 1/2 the calories of next doors, and the coffee was best yet and cheapest...Jo's was only 90C.
Off we set again with the maniac at the wheel, was taking so long on the non-toll route we were on, so got back on the toll roads. Paul thought he was in Monza, and his name was Webber, and he was behind the wheel of a F1. We were all holding on for dear life, Jo closed her eyes and put her ipod on and pretended to be somewhere else...but even that wasn't working by the time we got just outside of Lecco. The road changed to what surely should be considered a one way street, winding hairpin turns, sheer cliffs and water on one side and stone wall on the other....did said driver slow down.....NO HE DID NOT. OK, so now we're all screaming, driver getting more cranky, we doing some more screaming...we finally arrive in one piece to our little apartment which is very cute and has a washing machine....YAY!!
We go for a walk through San Giovanni, and it's so old and beautiful, kind of doesn't feel real, liken it to being on a movie set. We ordered in pizza from the local pizzeria, which is delivered with beer, which was needed after the hairy ride(Jo was thinking of opiates but beer was all that was available!) Turns out to be the best Pizza so far, OMG! Nice suprise.
SLEEP
