Another glorious summer morning in the UK. Too hot for hiking boots, no room in luggage, feet excessively toasty.
Manchester Airport has more to recommend it than Heathrow - quick through customs, decent eateries, huge range of shops - looks like great shopping, and seems worth going with an empty bag and buying up clothes/shoes/etc duty free before you leave home.
Flew to Pisa, just 2.5 hrs, over Swiss Alps sporting snow on the peaks, then train to La Spezia 1 hr, and another to Riomaggiore just 7 minutes: total train trip just €12.2!
Double ups on seat allocations means you get to meet lots of people as you move around the carriage, finding spare seats, especially if you booked your tickets a week ahead of when you are travelling!
Apartment in Riomaggiore up more steps than on Symi, Greece last year Emily! Apartment is over 3 levels, with great view over the coast from the deck/kitchen /dining room - cover shot for today from the apartment. I lucked out - this place had been cancelled hours earlier, & I picked it up on the Internet. See
http://www.accommodationinliguria.com/home
Too easy - met at the train station as you come momentarily out of the tunnel, and 5 min walk ( ok, yes, up lots of steps), and 'home'.
The place seems smothered in tourists, but then why not, it's gorgeous. A wee while with host, & have enough local knowledge to get started in the morning- ferry to Monterossa, then apparently a 5 hr walk via the villages along the coast back to here. We'll see! Taking bathers, can't resist the water AND can hire kayaks from here which could be fun. Scuba diving? Apparently sea horses in the area...hmm maybe..
Found an attractive little wine bar overlooking another cliff and the water - all bars have wifi access, for a short email communication to those who wish they were here and aren't, & drank it all in.
Fresh, sweet calamari & octopus for dinner, with great local wine - see bottle shot, watch the sunset, early night in preparation for sussing out ferry terminal, the best swimming spot before a decent walk tomorrow.
It's gorgeous, already know I'm not here for long enough!!