2 posts tagged “cinque terre”

Having lived in Washington, DC for years I'm used to having lots of tourists and foreign languages around me.  Or, at least I thought I was.  Hiking the hills of Cinque Terre was amusing to me because of the people.  All day long you would pass people and no one really knew where you were from or what language you spoke.  Interactions were mostly "hello", "thank you" and "your welcome" but in a variety of languages.  The thank yous were for stepping aside since the path is quite narrow.

During most of my traveling so far I've tried to use the little Italian that I know.  But, on the hills I decided it would be better to say hello since I wasn't necessarily passing Italians.  Most people were either English speaking or German.  What I found myself doing was responding in whatever language they spoke to me in. 

"Danke" / "Bitte"

"Thanks, Love" / "No Worries"

"Grazie" / "Prego"

In fact, I'm almost positive I spoke Italian with many people who normally speak English.  It was good fun.  Had I known a little Chinese or Swedish I might have tossed that in as well.

I mostly hiked between Vernazza and Montorosso.  Swam in both of those towns as well.  And explored a couple others by train.  Next time around I think I'll rent an apartment by the sea for at least a week and just absorb the true culture of these little fishing villages.

Cinque Terre is an amazing set of five villages nestled on the hills overlooking the sea.  You can hike from village to village or take a ferry or train.  I stayed in Vernazza, based on a recommendation from some friend's.  It is the sweetest little village right down by the water.  It also seems to be the most popular, which the locals have figured out.  They all rent out rooms in their homes and the price is negotiated on the spot.

Mobs of tourists pile off the train --with their bags and walking sticks -- and start scrounging the grounds for signs of "camera" (rooms).  You either knock on the doors or call the numbers on the signs. 

I went into one small shop and asked the man about his rooms for rent.  He laughed at the price I wanted and said I was a nice girl so he'd give me a deal.  He reminded me of a pirate (he was just lacking an eye patch) so I moved on to another place.

Next I found a young woman in a shop, who called her friend, who appeared in front of me moments later.  She rattled on in Italian as she led me down some narrow little walkways to her home.   Up a flight of stairs.  Up another flight in her entryway.  In through a tiny little door that looked like something from Alice in Wonderland.  Up another flight of stairs into a lovely little attic room with a porch off the side.  This lady must have thought I was nice too as she gave me the room for 25 euros less than she wanted. 

Only for one night though.  The next night she suggested (in Italian I couldn't understand but with brilliant charades) that I could sleep on a pull out bed in her kitchen for the same amount I had just stayed in her lovely room.  Instead I found another little room a little further away for a little more. 

It wasn't nearly as nice. And, it didn't come with an iconically awesome Italian lady -- who I couldn't understand, who continued to rattle on anyway, and who enthusiastically kissed me on both cheeks and hugged me as I left.  But, it did include breakfast.  I can't say no to breakfast.