6/19/14. The post where we eat and drink our way through the day.

6/19/14: thanks to Signore Peekaboo Rooster, we were up early this morning and ready to explore.  We decided to go to the final Cinque Terre town we hadn't seen, which was having a market today.  We originally planned to hike, but the guide book claimed it was the most difficult hike and we were pretty worn out from yesterday's hike, so in the interest of safety we decided to forego it. The road was closed for construction, so we took the train.  

We had some pastries for breakfast when we got there and hit the market.  After filling our bags with the freshest produce available in the area, we walked though the town.  We intended to have lunch there, but due to our early rise, we were finished far before lunch time, so we took the train back to the town where our car was parked.  This time, the train was filled to bursting with tourists and we had difficulty getting off the train at our stop.  Ironically, the only real issues we have had on our trip so far have been the result of other American tourists.  

We decided to have lunch at the villa and dinner out tonight, so we bought some more supplies.  On the way to the car from town, we stopped at a cafe to have a "second breakfast" and take advantage of their wifi to make sure the world hadn't come to an end unbeknownst to us. We carted our purchases back up the hill to the car and went home for lunch.  For those keeping score at home, that's three meals so far today.

After a brief rest, we went back to one of our favorite towns to do some shopping and hang out before dinner.  Of course, walking through town means gelato.  And then we had to try the arancini (fried balls of risotto stuffed with pesto and cheese) just to be polite, of course.  After some shopping, it was still too early for dinner, so we stopped in a bar for cocktails and some excellent people-watching.  They served us potato chips to go with our drinks and we tried some.  Because, where else can we get potato chips? 

We did a little more shopping and then popped into our new favorite restaurant for dinner.  I'm slightly embarrassed to admit I ordered the same thing I did the last time we were there, but it was so good I couldn't resist.  (An appetizer of stuffed anchovies and main course of stuffed mussels in a spicy tomato sauce.)  Then we raced up the hill with our stuffed bellies (a terrible idea, by the way) to get our car out of the car park before it closed.  We made it back to the villa in time to enjoy the sunset.  

My health monitor registered more than 16K steps today, but it is not nearly enough to undo the damage I did eating today.  It was totally worth it, though.  I bought a really pretty wrap skirt today during our shopping and I'm glad I did, because it may be the only thing I can fit into tomorrow.  A couple of random thoughts:

Anchovies - called "acciughe" here, they are plentiful and delicious.  Before you roll your eyes, try some fresh from the sea.  They are completely different than the salty ones we buy in a jar at home (which I also happen to love).

Church bells - at our villa, we can hear hear church bells from two different towns.  Maybe it would get old at some point, but right now I love hearing them.  The same goes for the roosters.  Even Signore Peekaboo Rooster.

Italians - I have visited multiple countries, and they are by far the best at communicating even when you don't speak the same language.  I don't know if it is the emotion or the gesturing or something more subtle, but I often feel like I know exactly what they are saying even if I don't understand a word of it.  It's like they're letting me in on a little secret no one else knows.

My patient, long-suffering husband - most of the time, he is in constant work modem, which can be physically and mentally draining.  It makes me happy to see him at a meal clapping his hands and grinning from ear to ear like a little kid, or scampering up rocky hills like a mountain goat, or completely serene as he reads a book or pets Russell.  This trip was just what he needed.  It was also just what I needed.  

Bugs - the property surrounding the villa is crawling with bugs of all shapes and sizes, many of which we have never seen before.  While normally this would give me the creeps, for some reason it does not bother me at all.  And oddly enough, while I had nearly 50 bites on my arms and legs (seriously, I counted them) while we were in France, I haven't been bitten a single time here. Since we've kept the windows open quite a bit, a few have made their way into the villa.  My patient, long-suffering husband has developed a catch and release policy.  He is calling himself "the Saint Francis of the bug world."  I hope they repay his kindness by continuing to leave me alone.