Italy

Hi guys! I finally have some time to tell you about my trips. I've done 3/5 exams so far. One went very bad, one was ok, and today was very good. Still two more next week and it'll be over!

As I told you before, I went to Italy for the new year. I went with Maria, my best friend, and her dog. I usually don't like dogs, but we had to take it with us. We took the train to Milano (probably the ugliest town in Italy, appart from the cathedral) and changed the train to the Cinque Terre. It's a part of the italian riviera, between Genova and La Spezia, with five villages built on rocky cliffs that dive straight into the mediterranean sea. The region is a protected area, and it is very wild around the five towns. I was used to go there with my parents when I was younger, and friends of theirs have a flat by the sea, wich we can use when it's not rented :)

We arrived on the seaside when the sun was setting. As soon as we left the train station of Genova, after a tunnel, the train track goes all the way through villages and cities built along the sea, with beautiful italian houses, palm trees, and sea pines. The sun was setting on the sea, giving it an orange color with silver reflections, it was awesome. I so much want a house there if I get rich :P I also like the south of France, or Croatia, or Greece, but from all the coasts of this sea, this is my favourite place.

Manarola, one of the Cinque Terre

We arrived as the sun was disapearing behing the Punta Mesco, a big mountain that marks the end of the Cinque Terre, near Monterosso. We went to put our luggage in the flat, and then went out to walk the dog, and find a restaurant. We ate at the one that is into the house we were living in, I know it's a good one, and we were not dissapointed. They remembered me when I was a bit younger, and offered us the Prosecco (a kind of sparkling white wine). We ordered some seafood. I don't get to eat so much of it in Switzerland, because you can't find good fish at a reasonable price, and it's all from fishing farms, and doesn't taste so good. I ate some shrimps as antipasti, calamars spaghetti as primo piatto, and a piece of swordfish as secundo piatto. I don't know how the italian can stay fit when they eat so much! I couln't take any dessert, I was full. Maria had other very good things. We had some lemon liquor offered before we left.

A typical "street" in a village

The day after we went to walk a little bit, and took the train to the next village, called Vernazza. When you walk in the town, as it was built on the cliffs, you never know where you are going. there is no straight street, it is full of stairs, tunnels, bridges... it is easy to get lost. But is it a greater pleasure when you have time that to be lost in a beautiful place? :) it is very often the best way to discover things you would never have seen. I went to visit some churches. There are a lot of beautiful little churches and chapels, most of them built around the 16th century, and renovated according to the baroco style a bit later. I'm not religious and don't believe in anything, but I always feel impressed in a church. We also visited another village, Manarola.

We came back on the evening, and ate a perfect meal in another restaurant in town. The day after was the 31st. It was raining, and we only made our way to a bar and walked the dog on the beach. For the evening, we had booked a table in the best restaurant of the place, and we were not disappointed. Oh my god, it was so good... it would be too long to describe what we ate, but it was a gastronomic marvel :P we stayed there until one in the morning, and then went back home to watch a movie at home.

^ Monterosso, looking southbound at the other villages

and northbound, to the Punta Mesco v

Maria overslept the next day. She was still in a deep sleep around 3 pm. I took the dog and walked up the village, on the hills, to find the lemon tree garden of my parent's friends, in order to gather some to take home. Unless you buy it at the market during summer, fruits and vegetable have no taste in Switzerland, it's all coming from greenhouses or mass production from somewhere around the world, and eating some things that saw the real sun and actually have a taste is a pleasure! I went to buy some things to cook, and we had veal scalops with a lemon sauce and pasta, with a homemade crema catalana. After that, we packed up for the morning. We took the train the next day, after a last drink facing the sea. I was a bit sad to leave after such a nice stay, but I knew that in a few days, I would be on the seaside again :)

God I love the sea! especially when there are some nice waves, it is so powerful! it's like looking at fireworks when the waves crashes on the rocks! I can stay hours looking at it! :)