Wed, Oct 30th, 2013 POST-WORKSHOP ITALIAN TRAVELS
I spent 4 nights and 5 days in these amazing Cinque Terre cliff side communities. In some ways it felt like a step back in time.
The simple beauty of the land, the spray of salt in the air, the cobble streets and narrow walkways...it was a fragrance and texture like no other.
The natural country and seaside air seeped into my deepest bones, relaxing muscles I didn't know I had. That comfortable 'being there' combined with the jovial, friendly and accepting nature of the Italians was a gift beyond what I had hoped for on this leg of my journey.
This all came to me after 12 days of teaching 14 students for sometimes more than 10 hours a day. I was exhausted and a sponge to this Italian seaside salve.
One of my days in Cinque Terre was overcast with a bit of rain, so I took the train to a nearby town, Santa Margherita. I admit I did this in part to honor of my favorite Margherita, my mother.
Santa Margherita is just south of the famous Portofino and beautiful in its own right. The faux paintings on many of the buildings stood out as a local characteristic. And as much as I enjoyed that rainy day adventure, nothing compared for me, with my Vernazza. Monterosso and Corneglia!
