Alive at first light, always a good sign. Backpack on but only for a short time we hope. Wander around the main piazza of Vernazza and then catch the train to town number 1 - Riomaggiore, then go through the horse trading game of room finding. Ask a person where others are leaving, no full but ask next door, sorry but I will call a friend- you want harbour side? Yes, ok, I find a room, just wait and I will take. We are then taken to main piazza where we pay cash (naturally) stow our packs and then set off as room not ready.

Catch the ferry, the ferry carries 200 people so 1000 get on! We head to the next terra called Manarola, get some good pics waterside . Tis very difficult to take a bad shot in this part of the world. A day of firsts today, we have fried anchovies - great. We have gelato, orange and lemon in a cup as cones are for tourists - great. We have limoncello - great (I tell fibs but it spoils the story). We have the sweet wine from the vines of the cinque terra called Sciacchetra - double great. Wander some more but everything and everywhere always seems to be up!

This area is dominated by Americans and Germans, you can tell them easily as the yanks can be heard from 50 steps away and the Germans all carry those damn walking sticks, one must have two. Age brackets are 60's plus = 60%, between 20 - 30 = 35% and us the 30 - 60 = 5%

So we have viewed, wandered, climbed those bloody steps and then walked uphill. We figure it is time for others to take our place so catch the train back to Riomaggiore. A word about the train lines, no value in getting a window seat in the Cinque Terra . When the train line was placed down they had to go through the mountains with the train tracks all close to the sea, this way digging the tunnels was easier. They are a marvel in themselves, during the 2nd world war the locals sought cover from the bombing within these. So just darkness on the trains.

Back to home base, we meet up with the person who has taken our cash not our card, she takes us through a maze of small lane ways up steps and down steps, tells us that these lane ways date back to the twelfth century. Don't look that old to us. Anyway we land a great possie right on the harbour edge with our own piazza (well if people come around we do have to share), we actually then do our washing - nigh on every item that we have, I now have less than John for some reason. If one looks around you see the National flag of Italy flying everywhere so we just add to it. Best position for a clothes line in all of Cinque Terra!

Laze the late arvo and sunset away in a remarkable setting.