Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noontime heat, but so
did I today—and maybe 60 other walkers I passed (or who passed me) on the dusty
high road (now blazed in red and white) that links the two oldest Cinque Terre towns.
At my current level of fitness, this 5-kilometer hike proved to be a strenuous workout. Jan investigated it, but wisely decided to take the train instead. The walk required about two hours, but wonderful vistas rewarded the effort. For example, this is what I saw leaving Vernazza:
Off to the left, the sea shone brilliant blue, so clear that I could see darting schools of anchovies.
Above Monterosso al Mare grape vines are cultivated on
terraced hillsides.
I was surprised to discover a small, modern cog rail
system. It helps farmers tend the grapes.
Descending into Monterosso, I succeeded in not tripping on the steps—550 to
be exact, according to hikers who had done their homework. Most were much steeper than these:
Back at
“home” I enjoyed a chilled bottle of Lambrusco with Jan, as I showed her these pictures.
