The view from the train window is a blur of black as the tunnel wall speeds by just inches away, every so often replaced for mere seconds by the view of a coast line that drops into a flat calm sea of sapphire blue. Sometimes the carriages slow and stop at a station of one of the five small villages that make up the region Cinque Terre, meaning "five lands". Some stations are little more than a platform between two tunnels, the train too long to be completely in the open air, the village that it serves a idyllic getaway that is a beautiful pastel collection of color squeezed into a small cove or rocky hilltop that would be unthinkable outside of Europe.



Cinque Terre is a region of the Italian Riviera that has been stripped of all its natural vegetation long ago, to be replaced with terraces from rigde top to the cliffs that line the coast. With little soil, no rain in sight, and an overabundance of sunlight it must have been tough to eek out a living before when all that connected these villages to the coast line was a rocky and sometimes treacherous path cut into the coast. Taking the train the along this section of cost consists mainly of tunnels connected together by brief interludes of daylight. Given the rock strata that can be seen on cliffs near the water, large swirls of folded and refolded slabs that must be a geologists dream window into the origins of earth, drilling tunnels must have been a unbelievable task.

Along with Cat, one of my friends from the MBA Cup racing crew, I arrived in a little town of Manarola almost by chance, and quickly found a nice hostel up the hill. It was only later in the day after visiting the other towns in the area that we realized our luck as Monorolla was referred to by most English speakers we met as "the one with the hostel". The history of these towns as fishing and farming villages is quickly evident as the streets are almost devoid of cars, full of small fishing boats on trailers instead, and a maze of paths leading out of the town to climb quickly up into the terraces on the hills above. The cute little harbors are stacked with boats, sometimes hoists and ramps to get them to the water, as well as a nice collection of hardy weather sailors of all ages congregating near the action waiting for dawn or dusk to launch or return with their catch.



Walking the Cinque Terre trail is something enjoyed by just about all tourists in the region, or so it seems anyway. The views are dramatic and rich with detail, with headland after headland appearing in the distance partly obscured by the haze of the mid afternoon. Each new town along the way is different from the last, whether it be a hilltop, a castle, or a bustling port the center of attention.

The most demanding stretch of trail is south of Vernazza, and after the decent in to the village to find a great beach meant the water was irresistible. The Mediterranean is so much saltier than I am used to, but this has one incredible benefit, you float, almost without thinking about it. With full lungs I would hover with the water level just above my chin. The water temperature must be above 20 degrees, and the clarity makes it hard to stand up, as your try to put your feet down in what turns out to be 10ft of water.

Being this close to the sea, and not being on a boat was killing me, taking a ferry back to our Monorolla was the only choice and gave a stunning perspective on the area, and made us realize how small and compact it is. As the sun descends the noises of everyone setting out dinner on the rooftop patios fills the air.

The sunlight is a golden color, with lengthening shadows and rich tones, mingling with sumptuous smells of the pizzas and pastas of the day. Wine bottles are being opened and the atmosphere is one of wonderful enjoyment of the evening. This is enjoyment by the local population that have transformed each town into a tourist mecca adds a great realism to the moment of being there, and you feel like there are no tourists, there has been no change, this is the way it was in times before....the people, the land, and the sea.