Italy Part 2

Love these apartments, right along the Arno river.

Delicious, money-saving lunch!

Heading up to Piazza Michelangelo, a little square with a sweeping, stunning view of Florence.  One has to pass through this castle wall first...

And then climb a steep hill....

Doorway to a beautiful, semi-hidden little rose garden right by Piazza Michelangelo.

And, the rose garden.  Where I spent a couple hours during two afternoons :-D

And the view from the rose garden.  Stellar.

Where I sat.  See my red purse?  And the view I had!?

<3 Florence!!!!

Now onto the Cinque Terre.  This is Vernazza, the 4th of the five towns.  The Cinque Terre...is sunny.  One can feel a slight breeze, laundry hangs from most windows and flutters in the wind.  The suns warmth bathes your skin as you walk.  A slight smell of salt and fish occasionally tinges the air.  One can hear a hammer thocking against wood sometimes as people work within the city.  The pastel-colored houses appear to be stacked upon one another like blocks.  A train whistle can be heard off in the distance once an hour.  The cities are old...untouched by time...authentic...
This all paints a picture of the Cinque Terre.

Vernazza

The 5th town, Monterosso, off in the distance.  The only town with an actual beach.

Monterosso, beach time.

The beach became abandoned once the rain started.

No sand.  Just stones.

The 2nd town out of the five, Manrola.

Delicious dinner of spinach ravioli covered in pesto.  Pesto actually originated in Liguaria, the region the Cinque Terre is in.  And it happens to be one of my favorite foods.  So of course, I had to eat some while there.