Saturday 29 August - Riomaggiore

Up gently this morning after another good night's sleep. A fair bit of cloud about this morning, so we hoped (in vain as it turned out) for a cooler day. No real plans for the day, except to possibly go on a nature walk to the south of the village. Took our time about breakfast, then Karen & I went into the main street to get a few groceries and check out train times and prices. It is so nice that groceries are fairly priced, without the normal fleecing that we have in New Zealand resorts or motor camp shops. Were surprised to find the train to Genova is only around 5€, and more or less hourly, with the first at 7:21am. Decided that this would be our Sunday adventure.

Getting rather near lunchtime by now, but thought it would be nicer to get the walk out of the way before lunch, so off we went. Intended to only take a water bottle, but as seems to happen, by the time we added a camera, a pair of togs so we could swim on the way back, Sally's binoculars, and whatever else, ended taking a small bag anyway! It was a pleasant walk sidling along the cliffs above first the beach, then just rocks on which the intrepid Italians were sunning themselves.

At the far end, quite surprisingly, there was a bar & restaurant, perched in the middle of nowhere, but unfortunately with a man who relieved us of a few Euros for the privilege of the walk, and a more fancy nature walk afterwards. An interesting cave at the top, and a gun emplacement and a bunker too, the latter turned into a garden shed. Our cooler weather did not eventuate, and we were pretty hot yet again by our return.

Did a quick change into more acceptable clothes then up the main street for a restaurant meal, which I had been plumping for for some time. You can't be somewhere like Riomaggiore and not have a seafood meal! It turned out to be very good, although Sally's order for an anchovy pie turned into a delicious prawn penne somehow. My anchovy spaghetti was very tasty, and the local house red again was excellent. We have been impressed with the wines. I would say they have been far nicer than the few European wines we have had in New Zealand, though perhaps the surroundings add to the flavour.

It was 3pm by the time we got back from lunch, nicely in time for a siesta, though we actually read some books we had picked up from Edy's Affitacamere (our room people). Our room has a superb view, but it does mean we get the afternoon sun full on, and today it got very hot. On the flip side, the view at night, with the town quietly chatting away, and the sight of the people waking up in the morning is great. With the sun, we were roasting by 5pm, so were forced out for a swim. Life can be tough.

The sea has been a bit rougher today, with a good swell coming in. Not sure why, there hasn't been much wind to drive a swell. A bit of a hassle getting in and out, clearly enough to worry the locals, as there were a fraction of the normal complement in the water.  However we greatly enjoyed the swell and the cooling off, though I got a nasty cut or two on my toes exiting the water.

On coming back, we started getting tidied up for our exit on Monday (we will be away all day tomorrow in Genoa) and went down to pay Edy. On seeing Edy, we found that our 7 days takes us to the 1^st September. This was a revelation to us, as we had been working on having to leave on Monday, but the 1^st is Tuesday. Not sure where the issue lies, but the net result is that we won't be wasting a day's rental here like we thought we would, and we now have another free day here. Excellent. No idea how we got messed up, maybe it was due to the 12 hour difference between NZ and here.

As I write this, at 8:41pm, all the terraces opposite us are filling up with couples and families just now setting up for dinner. It is like being in, and also part of, a theatre. Our rooms are in the gods! Supper being put on the table now as I type. Prosciutto, fresh (seriously fresh) pesto, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, olives, a baguette (yes they call it that here) and a Nero D'Avola. La dolce vita is right here in Riomaggiore.