Vernazza

Today I woke at 7:00 and decided it was way to early to be up so I went back to bed until 9:00.   Showering was an experience as the door to the shower is so narrow I could hardly squeeze in.  No hot water and to get the shampoo and soap I had to keep opening the door as there was no place inside the shower for such things.  I met Syl and Chris in a restaraunt and had breakfast with them befiore they ran off to catch a train to visit a nearby town before hiking back to home base.  I wandered around for a bity and decided to go sit on the stone breakwall near the ferry to sketch.  Early in the day it was quite quiet but as the day progressed it seems there were always people milling about waiting for the next ferry.  I spent the day drawing my perspective of the town of Vernazza.  It is quite a challenge to draw en plien air rather than from a photo.  Once I finished the drawing I began to add colour with pastels which are very messy to use and smudge everywhere.  By 4:30 PM I realized that I had been sitting in the same spot for over 6 hours and was feeling rather hungry.  Although I was not finished I packed up and headed for the pizza place for 2 slices and then sat down under a big umbrella and ordered some red wine to drink while I ate.  Life is so simple here...why do we complicate it so much?  I did not get to see the other towns in the Cinque Terre but I am ot concerned about it at all.  I thoroughly enjoyed the day and that is what really matters. I will be back here in about a month.  Isn't it funny that when we go to a new place as a tourist we feel the need to see everything, even if it means running ourselves ragged and being exhausted at the end of the day.  Why do we do this?  Isn't the purpose of a vacation to relax, reduce the stress and be happy?  Some pretty distressing things have happened to me since I have been in Italy but I have chosen to just let them go and laugh, rather than let them ruin even a moment of the time I have here.  I must admit that in the moment I was very distressed when I was stuck in an ancient archway in a brand new car with no way to go except in a direction I knew would cause more damage....I was so embarrassed to be caught in such a situation in the fiorst place.  However, I know the insurance will cover the damage and in the meantime the car is still driveable, so no worries.  I am feeling very relaxed and am enjoying the entire Italian experience.  I have met some fellow Canadians, even in the small town where I am staying.  The world really is small.
Posting pictures seems to take forever so I will wait to post some until I am back in Castelmuzio where I am not paying 15 cents a minutes for the internet access.
Italians certainly are not bashful people.  As there is a small beach in Vernassa, both men and women  strip off to sunbath or swim, regardless of  body type.  One could sit and people watch all day here.  There are many nationalities of tourists, today I heard, Dutch, German, Swiss, French and English.  Many came to sit beside me in the shade and watched as I was drawing.  Some spoke to me.  Cruise ships apparently drop passengers off in the Cingue Terre and many tour groups also congregated near me.  So many tourists pass through this area each day it makes me wonder how these small places would survive without them.  Sitting here, you would never kow the world is caught in a global recession.  Although it is pretty here I can't wait to get back to tiny Castelmuzio and I dread climbing those 100 stairs again tonight.
Tomorrow we make the trip back to our tiny temporary home with a short stop in Pisa to see the leaning tower of course.  I'll keep you posted about what adventure we will face tomorrow.
Ciao for now
D