Via Dell'AMORE

 We took a leisurely stroll on the Via Dell Amore in the Cinque Terra. It begins in Riomaggiore and ends in Monarola.  This portion of the hike is easy, flat with very pretty vistas of the ocean.  It is primarily on the coast and is paved.  Italy takes very good care of their trails.  A lot of effort when in to conserving the Cinque Terra Trail.  It brought a lot of tourism into the area.  My niece also took some pictures of this little hike.  Candice is an artist/poet/photographer and her blog look like a magazine spread.  Click here if you want to see it. It was such a wonderful celebration of love and devotion.

Some day I will go back with my love and bring a lock. <3

A view of the tunnel where lovers write love letters to each other on the walls.

A view from the pathway.  Notice the cave in the distance.  I want to explore that some day.

The love chair.  We got some great shots of lovers sitting on this love throne.
Notice the locks on the bars.  The bordered the entire pathway.

Here are five that I love: Robb, Dan, Nicole, Michael, and Candice.  Notice that Candice has her eyes coverd  not that she is peering ove the edge and seeing that Michael legs are hanging over a sheer drop to the ocean.  She needs a daddy for her three beautiful kids.  

Riomaggiore

First sight after reaching the 

Riomaggiore is the last of the Cinque Terre villages.  It was one of my favorites.  It is just as colorful and vibrant as the other villages, yet sits further away from the more touristy villages of Monterroso and Vernazza. 

 The buildings seem to mulitply, sprouting from on top of one another, stacked like legos.  The streets were vibrant and full of boats.  Not many spoke english as is the case the further you get from touristy areas.  

We explored the streets, I spoke to a few people about rooms to stay when I was to return to hike the Cinque Terre.  I got a few numbers to call back.  In the end I wasn't able to get in a room in the Cinque Terre Villages but instead was able to stay in Porto Venere, a small medieval town built inside a Castle walls just south of Riomaggiore.  I was very pleased with the hostel and my stay there.  

It is from Riomaggiore that we took the Via Dell Amore, a hike from Riomaggiore to Monarola.  It is a lovers walk and the walls in a tunnel are graffitied with Love letters and Locks are clinked all over chain that borders the pathway where lovers lock there love for eternity.  

Candice captures the Dan and Nicole with the colorful background

Some Italians enjoying the afternoon.  

She seems as intrigued about us as we are about her.

What a Chicagoan would say in Italy,  Why don't you park your boat dere on da porch.

walking in to the town from the slip

Some of the colorful boats.

love those streets.  

typical market

typical doorway

Love the color

another view of the streets.

the front of one of the apartments that were renting rooms.  Love the geraniums.  I don't get the dolls.

Vernazza

mediterranean plant life.

love the color

all are represented.  a little nap in the sun

i lucky to have such beautiful family.  they are just as beautiful on the inside as well.  Such good, good hearts.

The girls.  Sweetest companions ever.  I miss them

Love the boats at every dock

This captures the color of the city,  kind of

handsome Robb

Gotcha!  Candice my sweet niece and FAB photographer

another quaint Vernazza doorway

beautiful view of the town and the cove

This is as close as I will ever get to a mermaid

such a lucky girl am i to have such a great brother.  My brother Scott and nephew Robb

a view of where we ate dinner that night from the hill

 a view from the restaurant in the castle turret

Milano

Milan was full of well dressed men and women walking around exquisite streets.

The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele where you will find some of the finest shopping in world

La Scala The Opera House

Scooter and motor bikes align the streets.  I wanna scooter!

The Castle

Just your average street in Milan

Just your average McDonalds.  This was in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.  It was on the corner across from Versace and Dulce Gabana.  What?  That is some expensive rent.  I saw very few fast food restaurants in Italy and only Two McDonalds.  Why oh why?

Milano

 In the square where spirituality and hedonism seem to mix quite well. The Duomo Milano sits right across from the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and both edifices are quite marvelous.

The businessmen were dressed quite well in their linen suits riding their bicycles around the city. 

For some reason I had this impression that because Milan was the a financial center in Italy it would be more modern than Florence and Siena, yet the buildings were very similar.  The streets were crowded however with the hustle and bustle of business.

I found the people to be just as warm and inviting.  I took these pictures with my phone so they are a bit blurry.