Chinque Terra

Up in the morning and after brekkie Ed took us down the twisty turny mountain to Levanto where we boarded a train for Chique Terra. I was under the impression that Chinque Terra was 1 town, but it turns out that it is a set of 5 towns set quite near eachother along the coast. A train travels this route and we have a day pass included in our package so we can do a type of hop on hop off thingy. Ingrid is the travel manager and we got off at the first stop to have a look around and take a photo and then proceed to the walk from town 1 to town 2.

Our hotel manager had suggested the walk and he said that it is worthwhile and very beautiful. Unassuming we began on our walk along the coast to town 2. Soon we were in the thick of things. Tourists, tourist and tourists doing the walk. It is practically a 1 person wide path that follows the headlands between town 1 and town 2. Young people (fit people) were anxious to pass and the old people held up progress. I felt a like a climber trying to get to the summit of mount Everest (If you have seen pictures, you know).

In places one went climbing up the mountain and in places one had to decend. It was not a walk for ones enjoyment and with the tourists it was a bit of a schlep, it became irritating. We heard some Americans in front of us say that they had heard that it would probably be busy, but never imagined that it would be this busy. Same here Uncle Sam and we had started early, so I can not imagine how busy it would be a little later when the rest of the tourists had arrived. a five minute train trip to town 2 or a 2 hour walk to town 2 with all of those tourists. I know what I am going to suggest to anyone who asks!

I would also mention that the photo opportunities are scarce andby the time we were finished, we were also finished! On entering town 2 we were almost engulfed in a tourist tide with masses of people moving toward the harbour which seemed to be the place to go. Town 2 is a lovely little town and worth a photo, but we were done with the tourists and escaped asap to a table at one of the nearby restaurants just to settle back down to a normal energy as the masses pulsated around us. We are definately not people people anymore. Too busy. We shared a plate of food and once we were back down to earth (sea level in this case) we decided to catch the train to past the end point for a lunch and then see how we feel.

After town 5 is another large town, I forget the name, and we walked around and checked out the scene before finding a lovely table for lunch. Lunch and a beer and we were right as rain, ready to tackle the tourist trap of Chinque Terra once more. We caught the train back to town 5 and walked a bit before doing the same for town 3 and town 2. We did not escape the tourist masses in any of these places and worked out that one needed to get to the harbours and look back at the towns set against the rocks to get a proper impression of the places. Just walking the streets, one could have been anywhere.

It was a long busy, energy sapping, tourist trapping day! Far too many people and by the end of the day we were sick of people and their ways! We arrived back at our starting point and pointed Ed directly up the pass and back to the hotel. In Dutch we would say that we headed back "met gierende banden" (with squealing tyres). After a well deserved shower and a blackout on the bed we were ready for our evening at the local restaurant. This place had held a Michelin star for a good number of years. Hotel owners also owned and ran the restaurant. This would be a nice change from the usual Ristoranti, Trattoria, Osteria or Pizzaria that we have been accustomed to visiting the last few days.

We were sat a  lovely table for 2 with white linen on the table and the reastaurant had a wonderful ambience. Owner was in a T-shirt and trousers with secret socks and sneakers. The trend in Italy is to be offered a bottle of water to start things off. Still or sparkling? Bubbles for us!!! After our Amuse-bouche (complimentary small bite served by a chef to welcome guests). Owner offered us the 3 course menu and Ingrid said that she was a Grazer to which he replied that the whole menu was Vegatarian. Sold! Each course was very tasty and he had suggested a bottle of the local wine (red, but light and smooth on the palate - 10/10 for hitting the wine nail on the head!) Finally it was time for the expected coffee? Yes please to me and Ingrid asked for tea, which she duely got served in a gravy bowl! It was almost too much to believe, but yes! The boiling water came in a real life gravy bowl! How odd! 

After our day in the tourist trap we were more than happy to walk the 200m back to the hotel and fall into a deep and peaceful sleep.

Summary: Chinque Terra according to Glen & Ingrid? Skip this.