Thought I would try and wrap up this stage of the reedhooff travel blog and extend a grateful thank you too the Reeds. Carol and I arrived home 1 week ago. An uneventful journey home with mixed feelings. So blessed to have a wonderful family, friends and home to return to, but sad to be ending our time with the Reed's in this beautiful country. Needless to say, Italy agreed quite well with us. The rhythm of life feels good there. It goes beyond the normal vacation "high". I think it's reasonable for the Italian's to expect another visit! As for our time with the Reed's. What a pleasure. We had so much fun spending this time with you. My only abdominal workout in thee weeks was laughing with the Reed's---I almost have a "six pack"! Thank you again for planning and inviting us on this journey...it was very special. Until we meet again for another journey, the Hooff''s are signing out :')

Homeward Bound

Clouds over Amsterdam

Just landed in Amsterdam and waiting for our connection to LA.  The Hooffs have one more night in Milan.  See you soon!

Last day for the Reeds

We leave Riomaggiori today at 2pm for a train to Milan.  We check into our hotel around 6pm and then are picked up at 3:30 am for our flight.  I can't believe how time has flown by but we are filled with wonderful experiences.  The Hooffs will be staying one more day then heading home on Sunday.  Here are a few more pictures of our time in Cinque Terra.

The view from our aprtment in Riomaggiori

The Hooffs on Lover's Lane - the trail from Riomaggiori to Monarolla

The Reeds almost to Vernazza.  The picture was taken by Carlton, from Portland who is attending Gonzaga University and is studying in Florence,

Vernazza

Riomaggiori at night

A few more pictures for the Foodies.  Antipasti di Cinque Terre - Anchovies 4 ways

Local fish - Orate

Pesto with homemade pasta.  The Cinque Terra is famous for it's pesto and anchovies.

The best tiramisu we have ever eaten

The Cinque Terra

• What a lovely day.  We started out with a short hike from Riomaggiori to Monarolla.  Very manageable and fun. The path was closed from Monarolla to Coniglia so we took a boat to Monterossa and headed back towards Riomaggiori.  We hiked from Montarossa to Vernazza.   Amazingly beautiful scenery and very challenging.  We hiked up hundreds of stairs and on very small paths through the mountains bordering the sea.  We ended the hike with gellato and then birra and bruschetta (and Advil).  Here are a few photos compliments of Maurizio.

The View of Monarolla from the trail

Along the way

More along the way

Steps

And more steps - molto steep

Ahh!!  Almost to Vernazza

Firenza to Cinque Terre

This blog is backwards because frankly, I just cannot get the hang of this picture posting. So heck, start at the bottom!

We are here
And the view of the ocean, and the town

And another to the top. Then outside, and guess what? another flight of stairs

The door reveals... Another flight of stairs. These are about 14" rise per stair.

The outer door! Are we here?

And the fourth

Up the third flight of stairs

Into the secret entrance

Up the second flight of stairs

Up the first flight of stairs.

On our way to our apartmente

Just off the train in Riomaggiore, the southern most town in Cinque Terre.

Mo and Carol. Trainin'

Hmm. How did this one get in there again?

Carol on the train. Nina from Pert, Austrailia in the background.

Short Blog. Got up this AM and took the train from Florence to Cinque Terra. A few pictures.

Siena the town of heads

Here, from inside the Duomo, every single pope that ever lived looks down from above.

Below are some of the heads in an outdoor square, which include all of the great Popes, Inventors and Artists of the ages.

Also in Siena, inside Saint Catherines Cathedral, we saw the head, and the thumb of Saint Catherine. No pictures allowed.

Apparantly, Catherine was born in Siena and died in Rome. The folks in Rome would not give the body of the saint up, as it was a much beloved and money making relic. So a party from Siena got together and snuck down there and took the head. Another got the thumb. The more relics, the more money making stops on the highway!

I can tell you the head and the thumb were every bit as interesting as the Corn Palace or the works largest shoe!

Sienna

The front of the Duomo was built in two seperate centuries. Can you tell the older from the newer?

Sienna is a good place to learn about architecture. Gothic on the left, Renaissance on the right. Left (seperate picture) is modern, all taken from the same square!

And a few more things....

Doors in the hill towns are not bought at Lowe's or Home Depot. There are no two alike, and there seems to be one, or several carpenters(and stone masons) in every village we went to. I'll bet they stay pretty busy!