Gelato Galore

Given that I have been to quite a few places in Italy in the last couple of days, I picked a title that goes with the theme of this trip for me. I have enjoyed gelato in Cinque Terre, Pisa, Venice and Milan. I also went to Florence for a quick bit, but did not partake of any delicious gelato due to the exorbitant prices where we wandered around the city...by the duomo and the river. Tourist traps.

I have to say that Cinque Terre was invigorating and beautiful; Pisa was tinier than expected; Venice was the most magical and romantical; and Milan...well, it is interesting. I did get an amazingly decadent pastry here that was worth coming to the city. It was a pear and nutella concoction (sp.?) that was just delicious.

We hiked through a large portion of Cinque Terre. We left Roma bright and early, struggling to find enough light to open the locker with our stuff in it. Shelley had a beautiful fall due to this random step in the giant room near the windows. It was pretty hilarious because it got me the first night, another girl the next night and Shelley that morning. I was trying to figure out where I got a bruise on my ankle when Shelley showed me hers from her fall, and it all made sense.

Anyhow, we got to Cinque Terre and hiked up a hill, on a road, to the hostel, dropped off our stuff and got to the trails between the towns by noon or one. We hiked a lot. Some of those trails are a little longer than expected. One was about 4 km. That one was a beast. We did not eat or drink much either so we were feeling it. We had some gnochi for dinner at the last town though. One of our view sit down meals. And they charge ya a euro or two just to sit. Hmph.

The next day we went to Florence, via Pisa. Pisa was a quick stop. Well, a bit of a walk to the tower, but not much time needed in the city. Back to the train, and on to Florence, where we had a bit of a lodging scare. We almost had to pay a ton for a room (think over 100 euro total), but were able to get to the hostel a bit out of town for a much better price.

Venice was incredible. I will transcribe what I put in my journal about it later, but I better relinquish the internet as someone is waiting. More to follow...