Cinque Terre, Italy: Call me Luke Skywalker

We have said this about each place that we’ve been to, but Cinque Terra is really beautiful--like a miniature Capri.  We're staying in colorful Riomagiorre, one of five villages in Cinque T.,  situated on the steep cliffs overlooking the Ligurian Sea.  The sloping streets are filled with gelato stands and the sweet, sweet smell of freshly made pizza (my favorite friend).

We're staying in the first pink building pictured above. It is a one-bedroom apartment next to the water with a convenient view of the sunset.  Last night we hung out in our little alcove and watched the sun burn out with some red wine and a dozen or so entertaining tourists who serenaded everyone with drunken song and nonsensical rants, i.e.  “Call me Luke Skywalker”, “I’ve shown classier girls than you my penis”. I'm still not sure what it meant, since we all remained fully clothed, or if it was an insult or pick-up line.

We kicked a bottle of wine and found a spot overlooking the rocky beach, away from the drunks.  The sky was full of stars and we were full of cheap wine.  We talked for an hour about leaving college and being nervous to return to real jobs/ grad school, neither of which sound like much fun when you’re frolicking around Europe with no commitments or worries. We happily stumbled the 10 feet home, played hide and seek in our tiny apt. and fell asleep to the sweet distant sounds of the drunks scream-singing "American Pie."

Today was spent drinking Limoncino (goes down like dirty bathtub gin) and hiking to Monterroso. Hopefully it will burn off all of the pizza, gnocchi and gelato we've been eating so we can make room in our distended bellies for more. We could stay here forever, with Buca by our side of course.  I would die with a marinara and hazlenut gelato smeared smile on my face.

Tomorrow we feast with the Pope and ask him to put in a good word at Dante's fiery inferno for all of our ex-boyfriends rotting back at home.

Kate

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