Ode to: Cinque Terre

Hopefully by now Doc and I are in the car heading towards the Mont Blanc/Monte Bianco tunnel, and subsequently, the Italian border. Since I know the chances of us having internet today and tomorrow in Cinque Terre are slim to none, I figured I'd continue on with this Wanderlust theme a little more with a round up of pictures from my last trip to Cinque Terre this past June. You may remember that I posted a video of the church bells in Vernazza ringing, but I'm pretty sure that was it.

I already know however, that the Cinque Terre is not going to look like the photos from this trip, as they are still coming back from the horrendous flooding and landslides that devasted the UNESCO protected site, especially the towns of Monterosso and my beloved Vernazza. The destruction was so bad that it left many to say that the cities of Monterosso and Vernazza no longer existed.

Well, from the pictures I've seen online, they do in fact exist, and are coming back. It's just going to be a bit of a long road for them.

I already know that it is going to be hard to see the Cinque Terre in such a struggling state, though I think it's important too. It really puts into perspective the power of mother nature, and in return, the power of the human spirit to persevere and survive.

So with that being said, I'm excited to be able to document the current state of the Cinque Terre, as well to bring some tourism back there. Look for an onslaught of pictures of the current state of the Cinque Terre throughout this trip, as we'll be spending tonight in Riomaggiore (apparently somewhat untouched by the flooding), and I'm hoping for an additional day trip to Vernazza and Monterosso while we're in Pisa.

But for now, I just want to revel in what was and will be again. (I'm sure of it.)

{Obviously in my Happy Place.}

I've had so many amazing memories during my two past trips to the Cinque Terre, and I can't wait to make more of them.

Sidenote: For those of you into charitable deeds, here's a link to donate to help rebuild Monterosso! And here's a link to save Vernazza!

A la prochaine friends...

 

Honey