Best Cappuccino EVER!
Trip Start
Mar 03, 2010
1
20
26
Trip End
Jun 01, 2010
Riomaggiore, Italian Riviera, Italy
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
My first day here I hiked the trail connecting the 5 towns which is 9km long ... I think. It was an ass beating but, yes mom, the toe is much better (not gangrenous). I think that the dip in the ocean was as close to an Epsom salt bath as I was going to get. It still hurts but definitely not as bad as it was. The walk is serious, no joke. There is a stairway that is 382 steps between town 2 and 3 but that was actually the easy part. I kept looking at the people on the trail with me and wondering if they were capable of making a (what is the word for this?) cot to carry me out on should I snap an ankle and have a bone sticking out through my leg. Having no likely candidates, I just walked carefully. The views were beautiful, picturesque, as I'm sure you can imagine the views would be. The towns are situated amongst the cliffs and are almost only accessible by train. Though the day was overcast, I ended up being pretty thrilled that the sun wasn't beating down on me. It was pretty funny watching people stop and take pictures on the long climb up. You could tell they were only taking pictures so they could stop and catch their breath and hide the look on their face of, "Dear God, can I be helicoptered out of here?".
The next day, I took a day trip to Pisa. The town was more than I expected but completely overrun with tourists and the typical army of Africans selling sunglasses, watches, and hats. They are actually entertaining. "Name your price!" and when the police come, they gather up their wares under their coat or in a makeshift briefcase and take off running. Fun. Oh, the tower really does have a SERIOUS lean. One thing though, in Europe there are no signs explaining what the hell you are looking at, even in the native language. So, while I have seen many things, I have no idea about the history behind them. I am positive the tower would have been much much cooler had I known how it got that way, when it was built and by whom.
I ate a full pizza there, all by myself and wrapped it up with a pistaccio (pistaaaachio Paula) gelato.
So, today, I am off to Florence for my job interview tomorrow. If I get it, it means staying in Tuscany for 2 months giving guided horse tours and cleaning up. I get free room and board and chef cooked meals all day plus 200 Euros a month for spending money. SOLD! I'll keep you all abreast of the situation. Ciao!
Comments
Great update Iris. I researched the location that you are going to be working at and it looks wonderful. I think for a nomadic horsewoman you couldnt do better. That job will require all of the skills that you have acquired through the years. I wonder if they have draft horses? That would be cool if you could use your driving skills from the carriage experience too. It would be amazing if you could use that time you almost jackknifed the horse carriage into a parked mercedes. You never know when an experience will prove useful right?
Well, you better start working on "defecating a clock", because I don't feel that bad for you, all things considered. At some point doesn't the experience outweigh the momentary discomfort? I mean we're talking 5 miles, but you had more than an hour, right? (Just pulling your chain :-)
Hope the interview goes well. Just so you know, Anna is full blown horse crazy. If you get this job she will want to be you, even more so than she already does.
Anyway, as I always say: "Write when you can, call when you get work."
I can't tell you how much I love reading your blog!! It is a real treat. Good Luck on the job interview!! And buona notte!
mmmm---pistaccio gelato---my favorite! (Yeah, look what jumps out at me!) Like the description of your hike. Bet the scenery was spectacular, though, even if your fellow hikers were huffingandpuffing! Laughing just picturing it! Good luck on the job......