June 19 - Arrival into Monterosso

From the moment we stepped off of the train we fell in love with Monterosso, the first Jewell of the Cinque Terra chain. I was drawn in by the charm and warmth of the locals who I found to be open and engaging and quick to offer a friendly greeting. My wife noticed something quite different. She said as soon as we arrived I gravitated to the topless sunbathers who were extremely irritated by my presence and uttered something in Italian that, later I learned, translated into "Get lost creep!" I thought they said "Please rub my sun tan lotion here" So my Italian isn't perfect - sue me!!

We checked into our hotel, another place I would recommend, called the Hotel Punta Mesco. We were exhausted from the long travel day so we settled in for an afternoon siesta. The room was tastefully decorated with bamboo style furniture, spacious bathroom, and plenty of room to move around. Very nice! They also have a great complementary breakfast every morning.

In the evening we ventured out into the village to scout the area and look for food. We found an outdoor cafe along the beachwalk that offered great pasta, salad, and some of the best local wine you have ever savored. Afterwards we strolled along the beachwalk and enjoyed the cool air drifting in from the sea and then went back to our room. On the way back we stopped at the outdoor cinema and enjoyed "The Chronicles of Narnia" - in Italian of course.