15 May - Day 27 Cinque Terre (Manarola, Corniglia)

Started the day like a good mama and hung the washing from the balcony (in the main street to Elena's embarrassment "put the undies at the back, Mum!"

I have to admit I did drop a pair of Shay's undies - oops!

Then off to Manarola - village #2 of the 5 - an easy 20 min walk along the coastal cliffs

Looking back to Manarola from the path out of town (to town #3 - Corniglia)

Morning tea for kids...

Coffee for grown ups up the road

Little girls playing in the main street

Then up the hill we began to climb...

Up lots of great old steps...

Past lots of lovely terraces...

Until the kids ran out of steam...

and then Greg called it quits...

While I went right to the top (cos I'm not over the hill yet!)

Then suddenly I was over the hill... and looking at Corniglia!

Then we came down, via a different route...

There's an old guy in Manarola who makes and maintains these figures on the hill which light up at certain times of the year. See piccie I took of a poster about him below

Back in town!

Prettiest balcony in Manarola

Looking toward Corniglia from the path. Sadly a recent landslide meant this route was unpassable so we had to catch the train

The kids being mountain goats

We chose the steps over the bus...

Greg inspecting the stonework as usual

An unusually wide alley

View back to Corniglia from the path out of town (toward town #4)

 
Lovely little St Peter's

Even Seamus was impresssed

Prettiest meter box I've ever seen

Back down the steps to check out some lovely local artwork

The artist and the painting we chose



While we did art, Shay did iPod


 
Funniest dog of the day!

 Silly and serious after a day climbing cliffs....

 Fantastic mosiacs on the walls of the tunnel to the train stop in Riomaggiore

We arrive home to shocking news...

"Oh no, Mum - how embarrassing! The clothes at the front have blown up and revealed your undies."