Train Fiascoes in Italia

I had recently decided that train was my new favorite way to travel, but after this weekend I take that back and am saying train is my favorite way to travel when you know where you're going.

This weekend six of us (me, Taylor, Martha, Adrianna, Leah, and Krissy) went to Cinque Terre and Venice together. Most of our program went to Italy as well, but some went to Venice first and then Cinque, some went to Venice and Florence, and some people stayed in Florence both nights. 

Before I get into all the train drama, let me tell you, this was my favorite trip I've ever taken in my life. Cinque Terre is the most beautiful place on earth. I can't even find the words to describe it. It was paradise. Our train there was easy (we left at like 6 in the morning Friday) and we stepped off the train in Monterosso to a beautiful beach view. We walked around for a while and ate at a restaurant called El Dorado's where I got yummy pasta with pesto and a strawberry daiquiri. We then took a ferry past all five towns of Cinque Terre to the last one, Riomaggiore, where our hostel was. Our hostel was actually a little ways away in a town up the mountain called Biassa, but there were vans that drove us back and forth to town. We spent the night walking around Riomaggiore, ate dinner, and went to a mojito bar where they had huge mojitos. Like enormous mojitos. We had to go back to our hostel at 11:30 because of the vans, but we had to get up really early the next day anyways.

Riomaggiore

Sunset in Riomaggiore

We spent all day Saturday exploring the other four towns of Cinque Terre and at the beach! My favorite towns were Manarola (the second to last) and Vernazza (the second). Manarola had this trail along a cliff that had gorgeous views and in Vernazza, we climbed on rocks by the water and had the best calamari I've ever tasted. So fresh. We found this little cove that lead out to the water and I was able to collect a good amount of sea glass, which I'm starting to collect. The beach was awesome, too. The water was so salty that you could float really easily and I just love the beach. It was so relaxing to spend a few good hours out laying in the sun...though I didn't really get tan. It sucks and I get so frustrated because words and pictures do not do Cinque any justice at all and I want to tell and show people about it, but it's just not possible to capture how great it was.

Manarola

Vernazza

Such good calamari

We left Cinque Terre in the afternoon to head to Venice and this is where our train trouble started. We had to run for one train because we were running late, like sprint. Apparently Martha ran into some old man full force. I would have died laughing if I saw that, she kills me. Then we missed a stop because Adrianna couldn't open the door (so funny) and we just got off at the next stop. Bad idea. It was around 9 at night and the stop (Ponte de Brento) was this old abandoned, boarded up shack covered in sketchy graffiti with one flood light. There was literally nothing around and it was the first time traveling without any of the guys. There were only two more trains coming to that stop that night so we just hopped on the next one to get to somewhere less sketchy to figure out where we were. We ended up getting into Venice around 11pm, which actually worked out okay because we stayed in a super nice hostel right on the water. But that experience was something I definitely would not want to go through again. I don't get scared easily, but I was really tense throughout that whole situation.

Welcome to Venice?? Uhhh no

The next morning we got up around 8 to go explore Venezia! With all the stress from the night before I didn't immediately like Venice, but it grew on me throughout the day. In the morning we got to see them raise the Italian flag, which was pretty cool. We went to this incredible bakery that Adrianna had been to before with her family, it was so good! The water taxis were fun to take around everywhere and after walking around for a while we went to Murano and Burano (two islands that are known for their glass and lace). We ate lunch in Murano and then did a cute little photo shoot in Burano. I fell in love with the houses on Burano. They were all brightly colored and it just had an awesome, happy vibe.

The Grand Canal

 Can't go to Italy and not get a cannoli

Colorful houses in Burano

We left in the early evening and fortunately didn't have any train problems on the way back. When we got back to the Milano Centrale station we ran into everyone else and it was such a cute reunion. It's weird how we were only apart for a few days but it felt like forever since we are normally constantly together. It was such a good weekend, and I know the Cinque experience will be hard to beat. I knew traveling would have an impact on me, but it's definitely happening in unexpected ways.

Things that this trip is making me realize I want/need to do:

- spend more time outdoors

- dread all my hair
- surround myself with more positive vibes