Amare Italia

Soooh much to tell you. First and foremost the car Lancia. Cute. Small. We set up Gps. We were all set. Problem. Wouldnt start, the radio did! I had to go ask how to start the car! Easy fixed. Depress brake first then engine will start! Why we didnt think of that? Near missed a bus. thought it was on the wrong side of road ...We are on a toll road, auostradde, 8 lanes. Approach the tollbooth. No one in sight. We sat we looked we wondered what to do next, meanwhile banking traffic behind ...barrier in front...no go! I exited to get help and waved traffic behind to go back! Discovered afterwards illegal to vacate car on main road without wearing safety vest! <Meanwhile <noel couldnt reverse the car...it would not go into reverse....meanwhile traffic still approaching, barrier down, meanwhile I get help and told to take ticket from the booth and pay at other end .....meanwhile Noel depressed brake...eureka car goes into reverse.....we hurriedly speed off, but amazingly our tempers were not frayed, not a heated word spoken throughout...believe us not...it is true we were cool calm and very collected...laughed and nearly cried. Our gps had a name for the english version "Kate" well we quickly discovered Kate had no sense of direction and took us on a merry-go-round and after nearly throwing Kate out the window we turned her off and proceeded with our map reading...3 hours later (instead of an hour) we found our destination at the Cinque Terre (look it up above Pisa on the west coast near La Spezzia). Our apartment is in a tiny village (Volastra) set in the hillside high above in the hills, surrounded totally by vegetation, olive trees abundant, beautful fertile vege and flower gardens, just gorgeous. Noel and I sat and drank 2 bottles of vino (local at $8 per bottle) on the rooftop, no handrail, just the roof overlooking the rural tranquill scene. The only sound we could hear was the little church bell tolling every hour then every half....just fantastic...weve got amazing photos for when we get back to Uk to show you. Our apartment is high spec. granite staircases kitchen bathroom and even the windowsills! Marble flooring, brass handles, ornate lightfittings, high timber doors and windowframes and shutters and indian cotton bedlinen (yes really) and immaculate and pristine throughout.....just fab! We walked down a donkey trail about an hours walk straight down through greenery to Manarola, a tiny village on the coast, fishing boats, tiny wee shops and paved streets...we met some Canadians and you know the rest....the bierre is great.....! Thanks for the txts, and the messages, keep it up, we sort of miss you .........we head to a little inland remote village near Sienna tomorrow, ....there will be more to tell you then .....missing you (sort of) ...arrivederci