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A quick stop in Monterosso
The gelato is intensely flavourful. Sweet, tart and fresh. It is a deep red colour, like perfectly ripe raspberries. Wow. I gently scrape another slushie mound on my tiny plastic spoon. The second bite is even better. Raspberry is my new favourite flavour. I look out at the turquoise bay. Behind me are pastel buildings clustered up the side of a cliff. My huge backpack is beside me. Our stop at Monterrosso was so brief we did not even stash our packs at the train station. We took a short hike along the coast, overlooking rugged cliffs and turquoise coves. Sometimes the path hugged the coastline with the rocky shoreline…
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A room with a view in Finale Ligure
We were a sucker for hostels in castles: charming, historic, stunning views. However, their hilltop locations generally take some effort to access. Vuillermin Castle Hostel in Finale Ligure was no exception. Half way up the 321 steps, lugging my heavy pack, completely out of breath, I momentarily questioned this choice. But as usual, once we arrived it was totally worth it. Five star views at a cut rate price. On the Italian Riviera no less. I loved sitting by the window gazing at the bright Mediterranean blue ocean and rugged cliffs. Other than the 321 steps, our stay was very relaxing. We hung out with a Canadian (Heidi) who had…
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A quest in Genoa for pesto
Genoa was all about the pesto. According to my guidebook, anywhere else was not* the same. * to be said with a slightly upturned nose. Well then. We had to try it. So we had lunch in Genoa. Luck would have it, the Ligurian city was on our route from Milan to Finale Ligure. Quick stop at a large port city, navigating slightly sketchy Medieval streets, for pesto you can’t get anywhere else. Totally worth it. The whole city was under construction with dust, dirt and leering construction workers. It was days before the opening of the Genoa International Expo 1992 to celebrate 500 years since Cristopher Columbus happened upon…
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Too sexy for Milan
I shimmy my tush between two tables to my seat. The small tables are snug in this Pizzeria. The restaurant is packed. We are in Milan, fashion capital of the beautiful, sophisticated Italy. The guy sitting next to me is hot. Holy crap. Sarah is sitting across from me. Her knowing glance tells me she has noticed too. Should we introduce ourselves? We order a bottle of wine first. He is sitting so close. Like, right beside me. There is about 6 inches between our tables. I take a long gulp of the red wine. It’s warm. Another sip. Spicy. I wonder if he is a backpacker like us. I…
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Mountain activities in Interlaken
We decided to go tandem paragliding in Interlaken. There were tons of activities and excursions at Balmer’s Hostel, and the paragliding advertisement caught our attention. After thinking long and hard about spending the money (100 Francs), we decided to go for it. Balmer’s is a fun hostel amidst lush green mountain slopes, snow capped peaks, turquoise lakes and crisp alpine air. This traditional Swiss chalet has all the amenities and more, like a games room and cozy common room to hang out with fellow travellers. As welcoming as the hostel is, the location is the real prize. The hostel offers a slew of outdoor activities to experience the mountain scenery…
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Switzerland notables
A very good friend of mine is a master at creating “top 10” lists. She has a wonderful way of summing up a whole year with a list of ten notables. I am going to take a page from her book (or annual seasonal address) and sum up our foray through Switzerland with 10 highlights (in no particular order). Bern, even in the rain, such a darling city Eating Toblerone in Bern, somehow tasting even better standing on Swiss soil Raclette lunch in Neuchâtel, perhaps even better than our raclette party back home Swiss yogurt – so good, so creamy, so many different flavours Cozy thick duvets in Swiss hostels,…
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Tranquility in Chamonix
I watched the changing scenery from my train window as we headed into the Alps. There was no denying the rugged mountains were stunning. We even had a great view of the snow capped peaks from our hostel. But after sunny Spain and the excitement of Barcelona, the cool weather and tranquil mountain town was an adjustment. The small town of Chamonix was pretty quiet. Many hiking trails were still closed for the season. Instead, we immersed ourselves in the majestic Alps the easy way. We crammed into a cable car with a tour group to try to get a glimpse of Mont Blanc. The blizzard at the top completely…
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An old list is new again
I almost overlooked it. Again. A page at the end of my old travel journal from 1992. A little list. A forgotten list. A lonely list. We covered a lot of ground on that backpacking trip at a steady pace. It was always my intention to return. I kept a list, in my journal, of places I wanted to visit someday: Lagos, Portugal Menorca, Spain Morocco Cinque Terre, Italy* St Gilgen, Salzkammergut region of Austria Bacharach, Rhine River, Germany *Cinque Terre is the only place I visited, ever so briefly, on my backpacking trip (see Monterosso). It is my handwriting. Otherwise all is a blur. Who gave me these recommendations?…
