Elyse & Jonathan travel the World

It’s been over a week since we arrived in Italy.  I just love this country, I always have, I always will.  My Nonno was from the north eastern area, Paderno Del Grappa, where I usually go to visit.

This time, Jon and I made our way west, into the five cities on the coast.  A trip to Cinque Terre has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, so we decided to make a somewhat impromptu detour here.  And even with such short notice, we were lucky enough to meet up with some of my favorite loves along the way.  

Twola and Yvonne came to meet us, they stayed with us at our quaint Airbnb in Riomaggiore (which by the way, had the best view ever).  Experiencing the beauty of this magical coastline with some of the people I hold dearest in my heart was priceless.  I was filled with joy and contentment while walking through these awe-inspiring, little towns.  Watching my niece grow into such an independent, smart, gentle and eloquent young girl makes me so happy.  

We ate amazing food and local wine, watched the sunset every evening and explored the tiny streets to our hearts content! We even found a few playgrounds with breathtaking views. The amount of stairs we climbed each day was incredible, 50 flights at least each day – talk about buns of steel! 

These train rides were by far my favorite so far.  Witnessing majestic coastlines, cascading mountain sides and bustling little cities along the way to Milan was unforgettable.  Once in Milan, the quietness of the coastal towns had vanished.  This place is like a Metropolitan city full of style and finesse.  Here we found our way around the subway easily, and we got by with the little bit of broken Italian I’ve learned from my mother over the years.  We visited the Duomo, a few castles and parks, and found my Aunt Julie’s favorite spot – EATALY (it was three stories high). It was full of Italian products, homemade pastas, meats, cheeses-you name it! And yes… when we got tired of pizza and pasta – we stopped in on a great ramen place in Milan! 

Italy really treated us well and we are so thankful to have had the chance to be in this great country.  It was a wonderful closing to our European adventures.  Now, we start on our Asia journey! First stop: a red eye to India.