This whole weekend was a perfect picture of what I imagined Italy would be like. It's true, I based my few expectations off of the quirky small Italian villages as portrayed in movies(Under The Tuscan Sun, Only You.) which probably aren't the most accurate depictions of Italy either. Finally, after getting a full taste of the fast pace of Italian city life, I have encountered the quiet small Italian village.
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We arrived in Vernazza (the fourth town that comprises Cinque Terre) around mid-afternoon last Friday and it was raining. Though it was raining, it enhanced the experience by giving the Ligurian sea an attractive eeriness that the sun just couldn't capture. Aside from the cute and quiet appearance of the town, a few other events happened that made the experience, well, an Italian experience.
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First off, right after we settled into our rooms, most of the group went out to find some cheap food. Finally I had a chance to be alone, and I did just that. I walked outside, camera in hand, and started taking pictures of the mountains covered in vineyards. Soon I wandered down a walkway near where the beach was and as I came around the bend I stopped, and speechlessly stared out into the abyss of sky and sea. It was beautiful. I walked up closer and found a dry rock to sit on. And I sat there and simply let my eyes take it all in.
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It started getting darker and I meandered back to find my groupies. Eventually I found them and we went to a bar(which is a cafe) and I got a cappuccino with an artistic design in it. I love cappuccino, coffee, and all that good stuff, so it was a great moment of the day!
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Later on, around 7pm, we decided to find a place for dinner. Randomly we found a little restaurant that looked like it might have seafood, so we promptly went in and sat down. Shaila was the only one who actually got something even remotely seafood related, but I had the best ravioli I have had yet in Italy. It was molto bene! We finished up by sharing some Tiramisu, and as we savored the sweet dessert, the restaurant owner got out his guitar to play for those of us in the restaurant. It was such a delightful moment! The owner and his friend sang some Italian songs for us and then in his limited English, asked if anyone in the restaurant could also play. My friends were all sitting there pointing to me and as he came near me with the guitar I objected hastily: But it was too late. So there I was in this restaurant, with this guy's guitar, and all of these strangers were watching me in anticipation. Shaila, Jess, and Chris agreed to sing along with me and I began to play the only songs I have memorized for guitar, worship songs. Talk about culture making! Here we were, American students, singing “Blessed Be Your Name” and “Amazing Grace” in a restaurant full of Italians and other internationals. We actually sounded good, as the four of us lifted up our voices, blessing those around us. They may not have known what we were singing about, but God gave us a moment to minister to them despite a common language. I strummed my last chord and the place filled with the sound of clapping. The owner, Piva, resumed his place behind the guitar and continued playing some other Italian pieces. He liked us a lot and invited us to pull our chairs over to his table, he even gave us free Limoncello. We spent a good hour or two singing with Piva, a nutty professor from Arizona, and a Swedish Opera singer! It was so ridiculously crazy, but it was the best night we've experienced in Italy.
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After we left the restaurant we walked around some more before running into the nutty professor from Arizona again. Charlene(the prof) expressed to us how she had been traveling alone and how it's been a little difficult thus far. She shared her story with us and thanked us for the experience at the restaurant, but before she finished, Piva and his friend walked by us and stopped to talk. Piva, in his sweet Italian accent, as if a line in a movie, says “Come, let us look at the sea” and we all walk together back to the bay. The sea at night is almost as majestic as it is in daylight. It made for a nice little reunion.
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It is getting late by this point, and since we have an early start in the morning, we head back towards our hotel. That is...until we run into a group of ladies(who were also in the restaurant)and they invite us to come with them. Three Italian men were leading the way and before we know it, we are walking into a random guy's wine cellar! His name was Jacamo, and he kindly showed us how he made wine for a living. He also showed us how he makes his own vinegar. We are all sitting around this table with a candle in the middle, sipping authentic wine, and I turn and ask Shaila how we got to be here. She just laughed, because the whole day was so random that it felt like a dream.
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The next day we woke up early, enjoyed a quiet reflective time at the bay, and had a filling breakfast. We packed up our backpacks and then began the hike, the whole reason I came. It was intense but amazing; we hiked a few miles through the mountains along the coast. I am so thankful that my parents took my siblings and I on many camping and hiking excursions throughout my childhood because it is now one of my favorite pastimes. Backpacking might very well become my next new passion. We only hiked to one town before catching a train back to Rome, but the hike, along with the other stories I mentioned, I will never forget.
Sincerely,
Maria
PS: By the way, I am spending five days this week in Venice! News on that experience will be coming soon!
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