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the Italian Riviera: Cinque Terre and Levanto (Days 11 and 12)
Before we enjoyed il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing), we had an informative and harrowing journey to Carrara. The road snaking up the sides of the mountain was not for the faint of heart.
We all took a deep breath of relief when our little van descended the mountain. The motion sickness melted away as soon as we arrived in Portovenere, a charming coastal town. After we enjoyed a delicious lunch, we boarded a boat, traveling north along the coast. Views of the Cinque Terre from the boat were nothing to scoff at. We spent a brief time exploring Monteroso, then took a short train ride to Levanto.
Meet Mario!
I met Mario in a gelato shop in Levanto. He was a 60 years old retired skipper. Using English, Italian, Spanish, Google translate and a lot of hand gestures, Mario gave me a tour of his home town. He told me about the elite residents of the town (the Fiat family) and the history of ruined churches and buildings. He pointed out the former vacation home of Mussolini and the forgotten and overlooked architectural features of the buildings as we navigated the narrow streets.