Wed 12 April Montorosso Cinque Terre cruise

Would have been Mum's birthday today and 6 months since Tony retired, great day for a unwind, relax, chill out day on the water and taking in the villages of the World Heritage site of cinque terre.

The owner of the camp drove it's into the village to get the boat for our cruise, €33 + €5 to cruise around the islands of Palmaria,  Grotto Azzura, Tino and Tinetto, 40 min duration.

Montorosso 

Waiting for boat at Montorosso 

Where the boat comes in Monterosso 

Waiting for the boat Montorosso 

This is a hop on hop off boat so you see all the villages, first port of call as we let Montorosso was Vernazza, we were so relaxed and enjoying the ride after our horrendous drive yesterday, we decided to stay on and enjoy the cruise.

Past Cornigula, which we drove down in error route re calculation  ahhhhhhhh! had to turn back at the bottom where the busses turn around at the train station...,

 

Manarola,  where our first site was but no longer takes motorhomes.  Riomaggiore and final call the largest village of Porto Venere.  The lady selling the tickets said this was the best in her opinion and the oldest castle ruins, she was an aussie who came to Italy in the 70s and never left.

 

 

Porto Venere 

Porto Venere 

Porto Venere 

Porto Venere 

We got the 12pm island cruise which was interesting to see, they are uninhabited.

Poor Jonathan livingstone seagull has only one 

 

This yacht we saw in Auckland...

 

Back to Porto Venere where we lunch to celebrate 6 months of retirement, great view over the bay.

We explored the village, behind the colourful front houses, a miriad of cobbled lanes with shops, cafes and ice cream cart as well as houses, lots of people live here between the alleyways and steep steps where house are built high and narrow to fit in to small spaces

Up to the top of the castle ruin where there is a Grotto dedicated to Lord Baron,  who was an avid swimmer and defy the waves and rocks to swim from here to Lerici.

Spot the skipper having a paddle in the Mediterranean 

Tour guide Tonio talking to the locals

Fantastic day, we sat on the dock of the bay, watching the people and boats come and go , we had an ice cream and Tony went for a paddle in the Mediterranean for Mum, she was a great swimmer, loved the sea, and in later years was restricted to a paddle, but she would not miss getting her feet in the water.

We caught the 5pm boat back, which was interesting, it was the last sailing and as a few passengers got off at a village, many more got on .  So in no time it was full to standing room, we were up front so the full wind chill, but the sun on the left and the villages on the right, got another couple good photos .

Farewell Porto Venere

Vernazza in late afternoon sun

the boat as passengers disembark and embark for last port call Levanto

Montorosso late afternoon glow

We rang the owner and she came to pick us up, we had a catch up with Pat and Les and Tony cooked an omelet tonight, feeling recharged after our glorious day in the sun and on the water, just like having a holiday within a holiday.