23 March 2011: Cinque Terre Day Six.

The previous night, Mark and Dominique arrived a little later than expected due to a long trip and a missed train. Whilst we greeted them when they did arrive, they were spent and took themselves off to bed so we had to wait for the morning to say our proper hellos.

Those Budgens are very funny people and great to have around and to add a little bit of spice to the mix, we were also joined by their close friend, Laureen. Now, it’s a slight understatement to say Laureen is a bit of a character and not short of a good yarn. She told us a story today about her when she was visiting France and it was one of the most original and hilarious story’s I’ve ever heard. It really was on the cutting edge of comedy, she could easily take up a career in comedy writing if she ever decides on a change of profession.

As much as I have no shame in pinching other people’s jokes and funny story’s, it would be sacrilegious of me to repeat it here, I’m afraid anyone reading this blog will just have to track down Laureen and get her to tell you herself.

We had a pretty quiet morning taking a short stroll down the Via Dell’amore to Riomaggiore. The pathway overhead and to the side has nylon netting where people have attached padlocks. The padlocks are a symbol of a couples love and affection for each other and there are literally hundreds of them hanging from the netting.

Riomaggiore is a lovely little town similar to Manarola and we spent some quiet time wandering through the shops and relaxing in what I would loosely call the city square. It’s a cliché I know, but when you look at any of the towns in Cinque Terre, its like time has stood still for century’s, a whole other world to what I’m used to.

Despite my grand ideas for a walk through the hills around Manarola, the afternoon was whittled away lying on our balcony and watching the Mediterranean sparkle under the bright afternoon sunlight. The sunsets here are spectacular and signal the time for a beer or glass of red to finish off the day.

The evening meal was a lovely plate of pasta and a few bottles of red followed by a bottle of Limoncello split five ways. Never had Limoncello before but it must have some sort of secret ingredient (40% proof I think) that allows for the release of a persons comic genes because the evening was spent story telling. Everyone had one and shared it and they were all hilarious. The photos taken will provide testimony to the fact that we all had a great night.

Oh and the other thing about Limoncello, it gets you drunk from the legs up. Didn’t feel it had any affect on me at all, until I tried to stand up…………