Travel Destination: Cinque Terre, Italy

Riomaggiore

Along the northwestern coast of Italy is five small villages that make up Cinque Terre. These five villages - Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare - are connected by a walking trail, known as Sentiero Azzurro, and are easily accessible by train as well. The distance from one town to the next varies with the toughest legs from Vernazza to Monterosso and Corniglia to Vernazza. The entire hike can be done in less than 6 hours in one day, if desired. Because it was scorching hot when I went, I took it easy and did the entire hike in three days.  This gave me time to explore each town. When I was there, the trail was closed off between Manarola and Corniglia, making the hike shorter and easier.

The rolling terrain of this region is a visual feast but can make the hike a bit of a challenge. I found it be relatively easy overall and in fact, I ended up walking the trail in flip flops and sundresses. Although the heat was a bit straining at times, I was purely focused on my surroundings. Not only is the Mediterranean constantly in your purview, the region boasts plenty of local wine and olive producers. The small towns are little treasures themselves, each with its own character.

I am most familiar with Riomaggiore as it was my base. The town was not the quietest out of all the towns but offered plenty of restaurants and markets. I always ended my day here with a swim at the beach, even if it was a little bit too crowded at times. Manarola and Corniglia were smaller towns. At the top of Manarola sits the Church of San Lorenzo and the town's bell tower. I thought Corniglia was the most charming despite the lack of restaurants and shops. The roads in this quant little town were narrow and windy. In order to swim in Corniglia, the descent down to the cove from the town was quite steep. Vernazza was impressive for its natural harbor and sleepy feel. Monterosso was the most touristic out of all the towns on account of its large sandy beaches and crystalline waters.

Cinque Terre was breathtaking.  I intended to stay there for 3 days/2 nights but ended up staying 5 days/4 nights!  I felt relaxed the entire time.  Every day my routine was similar.   I woke up around 8 am to have a light breakfast, then went for a short hike, went to lunch, took a nap on the beach, went for a swim after my stomach had settled and then had a seafood dinner.  Honestly, wish I could live like that for the rest of my life.

Manarola

Corniglia

Vernazza

Monterosso al Mare

The beautiful sunset.

Fried squid, anchovies and french fries.

Traveling Solo

Enjoying a crepe on Rue St. Honore in Paris.

I loved traveling alone.  Below are a few reasons why you should do it yourself.

1. You have the freedom to do whatever you want, whenever you want.  We constantly have to accomodate someone - a boss, a friend, family member, or even a pet - for most of our lives.  When do you ever get to set your schedule for more than one day?  I pretty much went to a museum every other day in Europe, not a lot of people have the patience or interest to do that.  
2. You learn to think on your own.  Unless you have a tour guide with you at all times, no one is there to hold your hand to tell you what to do or how to get somewhere.
3. You take more initiative to talk to random strangers because you get tired of being alone.  At the same time, you'll also get to decide when you want "me" time.
4. In connection to number 3, you learn about other people.  As you do this, you will start to realize that no matter how different someone's background is, you can find common ground with them.
5. You will gain new interests.  You will most likely see, hear or taste something you've never done or had before.
6. Booking last minute travel plans is so much easier to do.  A ticket for "one" should rarely be a problem.
7. You will humble yourself constantly when you have to ask for help, which is perfectly acceptable.  A lot of people are pretty helpful and more than happy to help.  No one has ever declined to help me.
8. You set your own budget.  For example, if you want to stay at a 5-star hotel or a hostel, that's your own decision.
9. You will have so much fun despite what happens and have plenty of stories to tell your friends.
10. Since traveling solo can be challenging at times, you will feel you can accomplish anything, and do it all over again!

Even though I have enumerated all the reasons why one should have the courage to travel solo, please always do research before you go to a country, especially if you are a woman.

On My Travel Bucketlist

Place: Taktshang Monastery, Bhutan
(Photo:  Douglas J. McLaughlin)

Travel Destination: Giverny, France

I will be writing about my travel experiences from last year on this blog since I didn't really take the time to write anything while I was on the road. I hope my stories and pictures will encourage people to pack up their bags to go to some of the amazing places I went to. Enjoy!

Claude Monet gave the world the Impressionist movement but also left behind a magical garden that inspired his Water Lilies series. A visit to the gardens in Giverny, France is a surreal experience.  It was easily one of my favorite attractions this past summer.

Paris has a spell that is hard to escape, however, the trip out to Monet’s house and garden is worth every minute of your time. Before heading to Giverny, visitors should prep themselves with the works of Monet by visiting the Musée d’Orsay, Musée de l’Orangerie and Musée Marmottan. All three museums house collections of other Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists.  During my two month stay in Paris, I ended up at the Orsay three times!

The Water Lilies (Nymphéas) paintings are exhibited all over the world in different museums. In Paris, the Orangerie houses eight of the murals in two large oval rooms. Since Monet was a careful observer of light and colors based on daily changes from the sun, each room showcases the lilies at either sunrise or sunset.  Knowing this is important to comprehending Monet’s contribution to art and will lend to a better appreciation of the gardens in Giverny. 

Giverny is an easy forty-five minute train ride outside of Paris. It is best to go during a weekday. The weekend may be a bit hectic since the line to enter into the house and garden may take as long as two hours. I was lucky to have waited only forty-five minutes when I went on a Saturday. Once you make it through the line, all the anxiety to get in dissipates quickly. Entering Monet’s world is a humbling experience. Japanese art covers his walls in the house, the garden bursts with an assortment of flowers and the lily pads are mesmerizing.  I sat on a bench near the pond for an hour in the late afternoon.  During that hour, I observed how the colors of the lily pads changed as the sun moved, just how Monet would've done it!  I imagined Monet sitting next to me with his brush, paints and easel.  I highly highly recommend taking the time to go to Giverny.  This experience is not to be missed when making a trip to Paris.

It's Monet himself!!!