It's Sunday. A day of worship. And the church bells are gonging and stirring my soul. I am so thankful to God for this wonderfully amazing trip. And what's this? Sunshine!
I am thrilled that we get to see Santa Margherita in non-stormy weather. I'm sitting on our balcony and down below they're putting the cushions on the pool chairs (we haven't seen that before!). The sun is glistening off the white cabanas and the boats are gliding on the sea. So beautiful!
After breakfast we drive to Portofino. So charming!! A couple of days ago the weather report said that it might not rain between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Could this be true? Then last night the weather report said no rain for the day. But I don't really believe it. So we head to this town early hoping we may actually have a few minutes without rain. And this turns out to our advantage because the quaint town is quite sleepy at 9:00 a.m. We feel like we have the town to ourselves.
We climb up to Castello Brown to enjoy the view. And what a view it is!! Besides the gorgeous old Italian buildings with all the shutters, there's a harbor full of yachts. And...did I mention...it's not raining!!
The sunny morning continues, but now we're swallowed in a sea of TOURISTS! Those darn tourists...they're messing with our charming scene. Even though I realize this is a ludicrous statement...since we are tourists...it's really how I think. There are tourists and then there are TOURISTS! TOURISTS seem to cluster in large groups cutting off the walkways. They're always following some funny pole or umbrella. They push and shove to stay with their group. They wear fanny packs and sometimes use walking sticks. We are only tourists with small letters.
The sunshine continues. Ahhhh...what a beautiful day! We enjoy a drink and a snack while enjoying the view of the harbor. Then we do some shopping. Then we enjoy a drink and a snack while enjoying the view of the harbor. It's a perfect day for doing nothing...while sitting on the dock of the bay.
But all wonderful things must come to an end. We've got to get to Milan to spend the night and catch our plane in the morning. So good-bye Portofino! We love you!
Driving on these winding roads is challenging. The roads are very narrow and yet people are strolling along them. So you have to maneuver around the families on their strolls while trying to stay in your own lane because you're approaching a curve. Then around the curve comes a big tour bus! And of course this is all happening on a steep hillside. But the craziest people on the road are the motorcyclists. They weave in and out of cars and pass cars on blind curves. I've never seen so many crazy people with death wishes!
Driving, under normal conditions, in a foreign country can be nerve wracking. But I've decided Jacque should be called St. Jacqueline of the Roadways. She is given the non-enviable job of navigating while John is driving. And she doesn't want to upset him when he's already a bit on edge, concentrating on these crazy roads while surrounded with speedy Italian drivers. So this is how the conversations go:
Jacque: Oh John dear, I believe all the cars are facing us. Perhaps this is a one way street. Do you think we could maybe turn around in a few moments?
Jacque: Sugar Dumpling, I read somewhere that those who are already in the round-about have the right of way. Could that be why the motorcyclist is honking and waving wildly? But don't worry…perhaps he's just overly friendly!
Jacque: King of my Castle, the lady on Google Maps suggested we make a right turn here. (...speeding past). Oh well, Sweetie Pie, of course you know best!
(So...maybe our driving is screaming TOURISTS with capital letters!)
All kidding aside...seriously I'm just so thankful I'm not driving! This is craziness!
We finally make it to our hotel near the airport without loss of life. That's worth celebrating!
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