Cinque Terra

It's difficult to describe the 5 towns that make up Cinque Terra. They are unlike anything I have ever seen before. Tiny winding street surrounded by colorful block houses that staircase up the mountain. These towns are a slice of Italian life now gone in many places.











(Xan slept through the whole dinner. Our waiter brought over a mat for him)

We stopped at a tiny market and bought fruit and locally made cheese for a snack.

It's all about the gelato

We have set a 2 gelato per day minimum and Xan has joined right in. Grants says since he is carrying Xan on his back most of the day, he needs the extra calories.

Which ninja turtle?

During this tour of Italy we will see several great works of art. Today was a Leonardo day (not to be confused with the Michealanego works we will see on a later day). Grant spent a lot of today humming the teenage mutant ninja turtle theme song.
Today we visited Leonardo di Vinci's painting "The Last Supper". Access is very controlled with only 25 people for 15 minutes in the room. We had to past through 2 temperature controlled, sealed chambers before reaching the painting. One of the big rules is no photography. Of course, Grant took that as a challenge and that is how we have the picture above. The first the Xan yells upon seeing the painting is, "Mommy, there is not a lion. Where is the lion?" Who knows where that came from.


You can't visit Milan without seeing the Cathedral there. It was so beautiful. I will let the pictures show you.



Xan speaks Italian.........or he thinks he does. Since I don't speak Italian, I can only assume. Grant and Mom where talking with an couple in a train station (mostly in Italian with a little English thrown in) when Xan leaned into the conversation and started babbling nonsense phrases. I guess that's what it sounded like to him.
Xan got another chance to practice when he joined in an impromptu drum concert in the park.

Beautiful, Rainy Como

I now get it. I understand why people rave about the Lake Como region. We visited on a dreary, rainy day and it was still beautiful.






We rode a funicular from Como to Brunate to get a mountaintop view of the area. Xan loved the ride up but was so exhausted by the days events, he slept through the ride down and our first Italian dinner. By the way, the view was incredible even through the mist and fog.

Well, we made it

That's about all I can say about the 8 hour trip across the pond. Xan had a come apart about 6 hours into the flight. I'm not sure if it was exhaustion or the fact he is two. I'm choosing to believe it was the former. It gives me more hope for the future.


I'm still so excited to be here and explore Italy!!