Cinqui Terre - Riomaggiore and Manaralo

Now this was hard work keeping this post to 10 photos....well I haven't it is a 12 photo post.  Today we start our journey along Cinqui Terre which is the whole reason we stayed at Levanto (easy access).  This is along the western Italian coastline and 'Cinqui Terre' ..... 'The Five Lands' is made up of five villages connected by walks and trains.  We took everyones hints and went by train to Riomaggiore to start our trek.  We were so excited we hopped straight off the train and headed to the start of the walk without thinking to investigate this town. duh!

This is the view of the walk we are about to start.  This takes us to Manarola and called Via Dell'Amore ("Love Walk")

We thought this was cute at the start of the walk.  Two hearts intwine with lots of locks.  It is overhead and you had to pass underneath it. We did not realise the significance of the locks.

First there was one.

This is a lovely stone work tunnel that we walked through.  One side has a view of the sea the other a view of everyones artwork/graffiti.

More locks appearing.

Some of the amazing artwork or graffiti on the walls of the tunnel.

More artwork

More locks.....yes they were literally everywhere.  When we arrived in Manarola we discovered that you can actually buy a lock at the train station to use on this walk.  As I was wondering how so many people happen to 'just have a lock' on them.  Apparently it is 'to lock in your love' on the walk of love.   We have so many more photos of locks which are stunning.  There is a seat of love which has been carved from stone.   The headrest is of a man and a lady looking into each others eyes.  Of course there were hundreds of locks around this seat and the photo above is just a small sample of them.

This is the main drag of Manarola.......so beautiful.  Everywhere you look you want to take a photo as it is so quaint.  I think the people that live here are so tolerant to have so many people pass through their village and take photos of the outside of their houses, laundry, boats.  I am not sure what these people do during the winter time as all the boats are high and dry which adds so much to the character of the place.

A little stone bridgeway looking out to the sea.

Manarola.   The place we had our very first Gelati......so yum and many more followed.

Deborah commented in my last post that it was a year ago for her that she has visited Cinqui Terre and that she would return in a minute.  Our feelings exactly.......so beautiful, friendly and full of character.  A photographers heaven.  If you don't think you can ever take a good photo (like me) this is the place to come as there is not a chance you could leave here without at least five good ones. :-)

Well we have more sunshine today.... so happy.  My mountain of washing should be finished today.  11 loads done so far and onto my last four today.  The weather has been kind.  Our son has even been out and mowed the yard once......not his neastes job but the grass was so long.  Today a bit of a tidy up mow and a really good mow on the weekend.  Life is almost back to normal.  Still thinking of those poor people down South Queensland that have all the flooding and have such a huge clean up ahead of them.

Well take care and Happy Thursday.