Mamma Mia... We're behind in our posts

We've fallen a bit behind on our posts so I will try and catch you up to where we are today, which is Rome.

We last left you in Torino where we had a pretty low key day. The following days would also be filled with rest and relaxation, along with some great views and some hairy driving.

From Torino we left for Corniglia (pronounced Cor-Nee-Lia). Corniglia is on of the Cinque Terra... that is 'the 5 towns'. These towns each a short distance from each other sit in a remote region of the Italian Riviera. They are each quaint and tiny seaside towns with breathtaking views of the oh so blue Ligurian Sea. Corniglia is the only one located high up on a cliff which only added to the views.

Upon exiting the autostrada, the roads to the Corniglia got very tiny, and very curvey. At one point we weren't sure if we were even on a road anymore, or if it was just a cobblestone sidewalk. We had to pull in our mirrors for a little kink in the road that forced us between two houses. After much burning of the clutch, and literally inches of clearance on either side we slipped through. That's when a little old grandma came out to watch, standing right behind the car while we were on a pretty severe hill. I don't think cars are supposed to go through here, and we may have been the first one she had ever seen slip through that crack. In any case, we rejoined the main road after a short stretch and were back on our rollercoaster ride to Corniglia. I think penny may have steered us wrong, but for all the help she's been, I'm not complaining.

As already mentioned... the views to and in Corniglia were awesome. Our room, while a little small, was clean and bonus - had a view out over the town and out to the ocean. We spent the next couple days hiking on trails between each of the towns and exploring each town. Very relaxing. One final note... while Corniglia was very quiet and relaxing most of the time... beware of Tuesday mornings - what I can only assume is recycling day.

6:40 am - recycling truck rumbles up the one road in town and begins emptying the 7 glass bottle recycling dumpsters... there is no way anyone in town could sleep through this
7:00 am - small church bells chime seven times
7:03 am - large church bells ring for about 2 minutes straight
7:04 am - roosters start crowing

After our two days in Corniglia, which we thoroughly enjoyed... we left for Siena. Siena had been a rival city to Florence back in the day until the plague wiped out a third of its population. It never quite recovered its status after that, but we found it all the more charming due to its small, manageable size.

We had accommodations lined up at a convent in town (how cool is that!). We rolled into town after a rainy drive and began our quest for parking. Parking in Europe is a bit hit or miss, and generally costs you between 9 - 15 euros a day. There was no parking in sight as we neared the convent. We circled a couple times and were starting to get a bit discouraged. However, just when hope seemed to be lost, one of the FREE parking spots opened up and we pounced on it (Thank You God!). Siena is famous for having what some consider the best piazza in northern italy. There is also a large gothic cathedral in town that is quite stunning due to what some may consider gaudy use of different color marbles to create a white and green striped interior and exterior.

I agree with the assessment that the piazza is impressive. It's huge and is slightly slanted, ampitheater style, so people just sit themselves down on the cobblestone and hang out. I enjoyed more than one gelato relaxing there. In the piazza is the city hall, which has a huge tower some 10 stories tall tacked on top of one end of the building. We spent much of our time just wandering the small streets windowshopping. The old town of Siena where we were staying is just one restaurant and shop after another in between the major sites. It was another relaxing time and some much needed rest as we prepared ourselves for Rome, which we were sure was going to be a whirlwind.

Well... you're pretty much caught up to where we are now. Just some thoughts about our trip thus far. First off, Sara and I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to travel like this, and we are aware that the Lord has provided for us at every turn. We have been healthy and safe which is a blessing in itself. We have had wonderful accommodations along the way, and many pleasant surprises in that department. We have transitioned through three different languages (four if you count China) and have been holding our own. We haven't gotten lost, nor have we lost any of our luggage/stuff etc. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and your prayers. We think and pray for all of you at home, and as much fun as we are having, we miss you all a lot every day.

Until next time... Ciao