Cinque Terre/Manarola

Another itty-bitty ditty from Italy

At Monterosso we step off the train
We're done with the main
And now for the local
An ear to the ground
We're Manarola bound
Where a long tunnel walk
Leads to our block
And the birthplace of Cinque Terre
A kind woman from Greece
Shows us our room
Cozy and sweet
A view that looms
From a perfect veranda
We see the sea and da
Rumpled wings of da town

Four days, three nights
So much to explore
Nothing a good hike can't fix
To the vineyards above
We gaze far below
Where the Ligurian Sea
Is running off to Corsica
Then down we saunter
To the craggy shore
Where the seabirds soar
A fabulous swimming hole
With jumping-off rocks
And boats at their docks
The cafes all bustle
So dinner we hustle
And gelato, two scoops!

In the morning a ride
To Volastra up high
For a hike above town
Hills terraced in stone walls
Hundreds of miles worth
Hundreds of years worth
All planted with grapes
Perfect paths across the steeps
Then down, down, down
All the way to Corniglia
Gravity I feel ya
What a beauteous place
To wrinkle your face
With a cool lemon soda
On a very warm day

A hilltop town
Where the skinny streets
And teetering houses
Seem lost in steps and cobblestone
Perhaps some of it laid
Seven centuries ago 
Alleys, archways, stairways of rock
Much fun to explore, to ramble
To wear out your socks

The kittens and cats
We notice at once
Are always channeling Fuji
(Our cat)
A man in the trees
Weakens my knees
Playing his accordion
Accordionly
The trail back home
Is blocked by a rock slide
So back on the train we ride
To the veranda of Manarola

Then it's Friday
A train workers strike!
But a busy boat departs
For the port of Vernazza
Where there's even more to see
Stones and brick
Alleys and stairs
Can't see it all
But we try with a flare
And plenty of time
Narrow streets like climbing vines
Sprouting houses upwardly up

The trail to Manarola
Again is blocked
By a slide of rock
But I climb as high as I can go
For a view of Corniglia
Parched, craving a drink
The smarter trailster
Would turn back I think
But there's a house up ahead
And now Corniglia below
And crazily amazingly
They're serving lemon slushies!
Then it's back down to the town
And the train is running
So quickly back to Manarola
For a touristy eve and a cola
Then it's on to Montecatini
Where I'll crave a panini
On our next journey of the leg

Next stop: Florence and the Dolomites