Il Giro Del Bambino- Stage Three

Stage 3:Corneglia to RioMaggiore, Pisa for sunshine

The next morning thunder rolled over the coastal mountains. My new perspective as Mama decided we would not take the baby on another long hike in the rain. Perhaps the I was just too tired as well. So after some indecision, we make a plan to do the short 20 minute flat hikes to the villages south and then take the train to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The morning hike was quite lovely. Daniel descends the 382 stairs with Joaquin on sore legs. After the stairs the hike was a smooth path low along the cliffs to Manarola. The sounds of the ocean waves put Joaquin to sleep in his backpack.

Cable bridge over a stream bed.

An easy hour passed to the next village. Daniel and I bought a square of potato-rosemary focaccia.


At Manarola, the trail turned into a paved walking path. The foot traffic on the trail increased and it began to feel a bit more like Disney Land. We saw several toddlers but no little babes like ours. He did get some smiles from the fluttering Italians hikers. We easily walked the remaining twenty minutes to RioMaggiore. RioMaggiore lacked the charm of the previous towns. Perhaps it was overshadowed by the large welcome center for Cinque Terre. I nursed the baby on a quiet bench and we were off to the train station for La Spezia.

From La Spezia, we took an hour train to Pisa. As we traveled south, the sky cleared and sun appeared. In Pisa, it was a warm, sunny day. Pisa is a small walled city with a river in the center. The major sites of the duomo and tower were a short walk away. I saw so many bicycles along the way. Even better the main street lined with covered archways- loggias, was for foot and bicycle traffic only.

The Tower of Pisa leans quiet impressively. It was every thing I expected from all the cartoons that featured the tower in my childhood. The facade is blindingly white. The original ivory marble has been replaced over the years with a snow white marble. From the train I had seen quarries in the mountains and large yards adjacent the train tracks with granite boulders.

Daniel, Joaquin and I enjoyed the sunshine and the grass surrounding the Duomo. We didnt do much besides gaze at the tower and duomo before we turned back to the train station.

We arrived to Corniglia after dark. Joaquin was exhausted so we put him to bed in our hotel room before supper. As I was soothing the baby to sleep, Daniel ordered a meal at the restaurant downstairs. Just when I was sure Joaquin was truly asleep with white noise playing louding from the iphone at his side, the friendly waiter appeared at my door with a tray. Daniel had ordered us swordfish, french fries, a salad, and walnut torte. All to washed down with delicious house white wine. Half a flight of stairs took us to the rooftop terrace of the hotel. Daniel and I picnicked on the roof with a delicious meal, the fresh ocean air and a contently sleeping baby just a few steps away. I felt very lucky.