Winter in the Cinque Terre

During summer, southern Liguria basks in all of its flashy glory. Between May and September, the sea, the heat and all of the activity make it one of the most lovely and enjoyable spots to be in Italy. The summery Cinque Terre is the beauty queen of the northern Italian coast, the sweetheart- lovable without even really having to put out an effort.
Winter, however, catches the area without its makeup; the trees are bare, the restaurants are closed, the streets are silent and the beaches are laden with driftwood brought in by winter storms. This time of year, the Cinque Terre really shows you what it's made of.
It's maybe during this season that you really learn to love the hills, the trees and all that the woods offer. The sea is cruel in winter, cold and rough. In winter, the Cinque Terre returns to the land.
The Cinque Terre were originally agricultural communities, the first inhabitants arriving from the Vara Valley and searching for an area suitable for growing their grapevines and olive trees. During that period, the sea was a dangerous and unpredictable threat. It was not until much later that the people of the Cinque Terre started having a comfortable relationship with the sea.
Even today, most people of the Cinque Terre feel more comfortable on dry land, in silence, in the woods or in their olive groves, vineyards and vegetable gardens.
Winter is bittersweet for me. I love the quiet and solitude of the winter months but live in happy anticipation of the spring and summer to come. I hike much more during the winter and enjoy being able to appreciate calmly the countryside.
The Cinque Terre is wonderful to get to know during these slow months. The locals are more willing to get to know you, the trails are free and the towns revert back to how they once were. No, you won't readily find gelato or great nightlife- but you will find some of the most beautiful nature you will ever see- and you'll have the time and space to enjoy it.

Trail markers on my hike today-

Monterosso from atop the Punta Mesco:

Promise of spring:

The trail above our home in Fontona

Buon anno! and Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, I did have quite the Thanksgiving blog post planned but then Thanksgiving passed without any fanfare (OK, I forgot about it- we are in Italy, kids go to school and my brothers forgot to call me) and it seemed silly to post a post-Thanksgiving gush. So here is the abbreviated version...
I am very thankful for many, many things: I have a lovely house in a beautiful area of the world, I am healthy, love my work and am very fortunate to have a husband, a son, an enormous extended family and 4 domestic pets that I love. I also have fantastic friends, both long-term and recent. I am blessed to have what I need and nature around me.
Oh, and I live in the country that produces the most fabulous wine and creates the most delicious food dishes in the world!