Riomaggiore - Italia Part Due

And Lake Como just got topped. It's no wonder Cinque Terre has been on the lips & itineraries of so many Americans lately. It certainly showed from all the young backpackers and students trolling around town as well. The place is spectacular. We stayed in the 5th town, Riomaggiore. The apartment we stayed in was well above town. The family who owns the place also owns a hotel in town, but they live above the apartment where we stayed. Grandma, Mom & son all lived above, ran both the hotel & the two apartments, all while being exceptionally warm, helpful & deft parkers (we should have taken a photo of the garage where the car was 'parked' (aka wedged). Most of our time in Cinque Terre was dedicated to reading, enjoying the sun, swimming in the Med, walking up & down the hill, sitting on the deck, strolling the Via del Amore, eating, drinking local wine & Coronas;), noshing (great noshs every night courtesy of Nickerbocker -- cheeses, salamis, olives, croustinis), watching the sun set, playing cards, enjoying a very starry night, ferrying between the towns, and generally, relaxing and loving life.
We made friends with our waiter one night -- he ended up with not only Dad's business card, but his cousin Lori's contact information in Portland as well (the guy is visiting there during the up-coming off-season). We checked out all but the middle town, Corniglia, and honestly, I would be more than happy staying in any one of them, any time in the future. However, next time, I think we all would vote against the car. Once we got into the apartment, it never left the garage again due to terrifing cliffs, hairpoint turns & insane Italian drivers (with no respect for the slowski tourists). Thanks again for driving Dad -- I was nervous enough just being a passenger! And, thanks to you Mom for your endless help with Joe's knee rehab, advice & constant entertainment of the subject. We really couldn't have asked for a better trip.