"I'm not getting sweatier - I'm getting sexier!"

Hello, dear readers! I'm delighted to inform you that yesterday's trip to Cinque Terre was a huge success. My roommates and I managed to drag ourselves out of bed at 6 AM and by 10:30, we were beginning to walk through the first of five towns in Cinque Terre National Park.

Who wouldn't want to spend a day hiking along these cliffs?

There really are no adequate words to describe the natural beauty of the Cinque Terre landscape. The five towns along the coast are separated by breathtaking cliffs and a shimmering turquoise ocean. We hiked as much as possible between the towns, finally reaching Monterosso and spending the end of our day relaxing on the beach with some gelato. To embrace a cliche, it was a perfect day......though naturally, it wasn't devoid of entertainment.

The towns are nestled into the terrain. The homes are painted in bright, citrus colors and are constructed such that they almost always have views of the water.

Fun Fact: I have never hiked before. It has always seemed appealing and interesting enough, but the opportunity has simply never arisen. I'd received advice from friends who had studied abroad that the hiking was amazing at Cinque Terre, so suffice to say that I was excited for it. Little did I know that hiking between the third and fourth towns would be quite so difficult. As my friends and I struggled up seemingly endless stairs and stumbled down rubble-ridden hillsides, we quickly began to question our idea of a "leisurely hike." Drenched in sweat with shaking muscles, we laughed and joked our way along the cliffs. At one point, one of the guys turns around and goes "On the bright side, I'm not getting sweatier. I'm getting sexier." By those standards, that was the sexiest afternoon of our lives.

This guy did a backflip off his paddleboard when he got to shore.  Impressive? Me thinks yes.

I suppose the last thing I'd like to add would be a brief comment on Italian aquatic gear. Quite simply: whoever designed Speedos should be wholeheartedly ashamed of his/herself. That is all.

My roommates and I in Monterosso after a relaxing afternoon at the beach.

Hope you all enjoyed a lovely weekend! It's back to work & school tomorrow. On the bright side, one of my best friends is visiting Tuesday and we're off to Venice and Verona next weekend!