The Happiest Place on Earth

Kirsten and I spent two nights in Vernazza and could happily have spent the rest of our lives there. It's one of the Cinque Terre, five towns on Italy's northern riviera that are connected by a hiking trail (a hiking trail that is mostly lovely except for the last bit we did that made me want to cry when I realized how many steps UP it involved).

This is the view of Vernazza from the hiking trail. See the reddish building behind all the umbrellas on the square? That's where we stayed. And see that pretty sea down there? That's where we rewarded ourselves for our hours of hiking (and where I cut up my foot on rocks).

This is the delicious strawberry and chocolate panna cotta we ate at my favorite Italian restaurant, Il Pirata. We ate breakfast there the morning we were planning to leave, but then we postponed our departure to Milan so we could eat lunch there as well.

I need to go back to Vernazza.