Hello, what a day! Sigh....so woke up early ..the curch next door to hostel's bell rings 30 times in AM and randomly throughout day... i wandered down manarola main street to the harbor/rocks at the sea area... beautiful!! Just sat there and had some nature therapy! Wrote poems and soaked feet in waves.(water therapy at its best!). i had gone early in the morning before all the tourists and locals joined!! When it got crowded, I took the train to riomaggiore (the vilaage south of manarola) and roamed around ...walked up many hills...finally had lunch-4 cheesepizza slice...and was so tired from all the uphill walking that I took train back to manarola and headed to hostel for mini siesta (nap!)...woke up and decided to go hiking... at 3pm went hiking frm manarola to corngelia...wjat a hike...sigh...it is 2.5hr hike n the route was closed, so detour was manarola to volastra.. so longgg...oh my... I had been warned! But I had constant adreneline...hiking on cliffs by the ocean... I wander how others seem so natural at it...it was my first time hiking...and not too experienced with it. But I leanred new skills...but as I held my breathe and walked up and down hills..walking along grape fields was nicr but I did not really stop to enjoy scenary as I am afraid of heights...hiking with fear of heights on villages atop mountains next to the sea...part of my personal growth journey... it deinetely pushed me and challenged me..I was holding onto rocks and branches as I walked through some narrow challenging pathways...some had no support.. I make it sound scary because that is how I perceived it. I wish I had more experience previously. Everyone else seems like a pro . The place I grew up in was not much of a hiking destination. I am a pro at bargaining, crossing heavy traffic streets, changing languages and adapting, but not at hiking or swimming... skills I would like to have learned as a child or teenager. But never too late to learn.. I am waiting for the train to get back to manarola... update:back at hostel :) finally, some rest! After I got back frm hiking and freshened up, all my hostel roomates were back in the dorm too so we all decided to go out to eat at night, so back to riomaggiore I went! Had great pesto ppizza!! This is the region pesto originated from! Anyway, had gelato for dessert... day is incomplete without gelato here!! The plan is to go hiking again to another village tomorow and have breakfast, then head to a different village for kayaking... I will c how I feel in the AM.. I really want to visit monterosso, corngelia and verranza still..only 1 day to do all that!! Today was a day of challenges, faith, reflection, and going out of my comfort zone. Thank you God for another great day and opportunities for growth!!
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