Our first full day in Vernazza (the Chiro's entry)

We began late in the day. Sleeping in is (and will continue to be) a high priority on this trip. Since we had slept through breakfast, we decided to go hunt down some lunch around one-thirty pm (when we finally rolled out of bed and showered). We went to the end of the jetty to a bar called Baja Saracena which had the best pizza either of us had ever eaten.

After we were full, we settled in the sands of Vernazza's only beach. The town square literally slopes down onto the sand. the square itself was filled with small boats belonging to the locals. Any extra space was reserved for restaurant tables beneath brightly striped umbrellas. Tourists and locals alike casually linger in windows, on walls and at tables, taking in the small horde of people playing on the beach and in the water. While sun bathing on the beach was not a pretentious experience (like in the Cote Azul), you can't help but feel like the center of attention as you exit the water in your drenched suit.

The deep green-blue waters of the Ligurian sea (which feeds into the Mediterranean), we warm, with an initial edge of freshness. The sun felt warm, but never hot. Even the weather seems to come in moderation here.

After a few hours on the beach, we believed ourselves well on our way to being tan, and went home to change and relax in the cool room. This day could not have been more perfectly relaxing. Later in the day, we took advantage of the internet cafe and purchased some food to eat tomorrow before our first hike to the coast in Corniglia.