April 22 - Porto Venere, Italy

I still can't upload pictures and it's very frustrating because I'd like to share the beauty of this place.

We’re anchored today off the little seaside town of Porto Venere.  This is the Ligurian coast of Italy and part of the province of La Spezia.  In 1997 Porto Venere and the villages of Cinque Terre were declared a world heritage site.  This place is sort of a jumping off place for the more famous Cinque Terre and many of my fellow passengers were going there today. I’d been there a couple of times so I decided to just tender ashore to this town.  It’s tiny and clinging to the cliffs that rise behind it.  There is a fort and a church further up, but climbing is not my thing.  

I went ashore in the late morning and the tender dropped us at the central point of a very nice seaside promenade with cafés and souvenir shops.  I walked along the waterfront and took photos of the colorful buildings.  I love looking at them especially those with balconies with wrought iron railings where one can often see the day’s laundry hanging out to dry.  It was  beautifully sunny but with a pretty stiff breeze.  A lot of people were strolling and kids were skipping along the rocks which formed a breakwater along the edge of the promenade.

I stopped at a café and had an espresso and watched people for a while.  The Italians don’t mess around with their coffee. If you feel the least bit tired before you have a cup, I can guarantee you won’t after you finish it.  When I’d had enough sun and people watching I headed back to the tender dock and my home away from home.  I know it sounds like a boring day, but it was actually very nice and peaceful.

In late afternoon we played trivia.  I think we’re in the lead for this cumulative set of games.  In the evening there was a cocktail party for folks who’ve sailed with Seabourn before.  I went because I’d been advised that I passed 500 days sailed and I would be given something to commemorate that. I was presented with a Swarovski crystal model of the Seabourn Ovation.  How nice is that?  For dinner I’d been invited to the Captain’s table.  Usually those tables are big with 8 or 10 people and you can only make conversation with the folks right next to you.  This time it was a small round table with just 4 of us passengers and the captain. I knew the other three passengers and the captain is a very engaging Scotsman so we had a very entertaining evening.  All in all, it was a delightful day.