idratherbebiking

Florence is Amazing

We arrived in Florence late, so it was dark, and Pam's cousin Janet and husband Paolo picked us up at the airport and drove is to our apartment in Florence. We met the owner, got the keys and instructions, then settled in and went to bed. The next morning we wake up and walk around, and its like you have been thrown into a storybook, its really stunning in Florence, with the medevil looking buildings, cobbled streets, and beautiful bridges across the river.

Cinque Terre Hillside lighting

Here are pictures from Manarola, where a man every year for the past 50 years creates lighted hillside decorations that glow at night. This time of year there were only a few lit up, but he apparently fills the hillside with nativity scenes, changing them every year, during the Christmas holiday season. This is a picture of a plaque of his accomplishments.

More towns in Cinque Terre

The second day we took the ferry from Manarola, to two other towns in the Cinque Terre area, Vernazza and Monterosso. In Monterosso they have a nice beach area, with lots of European style umbrellas set up, you rent your spot and hang out for the day. Next visit, we will do that. We then took the ferry to Vernazza. We ate gelato in both towns, why not, its everywhere and delicious.

Manarola, Carugiu B&B in Cinque Terre

This is the front door of the B&B we stayed it in Cinque Terre, a really nice place, owned by friends of Jerry and Marcia Morucci. The wife, Christina, met us at her store, Cinque Terre Trekking, a really cool store she opened, with all sorts of hiking and climbing gear, and clothing, I bought a pair of Italian made sandles that strap to your feet and can be used in or out of water, by a company called Lizard. Christina is from Minnesota (she did not have the typical accident from there), and married to an Italian whose family owns property and homes in the Cinque Terre area. More pictures from Manarola where we stayed.

Cinque Terre is amazing

We took an overnight trip on the recommendation of our friends Jerry and Marcia Morucci, to Cinque Terre. Caught an early train out of Florence to Pisa (didn't see the leaning tower), then to La Spetza, then to Manarola. You get off the train and see the immediate beauty of this town, built right into the mountainside. With the beautiful clear blue ocean on one side, and the steep hillside with massive vinyeards on the other side.

Cycles Laurent display

Here's a display that was inside Jean Paul's cool bike store. He had some really cool vintage stuff.

Cycles Laurent

I checked for bike stores in Paris and found two, "Velo and Oxygen" and "Cycles Laurent". Pam and I went to Cycles and Oxygen first, we walked up the Champs Elsee past the Arc de Triomph. This shop was okay, had some interesting looking priduction road bikes, I had never seen a modern Peugeot before, all carbon, wide tubes. A few days later we made it to Cycles Laurent. It turns out our host knows the owner, Jean Paul Laurent, she sagged a ride once for him and his son. So Pam and I made it to the shop . . . What a cool bike shop. Mostly custom frames, some really top end stuff. Jean Paul spoke no English and was busy with a customer, so we got help from one of the guys that worked there. He was very friendly and helpful. We had to but a pump and lock for our Paris host, as she had just bought a city bike on Craig's list Paris and needed these. I then wanted a jersey from the store, and got help with that. The store is owned by Jean Paul and his father who also is a cyclist. Jean Paul's son also rides and their store brochures shows the three of them riding road bikes along some nice mountain road. When Jean Paul finished with his customer, our translated explained we were staying at Debra's place, and Jean Paul was then quire talkative and friendly. His wife was involved in our limited conversation as well. Pam and I left the store and headed home with our bike loot. I plan to get a picture of my in my Cycles Laurent jersey on the Golden Gate Bridge and mailing it it Jean Paul.