Tag: UNESCO

Charming Cinque Terre

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This morning we headed south toward La Spezia and the Cinque Terre region of Italy. The Cinque Terre is a UNESCO World Heritage sites famous for its coastal villages, scenic vistas, rugged cliffs and colorful villages.

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Today we had the whole day free to ourselves so it quickly became my favorite days of the trip. I hung out with two super fun guys. We had a great time drinking tons of wine, eating delicious food and exploring the quiet streets of the different Cinque Terre towns.

We started our food tour of the Cinque Terre with pesto focaccia pizza. We chowed down before exploring a breathtaking castle in La Spezia. At the top of the castle there was a harp player! 10906113_10152893621355813_7806844916176866695_n

Afterwards we checked into our tiny hotel.

Where did I stay? Hotel Firenze Continentale

Then we took the train to Monterosso al Mare where the boys and I decided to sit back, relax and treat ourselves to wine and aperitifs. 10407261_10152893619320813_8236156655788437128_n

Afterwards we traveled to Manarola. There we saw the Befana! The Befana is a witch who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5). It was so neat to see the old woman parading down the street with hoards of children following and singing. What a special time to be in Italy! After the celebration I grabbed gelato and strolled down to the coast where I watched the sunset. 10922616_10152893619450813_6628597561072186127_n

Then we traveled to Riomaggiore for dinner. Our group filled a tiny restaurant. I tried pesto pasta and we had two bottles of local wine! Feeling happy we caught the train back to La Spezia where we hung out at the hotel bar and chatted the night away.

I truly had an amazing, cinematic, life-affirming day today. I will cherish the Cinque Terre for the rest of my life.

Pompeii!

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Today we traveled south past Naples and towards Mount Vesuvius!

Our destination…Pompeii!

Pompeii is the ancient roman city that was frozen in time by a volcanic erruption.The eruption killed everyone in the city and buried it under tons of ash. It is the first UNESCO World heritage Site of our tour.

We had a hilarious guide named Enzo who showed all the sites of historical significance including the brothels, penis statues and red light district. Very informative. Throughout the tour he would ask us “Are you happy?….are you bored?…” it was really endearing.

For lunch I had the most amazing caprese sandwich. It was fresh and flavorful. Bellisimo!

I wish we had a little more time to explore, but we had to continue south towards Sorrento!

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My Son Sanctuary

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Today we explored a series of Hindu Temples called My Son. My Son is a UNESCO world Heritage-listed site that was built between the 4th and 14th century. It was like being in Indiana Jones! The temples still see so wild and undiscovered. They’re tucked deep into the jungle and surrounded by vast mountain ranges and overgrowth of trees and vines.

On the ride back our local guide told us his fascinating life story. He was a intel solider and translator for the American Army during the Vietnam war. His story should be made into a movie!

Charming Hoi An

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This morning we flew to Hoi An. Hoi An is a charming down that is rich in history and culture. It blends French and Chinese influences in its art, architecture and food. We rented bikes and were led on a great tour through the town where we saw UNESCO World Heritage sites, adorable shops and a beautiful Japanese covered bridge that is 400 years old!

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Adam and I pretending to be VIPs in the Airport and me in my new romper!

Then we went to Yaly Coture to have clothes made! I brought several pictures and designs that I wanted to have custom-made. I got two rompers and a stunning fringed purse made from genuine leather. Throughout the adventure of having measurements taken and picking fabrics I hung out with this great guy named Adam. We had a lot of laughs and enjoyed the experience immensely. It’s impressive what they can make in just 24 ours!

After finalizing our designs we rode bikes to our cooking class at Morning Glory Cooking School. Our teacher was friendly, entertaining and a great teacher. We learned how to roll spring rolls, make Vietnamese pancakes, screwers and afterwards devoured all of our yummy creations.

Later we had to navigate winding roads and pouring rain to figure out how to get back to the hotel! It was quite an adventure. But eventually we made it home safe and sound!

Where did I stay? Van Loi Hotel