Day 24 La Spezia (Cinque Terre - Corniglia)

After a long time of being a traveling gypsy, moving place to place every other day or so, we finally made it to La Spezia, my last destination technically. And the longest I'll be in one spot. Mmm it feels just dandy. So today, our first full day here was also my birthday. How does that work out, two birthdays in a row in Europe? I'm so blessed. Next year I think i'll want to have a good ol' fashioned American birthday, but for now i'm soaking in my foreign birthday. I became 22 a few hours before I would have been in America. And it lasted longer, so technically its still my birthday in America.

 We went to Corniglia, where the grandparents live. They own a bed and breakfast in Corniglia. Corniglia is the middle town of the 5 that create Cingue Terre (5 towns). 

 Its gotta be rough to have this view out of your kitchen terrace to look at everyday. I really think i could look at this every minute for the rest of forever.

 My camera battery ran out just before we got here, so thank you iphone for being my backup. You did a good job. 

 We are fed really well. too well. holy. I kind of have a feeling they give us so much food because they assume since we're American that we eat huge portions, to get fat. Its all so freshly made, that we aren't complaining. And SO delicioso. For birthday lunch we were fed pesto spaghetti. Italians love their carbs. Its a good thing we walked about 500+ stairs today.

 Oh I forgot to tell you how difficult the language barrier is. I wasn't sure what to expect, but there is alot of nodding and just saying "si si" or "bella" and lots of "grazie" ... we gaze at eachother with blank stares and laugh at eachothers lack of what the other is saying. Its quite fun. So we weren't aware that we were staying in Corniglia til night, or we would have gotten more ready for the day. We thought we were only going to go swimming and then come back. Thats kind of why we look like we've been camping for a week. 

 To get down the the water there are 300 and something steps. By the time we got down there the water got semi scary and rough and the clouds rolled in. Just our luck. So we ended up just putting our feet in and laying out under the clouds. lol

We found our way back by ourselves (so proud) and we walked in and Sonia (the mom) gestured for us to walk around Corniglia more before dinner. I didn't really understand why. I kinda assumed she was frustrated with me not knowing her language so we ended up sitting outside for some time talking, because we got kicked out.

Grandma is in the photo here, as we help her with dinner, and laugh at her cuteness. She INSISTED we put sweaters on.. so here Kaitlyn and I are wearing her sweaters. 

She is just such a lovely woman with the coolest spirit.

 I later found out she was actually making me this masterpiece and she didn't want me to see her make it. ahhhh! it is my favorite! Fruit pizza. I told her it was my favorite and she was so shocked, because she had no idea. It was perfect. She is so nice to me!!

 The wind wasn't allowing the candles to stay lit, team effort to get those suckers a-flame so i could make a wish yo.

 Then, Martina & Matteo (sister and boyfriend) gifted me with a pair of Berkenstocks. YES! My exchange sister, Catherina, has a white pair that she lives in and I loved them, so I was pretty pumped. I just met this family in person for the first time yesterday and they're already buying me Berkenstocks. Thats love.

 Lorenzo, the brother, gave me two Oasis cds. He has nice taste in music, and these are two of his favorite albums, it was a great gift.

Sonia and Augustine (the parents) gave me some money to go spend shopping. 

I am the luckiest foreigner in the world.  

Welp, another year has come and gone. Can I just please stay young. Or can time just stop. 

Definitely was a birthday I will never forget. I felt so loved and taken care of. 

I have a special place in my heart for this part of Europe. I feel like I have familia here.

If only I could get this language down;)