Taking a break

I am leaving the nut farm on Tuesday morning and will be without internet until at least next Friday/Saturday - arriving then at my next stop for 2 weeks - I am guessing I will have access as she has been quite good at communicating via email. For now, the schedule is - Monday, spend the day in Turin sightseeing - looking forward to seeing the Mercato di Porta Palazzo - the largest open air market in Europe, also have some great recommendations on food and gelatto from a girl from Turin that has been staying on the farm. I had back to the nut farm to sleep that night as they have generously allowed me to stay one more night - its only an 70 minute train ride and the neighbor commutes there daily so I will tag along with her to the train station and back. Tuesday, I pack up and and head to Genoa, en route to the Cinque Terre - the plan is for spending the day in Genoa - they have a place to stow luggage for a small fee at the train station; I'll continue on to the Cinque Terre that night where I will spend 3 nights at a cute seaside B&B . I'll leave on Friday and travel to Modena for the next farm - Ca Penelope.

Excited about break in the schedule - the work has not been difficult, but I have found myself craving some solo time. The B&B I have selected looks like a find - a private room in the heart of Vernazza - one of the quieter towns, but just a 3 minute walk to the sea. It appears to be family run and I am  feeling good that they will help guide me to the best of the area. If you are not familiar with the Cinque Terre - it is a series of 5 towns on the seaside in the Italian Riviera. The towns are all completely car-free, built into the hillsides with stairs and walking paths. They are considered a National Park and have been protected to prevent overpopulation and their rustic charm. They are connected via rail stops that travel frequently - although the whole stretch only runs 5 miles, making them quite easy to explore by foot over the course of a few days; there is also a passenger ferry that shuttles people from town to town.