Carrara and the coast

TODAY WAS THE START OF OUR SECOND ITALIAN TOUR, around the 'cinque terre', or five villages of the northwest coast. Lisa joined the group, bringing it to a total of 14. Gianni packed the bus and we were off by 8.15.




A quick stop along the way.




At Carrara -- the famed source of pure white and grey marble -- we boarded small buses and drove into what was to be a train tunnel, but is now an underground marble mine. This the only place where marble is mined from within a mountain.




With hard hats on we listened to a tour about the mining process ... Cutting and splitting off large slabs.







This is a large cave left after mining. Nowadays major marble blocks are only mined after an order has been received.
















Outside again, we looked at the marble museum. Jo and Lisa are checking out marble from around the world.







We had a meal in the village including their signature speciality -- cured lard from pig backs.








We reached one of the coastal towns where the rich and famous have their villas and people from The Bold And The Beautiful get married!




I can see similarities with Port Meiron ...










Then it was off to our hotel in Monterosso, the northernmost of the cinque terre towns. This is the view from our room.




We had a lovely meal at a restaurant under the railway line. Each time a train went over it sounded like thunder.












- Posted when a little late