Arrivederci, Deutschland! %

Hooray for Skype! Don & I were able to video chat two nights ago for 25 minutes! How fabulous it was to see his face! All is well, he is safe, & he's out of the crowds & into a more settled {& air conditioned!!} place.  I can hardly believe that it's been over a week since we said our goodbyes.  That was surely the hardest part yet...  Stay safe, hunny.  ♥

Hello, Italy!  Tonight, I hop on a bus with a dear friend of mine & we're off to the Italian Riviera!  Cinque Terra, Pisa, & Lucca are on our list until the 22nd!  I'm ready for some sight-seeing, seafood, & shopping!  Oh, & some sun too, please!

Right after Don left, it was hard for me to get excited about this trip; I was too busy thinking about how much I want him back.  Oh, & how I still want him back.  But I'm starting to see that it's okay for me to get out & do things while he is gone.  Honestly, it's going to be a year...  I have to go, I have to do things!  Me being at home isn't going to make him come back any sooner.  Going on this trip is made easier by the fact that our hotel in Italy has internet :)

The name Cinque Terra means "five earths", which is represented in the five villages that make up the place: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.  This coastline of the Italian Riviera is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site & Cinque Terra National Park.  Apparently, this place is a Mecca of sorts for hikers.  I'm packing my tennis shoes!  What a beautiful, unique, mesmerizing town this seems to be, with its many buildings built into the cliff side above the Mediterranean Sea.  Ever since I first heard about Cinque Terra from a friend, I've had it on my list of places to see.  And how I'm going to see it!  I am getting excited!

Cinque Terra.  Oh, isn't it lovely?!

Pisa, famous for {say it with me!} The Leaning Tower of Pisa!  Yes, I'm planning to take the typical photo of myself holding up the tower!  Or...pushing it down?!  Hmm!  This will also be an exciting place to see!

How funny is this?  Yes, you can imagine me doing this because you know I will be!

And then there is Lucca.  Lucca.  I wasn't sure what was in Lucca, so I had to Google it before writing this entry!  Here is what I found: Lucca is in Tuscany {liking it so far!}, famous for its Renaissance-era city walls {which were originally used for protection, of course, & then used for racing cars in the 20th century!}, its libraries {I'm in!}, & its beautiful churches & architecture.  Puccini, a famous opera composer, was from Lucca & the city has an opera festival here every summer.

How romantic in Lucca!  I'm really going to miss my travel buddy!  ♥

Have a wonderful weekend, my wonderful readers!  I'll be back to posting around the 23rd when I will share my new travel experiences & adventures with you!

Arrivederci!