Saturday, April 4, 2009

The Italian Riviera

SANTA MARGHARITA LIGURE


We first arrived to Santa Margherita, a beautiful beach town known for its tourist and fishing activities.






Group pic! Porter, me, Karen, Katie, and Areli





CAMOGLI

By the time we arrived, the day got very cloudy and humid...which is not what the weatherman said!
Strolling through the tiny streets of Camogli...

Waiting for our lunch.

Mmmm...Nopales y tunas by the sea!


Me : )


On our way to San Fruttuoso.


SAN FRUTTUOSO

San Fruttuoso consists only of one monastery, the San Fruttuoso di Capodimonte Benedictine. The monastery includes an abbey built in the 13th century, a 10th-century church, a small Romanesque cloister, and the sepulchre of the Doria family who founded the abbey.

There is also a statue of Christ of the Abysses, protector of divers, fifty feet underwater. If you're lucky enough and the waters are calm and the sky is clear, you can see the statue from the surface...I did not have such luck!

The monastery is isolated because, according to San Fruttuoso's followers, he had appeared to them in dreams telling them this was exactly where he wanted a monastery built.

Inside its church. It was small, simple, but peaceful.


It also has a museum displaying ceramics from the 10-14th centuries.


The sea view from the monastery.


Looking out through the windows.

These used to be burial sites of the friars.


Inside there are also burials belonging to various members of the monastery from the 11th century. They were left intact.


How the monastery has changed throughout the centuries. The original building is the center model. This building still stands, but additional buildings were added later.



While waiting to take the next ferry to our next stop, Portofino.




PORTOFINO

Portofino is the most expensive resort area in italy...

...as you can tell with this really nice yatch. I was curious so I took a peek and saw it had several flat screen TVs inside, and comfy, shiny golden couches inside.




I don't know the story behind this hanging rhinosaurus.




We could either walk to the beach or take a hike to the light house. We decided to take the small hike!


On our walk to the light house.


Behind the walls along our walk, are residences homes with beautiful gardens.


Almost getting there...


.....

Nope, not there yet....

One of the many sea views along our walk.


As you can tell, it was really cloudy. Actually, it was raining. I didn't take my umbrella because it was supposed to be a nice day... so I got soaked again. (Not the first time to happen!)


Finally! We reached the light house behind the hill. Not much to see but the views along the way were amazing!




On our way back down...




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