Elevation

Mike here. We're hanging in Cinque Terre now ... staying in a lofty little apartment with multiple decks overlooking the Ligure Mare. (I call it part of our Mediterranian (sp?) Adventure, but Stacey says it's really the Ligurian Sea. Can a journalist get away with leaning on poetic license?)

A tip for future travelers: Don't patronize companies that have tour groups larger than eight. Other tourists will make fun of you and you'll block the views. It's like these giant herds of orange-hatted fleas. :)

The trains run on time! Well, mostly. The Oregon couple staying in the apartamento below us got in late 'cause of a brief strike. We got on the wrong train and experienced the milk run, but it was scenic.

Land-use geeks: The notion of "high-value farmland" that is incorporated into Oregon law is frequently defied. The vineyards in Cinque Terre are on near-vertical slopes; the wine tastes very good, thank you, as do the lemons, etc.

More photos soon. Ciao!