Back to Camogli

OK back to the travelogue – see if I can get the whole vacation written up before the end of the year :)

The first day we decided to do a bit of exploring of the local place.  I was still recovering from the 17 hours of driving from the previous two days so keeping it local seemed a good idea.  We had discussed plans before we left and had decided on alternating days out and days by the pool / on the beach.  A bit of exploring and a bit of R&R – not trying to fit everything in
The village is really picturesque, built into the cliff face, lots of old buildings (and old looking buildings) with many cafes and alleyways connecting the streets.

The old looking buildings take a couple of glances to notice.  They look like they have a really decorative facade on first glance – but then you notice that there are areas where the facade seems to be missing and suddenly you see that all the shadows on the brickwork and ornamentation around the windows is painted on.  As is the brickwork and ornamentation itself.  From close up it looks quite strange, but from a distance it looks really lovely...

We had breakfast (they had the best buffet breakfast spread in a hotel that I have seen – but fear for my waistline stopped me indulging too much) a great breakfast cappuccino and left.  Me with my professional camera strung around my neck strangling me, Mrs Stace with her Panasonic box of wonders hanging lightly from her wrist - there are times I don't like having the D5, but the results are worth it.  Snapped a few shots here and there, got a few of the hotel whilst marvelling at how spread out it is – from one edge to the end of the private beach must be a few hundred meters – there must be quite a few meters of airco units mounted halfway up the cliff to keep everyone cool.

Stopping for a coffee (or two) in the village we watched everyone pass by for a while.  Coffee is something that was very cheap, and very good quality in the main.  The coffee shop we used most days in the harbour sold cappuccino for 2 euro’s per cup.  2 cups each and with a 2 euro tip – still cheaper than buying 4 cups in most places here and much far better coffee than here as well.  I learnt my first Italian of the trip here.  ‘Un alto due cappuccino per favoure.’  Another two cappuccinos please.

We stopped at a cafe for lunch in the small marina, after looking for the timetable for the ferry to San Fruttuoso for the next trip. We found a table overlooking the marina itself, watching the boats coming and going and ordered a lucky find in the menu.  The only thing that we understood.  Ciabatta with pesto and mozzarella - we did get more adventurous as the week went on I promise. And a glass of wine (I was on vacation).  All very nice, and cheaper than we were expecting.

After lunch we carried on exploring and seemed to spend an awful lot of time climbing steps.  Camogli is made of them.  A 5 storey building from one side may well have an extra 3 floors on the other side as the cliff drops away.  We stopped to take photographs of the strange sights (there are many buildings with trees growing through them) and generally wandered for a bit before heading back to the hotel to read and relax before food.

I can’t remember where we ate the first night – only surprised that most places were very, very full!

The next day was spent by the pool, reading, drinking coffee, water and swimming in the salt water pool – so salty that you could float in it like the Dead Sea.  Good fun!

Church and apartments that seperate the beach from the marina

Our hotel from viewed from the above church.  It incorperate amost all the buildings in the shot at sea level, and the private beach extends almost to the other side of the picture

Camogli lighthouse at the entrance to the marina - we brought an oil painting of this view before we left

This is a fish restaurant that is famous locally for having an oak tree growing through it.  The tree is visible through the roof of the conservatory part

I just liked this shot :)