EuroTour 2010, Day 10, Portofino Coast

Today is not about history or art or culture.  Today is about fun.  Lon presented the idea yesterday that we rent our own small boat for the day and cruise up and down the coast.  All four of us share an infinity for the sea;  I was raised on my grandfather's boat, Sean has his own sailboat in Marina Del Rey, Barbie spent much of her life on lakes, and Lon, well, renting the boat was his idea.

One more thing.  Last night, at dinner, we had to ask the young woman sitting next to us (whom we recognized from our hotel pool) to put out her cigarette.  She did.  Then we started talking to her, and she is a lovely person who is traveling Europe to commemorate her divorce.  After dinner we strolled to the main square when Barbie said to the boys, "Should we invite Brooke to join us on the boat?"  Sean & Lon went back and she accepted.  Four is now five.

No need to show you the breakfast.  Instead, here is the thick, green apple juice with the breakfast view.

We loaded up with supplies and towels and headed to the dock.  

Rapallo from the water.

In hindsight, a pic of us loading the boat would have been nice.  But I was busy loading the boat.

That, my friends, is a very happy man.

One of the villages of Cinque Terra.  Some pictures are included just for their beauty.  Most, really.

We cruised around the Portofino Coast, which includes several small towns and villages.  As we came to Portofino itself, we did not stop.  We have lunch reservations in a few hours.  No need to go there now.

The lighthouse on Portofino's eastern-most point.  It is surreal to think that we are out in the open Mediterranean now.  A few hundred miles to our left is Africa.

The Portofino peninsula from behind.  At its narrowest point, where that church rests, it is maybe 200 feet wide/thick/whatever.  In other words, there is water on just the other side of that rock.

We cruised all the way to Genova, which was actually not very far.  It is quite surprising how close these quaint, picturesque fishing villages are to a major industrial center.

We found a private cove, turned off the engine, and jumped into the clear blue Mediterranean.  

Sean and Brooke were the first in.  Look at how clear that water is.

Brooke currently lives in Montana, where a magazine Outside Bozeman features people holding the magazine in exotic places.  I think reading Outside Bozeman while treading water in the Mediterranean should get her in.

Barbie took this pic as I leapt into the sea.  Out in the middle of nowhere, bothering to put on the bathing suit seemed ridiculous.

I am in the water, and guest photographer Barbara Howard took this one from the boat.  The word in your mind is, "Idyllic."

The water is simply beautiful.  Weird to think that the Mediterranean has serious pollution issues.

Some swimmers are so good that they can keep on their sunglasses.

Back in the boat, I got this shot of a medieval-era castle/fort/lookout with a bird flying against the blue sky.  I took, no joke, 454 pictures on this little cruise.  I am selecting only the notable for The Waste, and that bird is what pushed this one over the top.

I do not know the name of this place, but if you want isolated, this is Isolated.

Back to Portofino.  In a few hours I will be standing up there.  If you right-click-to-open-this-pic-in-a-new-window, you will see a statue that we will soon see up close.

Entering the Marina di Portofino.  Prepare yourself.

Portofino, Italia.  The people who live here, and visit here, look at the people of Saint Tropez and think, "The fact that you are trying so hard to impress me does not impress me."

By the way, Portofino was founded by the Romans and they named it Portus Delphini for the dolphins native to the cove.  We walked straight to our lunch reservation, courtesy of Google Maps on the iPhone.  Even here one gets full bars.

Our lunch spot, courtesy of the concierge at the Excelsior Palace Hotel.

Barbie awaiting her lunch.  I love this picture.

Do I have to say it?

Barbie's nicoise salad.

Brooke's caprese.

Brooke's spaghetti with baby octopus.  They were better than my octopus babies the night before.

Lon's farfalle with pesto.

My,  "Farfalle Portofino."  The combine tomato, cream and pesto for this sauce.  It is a very good idea.

Portofino's only street that reaches the marina, Via Roma.  Okay, one hint of history.  Genova sided with Rome very early.  It makes sense they named their street after it.  But siding with Rome meant being sacked by Carthage.  Not many remember, but in school they taught us that the Carthaginians nearly defeated the Romans for Mediterranean dominance.  We forget this because history belongs to the victor.

We walked around, getting souvenirs and post cards.  And gelato.  (Everyone but me.  I am dialing back on the gelato, I think.)

I invaded this Asian tourist's privacy to share with you how some people react to the sun.  She is very, very safe from the sun.  Please note that it is around 85 degrees and humid.

I could try to find out why the Marina di Portofino features a statue of a high slung rhinoceros, but I will not.   Instead, I will share my theory.  Africa is just across the Mediterranean and this is the marina where the exotic animals were imported.

We walked up to the church that looms over the town, that I photographed from behind from our boat.

Portofino from above.  That yacht is, how you say, yachty.

The aforementioned statue.  I do not know her name or history.

She is pointing to the sailboat, no?

We were THERE.

As you might remember, I love when there is a graveyard next to the church; the idea of keeping your ancestors near you versus tucked far away.  Obviously this is not practical in a metropolis, but in a small town like Portofino, you have the graveyard right there, overlooking the sea.

I felt that this mourning widow statue was particularly beautiful.

Barbie con Portofino.

We got back on the boat, the boys and Brooke went for another swim, and then we headed back down the coast a few minutes to our temporary home.

Our hotel is right THERE.

After disembarking we picked up our laundry and then jumped in the pool  After taking 454 pictures up to that point, I felt confident I could leave the iPhone in the room for a bit.

Time for naps, showers, and dinner.

Barbie and her favorite automobile, from the UK like her.

A picture of the menu, included to show you the Rapallo coast from an earlier time.

Should I stop taking pictures and just type, "P&M," every time we share prosciutto and melon?

Grilled squid for me.  Delicious and healthy.

Swimming in the sea is about the most tiring thing you can do.  We walked for a bit, but not far, because beds were needing to be filled.

One last shot on the Antico Castello at night.

Time for bed.  And tonight a special surprise should be taking place, that will perhaps be revealed tomorrow.