By The Sea June 24 addendum

We had a few hours before our train from Alessandria to La Spezia (on the Italian Mediterranean coast) so shopped at the Saturday market. Dresses for about 13 euros, made in Italy,  or so it says!

Then off to the stazione.

From La Spezia we took a cab to Porto Venere, our home until Tuesday.

It is a gorgeous town and not crazy-crowded.

Denise, Lou and I went to explore while Mary settled in at our villa apertment.

Porto Venere is also built on a hillside,  like Cinque Terre but odds 6 miles separated from the big 5.

Here is a narrow passage to an upper street.

PV has a castle with a church.  

They were just finishing a wedding. Denise is our European wedding tour guide, as she once inadvertently attended a village wedding in Romania. She was trapped in a pew until the first prayer or song, when she made her escape. Notice the lovely flowers at the alter and along the aisle.

Then to the market for salad fixings and off to our villa for the night.