My day started with a Palm Sunday service at the local church. There is only one church and I knew it would be a Catholic mass in Italian. I downloaded the Order of Mass in English beforehand so I’d have some idea of what to expect. I also did a little more research on a didn’t translator in hopes of being able to understand the entire service. Again, unsuccessful. But I used it as a to pray and ponder.

After a quick bite to each, I’d made plans to venture out. There is a little port town not far from where I’m staying, but I’ve been hesitant to go because it’s not on the train line.

I’ve learned to navigate the train system proficiently. What started with ordering tickets from a machine, then validating them in another machine, quickly motivated me to download the app. I’d learned the termination cities of the routes so I’d know which line I needed. I’d learned the order of the stops.

To go to Portovenere would mean figuring out the bus system. I googled it and knew I couldn’t just buy a ticket on the bus. Most people bought bus tickets in tobacco shops. There was an app but it didn’t have an English option and couldn’t discern the steps in Italian. Supposedly I could buy tickets near the train station.

I decided to take my chances and hopped the train to LaSpezia where I could catch the bus. Armed with Google maps, I knew the way to get to the bus stop. I couldn’t find where to buy tickets at the train station, but felt certain I would pass a tobacco shop on the way to the bus stop. I did indeed pass one, however it was closed. And so I arrived at the bus stop with no ticket. The bus was arriving in five minutes, and I frantically downloaded the app. I recruited the help of a local who spoke limited English, but we were unsuccessful. I boarded the bus anyway and explained my dilemma to the bus driver. He was very kind and helped me navigate the app. I don’t think I was ever successful in getting the payment to go through. It kept getting declined. However, the kind bus driver allowed me to stay.

After a VERY curvy route that felt more like a 30 minute roller coaster ride, I arrived in Portovenere. I walked around town, passed through the medieval gates, peered at the fortress, then took a ferry to explore three little islands in the Gulf of La Spezia.

It was a delightful afternoon filled with trains, buses, ferries, and a couple of miles of walking. I had a quiet evening at the apartment and spent time packing.

When my head hit the pillow, I could still feel the motion of the boat. Filled with memories and a rested body and soul, I am headed home.

Notes about the photos: The rows of black floating things in the water is where they farm mussels. The last few photos are back in La Spezia.