Having done too much hiking uphill the day before, I opted for a more leisurely uphill stroll along the paved road towards Vernazza the next morning. The coastal path remained closed after a night of rain.
From this side, Corniglia's stunning setting with a huge elevation drop isn't visible anymore.
They terraced the hillsides quite extensively!
The sky looked uncomfortably grey and just as we passed the hillside town of San Bernardino, the tropical downpour began. It was intense and followed us all the way downhill into Vernazza. Although equipped with an umbrella, my bag was soaked entirely, and even the passport buried deep in the inside pocket was damaged.
Tired and wet, we reached town just in time for lunch. The veal tasted quite good.
After all that rain, I was very surprised to see the sun come out after lunch, and soon people were sunbathing on the rocks by the water.
I saw some people wandering about in the watchtower above town and curiousity brought me up there. The site was originally a castle that was destroyed by the Genoese in the 12th century. After paying a token admission, I earned a wide view of the town and the sea. With the blue sky out, it was hard to believe there was a monsoon flood just hours earlier.
The sun dried me out a little and I now had a much better mood to explore this town.
