The Mediterranean. Shortly after our trip on the Glacier Express Gina, Sofia, and I hopped on a plane and flew down to Genoa to meet her Dad and brother. Flying with Sofia was about what we expected; noisy, messy, squirmy, and hilarious. Really, the core problem is one of movement. Sofia likes to move and that is something you can't do on an airplane. We'll see how the issue plays out during our flight from Switzerland to San Francisco.

But back to Italy. After meeting Frank and Frankie at a bus stop near our hotel we unloaded our luggage and went out for a walk. Genoa is crowded, old, a little stinky, and beautiful. You clearly get a sense that people have been living in this spot for a very long time, that you are walking over and through a city steeped in history. Immediately following our stroll through the neighborhood we found a little restaurant tucked away in the folds of the narrow cobblestone streets and went in for supper. We weren't disappointed. Rich, hot, and handmade, washed down with wine and in quiet, worn, well-loved surroundings, it was a meal worth remembering.

The next morning we found our train station and headed south. Unfortunately it seemed that everyone else in Genoa had the same idea, because I spent most of that trip crammed inside a luggage area watching four Asian gentleman playing some type of card game. Despite not understanding a single word of what was being said nor the rules of the game, it was entertaining nonetheless to watch the emotions of the winners and losers as the Euros past from one set of hands into another.

Vernassa, the little town we stayed at, was beautiful. Situated on a cliff face that plummeted straight down into the sea, it offered only beautiful water, great food, and stunning views. We spent the next two days hiking between little Italian villages, passing through vineyards and farms, wandering slowly past ancient churches on hiking trails built by Romans. Like Genoa, the food was delicious. Although our time in Italy was brief it was fun. I hope we get a chance to go back soon.