I was able to shuffle around the watch schedule with my shipmates to have a full day off on Wednesday. Getting to start your day ashore at 0800 is pretty awesome. I had done a bit of research the last time I was in port (i.e. I visited the tourist information center) and so while I was ashore on Tuesday I got a fresh train schedule. I've been absolutely itching to get to Cinque Terre - it didn't work out for me last time but this time I had all my ducks in a row before we even got into port!

What's really great is that one of my watch partners has the travel bug like me! This part of the going ashore equation is actually pretty critical....not that I mind a bit of solo travel....it is just so much more fun when you have someone to bounce around with!

We weren't going to be able to get on the train until about 1000 and so we spent a bit of time in La Spezia. As we were walking around downtown on Tuesday we saw them packing up a farmers market. We looked at eachother and both went, 'yep' this is how we'll kill our morning waiting for the train!

We walked straight to the market and it was packed with produce, fresh seafood, meats, cheeses, bread. You name it they had it.

We got some sliced meat and cheese for our day and we also bought some fresh fruit. It was so cheap! We probably spent about 5 Euro total - which is only 7 bucks - and had a bag full of food!

Next it was on to a bakery for some goodies and a little cappucino (since I had learned that espresso wasn't much to my liking....with it not having any milk and all). I tried to order a latte....and ended up with a glass of steamed milk! Ha! I chugged it down and then ordered a cappucino where I got a well delivered kick in the pants!

This is where my posts of La Spezia will end because with our bellies full we walked to the train station....where the day really began....we were off to the Cinque Terre!