Up, up and away!!!

The title sums up rather an unusual day. A day set to be stored in our personal “cloud” for many years I hope!!!

The weather taken a much more positive turn on awakening this morning. Last full day in “Rapallo” and one last thing we wanted to store in our memories. A cable car going up through the mountains to “Montallegro”. Two thousand feet above sea level. Feeling rather excited after breakfast, we got details, put our best foot forward and briskly walked to the cable car point. Butterflies were set free in my stomach. My mind taking me back decades to a chair lift in “Austria” that I went on in my childhood!! Then disappointment loomed and stared us in the face. Butterflies stopped abruptly and my heart sank. “Closed for maintenance” or words to that effect in Italian, the notice read!!! Thinking caps on (well Andrews anyway!!!). Back to the hotel. Andrew enquired about doing this venture in the “Fiat Panda”. This may I add is a very basic hire car!!! Rather like a bean can on wheels!!! My butterflies returned, and not from excitement may I add!! The hotel proprietor explained it was very narrow, very steep and very windy. Rather more than butterflies developing now!! “Are you coming with me?” Andrew asks!!! Cappuccinos in cafes, perhaps a cake too, goes through my mind, or, a quite drive up a hill on the wrong side of the road!!! Tough one!! My head said one thing, my heart another. Before I know it I am sat in the bean can…

What a wonderful experience, although rather hairy!!! Up , up and up we went and again, up, up and up again. Motorbikes flew past us knowing the road and their way. I really couldn’t look down I was on the edge. Hair pin corners one after the other. Amazing, marvellous and exciting. At the top we parked the bean can and walked further up to a beautiful church, from there we could sea across the Mediterranean right the way to Corsica. The sea vast and appeared still and calm, the sky clear and fluffs of white cloud here and there. On entering the church, all was quiet, ornate and still. Art work and gold surrounded us, an alter made of marble, wooden carved pews. You could feel, really feel the presence of God. Peace and stillness all around. Magnificent.

A walk back to the vehicle still taking in the ever changing view. On our journey down to civilisation we take in and absorb the scenery down. A cyclist passes us, his legs going twenty to the dozen as we move carefully round those rather sharp bends.

What a wonderful experience, one not as we planned but well worth it and saved forever in our hearts.