The setting: Cinque Terre National Park on the Italian Riviera.
The hotel: La Torretta in Manarola—an especially enticing place to stay.
The goal: Hiking trails between Riomaggiore to the south and Monterosso to the north.
The desire: Outdoor time with my husband.
The reality: Sharing him and our breathtaking location with four lovely USA college gals studying in Italy for a semester.
Chance Encounters in Manarola
I’m not sure now who initiated the first smile, greeting, or tidbit that launched our sporadic conversation. It could have been them. Or it could have been us. Hiking from Manarola up, over, and down the hills to Corniglia, we played hopscotch with Kristin, Stephanie, Allie and Emily. They made the hardness of the hiking easy, sharing their delightful, youth-filled exuberance with us.
The trek from Manarola vertically through the wine terraces and olive groves to Volastra is anything but easy. There are few flat, smooth places. Most of the trail is steep and narrow with various sizes of rocks to be navigated. Once you reach Volastra, you get a brief respite to look around, relish the views, visit a small church. If you’re stout—the young ladies were, we weren’t—sip a crisp white wine before continuing your hike to Corniglia.
Sporadic Conversations are Encourage Chance Encounters
We learned they were escaping from college for the weekend to enjoy the coast. They didn’t seem interested in three fit young men scooting across the hills ahead of us, soon lost to sight. Kristin is studying occupational therapy to work with kids. This was her response to my revelation of Burt & Muggins, ‘The first rule of getting old is not to.” She said working with kids will keep her having fun.
Allie is the photographer. Later that evening, we watched the sun’s spectacular spread on the wavy surface of the Ligurian sea. The sinking globe lights the horizon with rosy hues from side to side and Allie longed to catch them. On the boulders below, in the tricky Manarola harbor, she bent, crawled, and turned every which way getting shots. I want to see the pictures she got because her perspective was entirely different from ours.
Stephanie was quieter, but what a bright, quick smile she shared! This woman was constantly immersed in the moment, enjoying each sight before her, each friend she was with, every unique thing happening. She fell once and even my non-maternal heart wanted to run to her to see what I could fix. But they had it under control and she bounced upright, swearing it was no big deal and she was fine.
Emily had large, soul-filled eyes. She looked like maybe, she could have, had a better afternoon sipping wine by the seashore. A trooper, hiking on, she never complained about the heat or walking in boots meant for lighter treks.
Circumstances Build Friendships
These gals came from different states. They formed a bond to hold them together for years—perhaps physically, but always in their memories. They shared the remarkable landscape that is the Cinque Terre. From my first trip there with my sister Jackie to this one, place and people leave impressions that never fade. Setting impacts us whether we are aware of it or not. When I step from the train in a Cinque Terre village, or anywhere in Pembrokeshire, Wales, my heart slows. Any anxiety caused by travel or following me from the USA, lifts and I sigh in sheer contentment.
Close and Chance Encounters
Chance encounters happen with people and with geography. The moments can be experienced over a shared morning coffee or an evening glass of wine while watching the sunset in a new sea. On the trip with Jackie, we met a tall woman, Afina from Australia, hiking the park alone. She was on the cusp of beginning a new job in London and was spending a week traveling in Liguria and Tuscany. As she stood there, telling us about waiting in line for several hours to see the David statue at the Galleria dell’Accademia, the sheer joy in her voice was exhilarating, as was the reassurance that he is worth whatever it takes to see him.
Five years later, on my honeymoon in Florence, we would stand before David and I felt Afina’s presence and gave a silent thank you to my brief interaction with her because she enticed me to see this work of art. Michelangelo’s 14’ marble tribute to Bible hero David is nearly beyond comprehension in its beauty—without Afina’s assurance that he was worthwhile, I may not have felt compelled to see him.
Learning—Always Learning via Travel
When I meet unique people like these gals (“unique” and “like” are funny to use in the same sentence, eh?), I want to hold on tight and preserve the time we had, reluctant to part with the now. That desire is how I’ve made and kept friends in the many cities—states—I’ve lived in and why I miss the ones I’ve lost contact with. It’s only years later when I chance upon a photo of a person or I re-read in my travel journal about meeting them that I realize even without staying in contact, I have kept these people in my life.
So “chance” encounter or an opportunity to remind myself that God ebbs and flows people into and out of the circle of our lives for reasons? Some connections are meant to last for years and some for afternoons in quaint Italian towns. What I do know is that I will remember these delightful teens and the joy they provided, reminiscing about April hikes for a long, long time.
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The moments we meet…
PKS and I were hanging out last month and had to make a trip to a dreaded big-box store. Pulling into the parking lot, I spotted an elderly man parked a few spaces away and smiled. We got out of the car and he put his window down which meant I eyeballed his Navy cap so I asked if he is retired Navy. He said, “Yes, World War II. I served in the Atlantic on a refueling ship running the east coast.” As an aside he added, “And looking out for German subs.” We talked for several minutes and I like to hope that we added as much to his day as he did to ours.
So are they really chance encounters? Or is our grand universe putting us in perfect sync with people and experiences we need to have right when we need to have them?
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Read: Adventures in Italy
I guess for me chance encounters are what you make of them. They can seem to be “by design” if you’re willing and open to appreciating the encounter, as you illustrate in your essay. Being that I’m a reclusive introvert, I tend to avoid chance encounters (lol), but when they happen, I’m always grateful. It often, if not always, those so-called chance encounters that spark my hope for humankind.
We met as an almost, sort-of chance kind of way, Marie! And I’ll take it. You’re right–these moments of connection make me believe….
I believe, wholeheartedly, that God puts people in our path for a purpose. A minute, an hour, a season, a lifetime. I think of Leslie…our 94 year old Welshman who I fell in love with in 4 days. Such a delight he was! I will always miss him and wish I had the chance to see him again. Well, I will see him again…in heaven!
I’ve been thinking about Leslie this week, Jackie,–what a gem to have met and visited with during that adventure! Not random–God-intentional.
I often wonder that about “chance” encounters also. Are they really “chance”? They are certainly good for my soul.
We sure have heart-lifting encounters when we’re hanging out!
That wonderful encounter with that gentleman was just one of many smiling faces we saw that day. I sometimes focus to much on the task I am trying to complete and forget to just take a moment and smile and say how are you or what a beautiful day. Sad really because when you see the other person smile and say something kind back it makes my heart happy and my feet feel lighter. Such a simple thing with such a huge return!
Absolutely for the one smile gaining a smile and everyone’s day getting brighter! Can’t wait to see who we meet next time!
What a fun turn of events! People have so much to offer us and given a “chance” encounter can alter our lives forever. Lucky you and lucky THEM!
Yes! Well said, Patty!
I believe that people are put in our paths for reasons….whether it be for a moment or a season. How neat that you were able to experience these lovely young ladies in such a truly beautiful setting.
I remember we walked down from Volastra to Manarola but I don’t remember walking up. And I remember every other hike! “Oh, let’s do this one” she says. It was killer but so worth it!
Even the hard hikes (with you and with husband) were worth the part of, “Isn’t that beautiful?” I forgot to add that the bonus for Jethro and I was watching hang gliders–there was a competition going on. I wanted them to float us down the hill.
Yes on the people for a reason–for us, for them, for both?