Photos of Milan"s "Statione Centrale" are pretty intimidating for the first time train traveller but in fact it is a great place to start. The easiest way to get your tickets is to go to a machine. The first question it wants answered is "language" - once you choose that you let it know where and when and it gives you the various options.

We took the slow trains both for price and to see the countryside to Parma. Parma is a small city that is easy to walk around - though we walked for hours (yes with everything on our backs) before we found the hotel. Once we were settled we did a lot more walking around the narrow streets and interesting shps. There are lots of Plazzas and lots of cafes. Good thing we are buring lots of calories with our mode of transport.

The book "playing for pizza" describes well the way the men and women dress in the cities - you see women (young and very old alike) riding bicycles in dresses. Many men are in very stylish suits even during casual times. They are indeed a stylish bunch.

Next we took the train to Cinque Terre and we are blown away with the sheer beauty of this place. The blisters already started by the time I got there and that is the "hiking portion" of the adventure. Glad I took those blister packs as the Cinque Terre trails are up and down ( a bit like the Cabot Trail by path but with a lot of "natural steps".