Tears for Cinque Terre

This week has brought horrific flooding to the Italian coast.

Towns throughout Liguria have been washed away,

homes have been destroyed,

six people have been killed,

and nine people are still missing.

Along Italy's brilliant coast

sits a rare jewel of splendor-

Italy's beloved Cinque Terre.

The five coastal cities have been 

a really special place to me for a long time.

I visited there in college and attempted to ignore the cold
by laying out in the sunshine in a bikini during the beginning of March.

After finishing a buying trip in Milan,
Tyler met me here to tell me about his GMAT score
and the possibilities of where he might could study.

And it was the setting for a really sweet time with dear friends this summer.


{Ironically, I just finished the video last week... if you're interested.}

The Cinque Terre is just an ordinary & amazing place.

I was devastated to read this quote by Angelo Betta, the mayor of Monterosso... 

{the first of the five towns creating the Cinque Terre}...

"People are getting into their houses from the terraces, everything is flooded.
Monterosso doesn't exist anymore."


This clip of the flooding rushing through the streets is unbelievable.

            

Apparently, the favorite city Vernazza is the same... 

(A favorite of mine & most other tourists.) 

It's going to take a long time & a lot of rebuilding

to bring this amazing place back to it's full capacity...


to reopening the doors of local businesses...

to being a place where children can play...

and to reforming the community that it once was.

Please keep these cities in your thoughts & prayers 

as they work through the damage, loss, & pains of starting over.