Sunday, October 02, 2005

Keep it down, scallywags


Blah! I'm a monster!
Originally uploaded by robotgirl.
There are lots of young people here. While I collapse into bed just after 10pm, having played endless games of cards with Mum & Redda, I fall asleep to the sounds of young revelers getting up to mischief in the street below.

How old do I sound, eh?

All the other places we’ve stayed to date have been big cities, or we’ve been in relatively deserted accommodation. We’ve not had to listen to street noise and our collective slumber has not been interrupted by the sounds of partygoers enjoying their holidays.

The houses and apartments of Riomaggiore are perched right up either side of sheer cliffs. From your balcony, you can see the activities of the boat harbour, and up into the main street (if you lean out – but not too far, that is!). There isn’t any real vehicle traffic, other than the odd train, so the only night time noise SHOULD be the ocean.

But this is a tourist holiday spot, and there are always people out having a late and happy dinner. I just don’t think they realize how good the acoustics out here, so they race up and down the street, calling out to each other (usually Aussies, naturally) at the top of their lungs.

Fortunately the pace of our days have made it relatively easy for me to sleep despite this noise. Somehow I’ve managed to blank out the voices and focus on the waves rolling in. I think there is something really soothing about that, as many of you readers are lucky to know already.

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