Camogli, Rapallo, Santa Margherita, & Portofino, Italy | August 25-29, 2019
It was Saturday when we arrived in Camogli to check into our Airbnb… so naturally we had to go to the disco! Both in Spain and Italy, we found that the clubs and “discos” don’t open until midnight (usually) and close around 6am. We were a little worried we wouldn’t be able to stay awake haha. But we got all dressed up and headed for Santa Margherita to go to a cozy outdoor nightclub right off the coast. It was super interesting watching how the Italians dance and have fun. We enjoyed the people, but the music did not impress us as it was all the same beat and electronic sounding. Sav was sad there was no “gettin’ down”. The older ladies and the Italian men with their shirts unbuttoned, however, did make an impression ha.
Our Airbnb was located high on a hill in the small town of Camogli and had so many nice amenities like a pool and tennis court! We took full advantage, while spending the nights sitting on the deck overlooking the beautiful view of the town and ocean.
One afternoon, we walked down to the city center and saw a small castle right next to the water and then ate dinner at a restaurant with traditional Italian cuisine. We ordered a mixture of seafoods and pasta as well as pizza. It was delicious and the town was adorable.
Our most exciting day was spent on the water when we took a boat tour off the coast of Rapallo, Portofino, and Santa Margherita. The Diving Group gave us a great deal since we had so many people (very nice)! We set sail early in the morning with all our snorkeling gear in tow. The water was so blue and clear. The morning was so calm that the ocean was almost completely still. It was stunning.
We arrived at the Marine Area where boats are not allowed and began our adventure. The guide pointed out lots of cool fish and explained them all to us. After this, the skipper took us to see Christ of the Abyss. This is a life size statue of Christ located underwater. It was built as a dedication to all the soldiers who lost their lives at sea during war. You can see Him from the surface, but our guide told us that anyone who touches his hand will have good luck.
We of course took this as a challenge; even though most of us aren’t used to the water and are slightly terrified of the unknown depths (us being mountain babies and all) haha. Each of us stared at one another with questioning looks after realizing how deep it actually was. We were about to give up when dad just went for it (he is the most comfortable swimmer because he lived in Hawaii when he was younger). All our heads ducked under to see him do what seemed impossible. But he did it and we all cheered when he reached the surface!
After that it seemed easier, so both the Bens and I gave it a try. As I started to swim down, I instantly thought “I can’t do it, it’s too far down”. But once I got about halfway, I knew I had to achieve it or else I would regret it. The last few meters, my head started to scream… like literally the high pitched squeal was real. I touched the hand as fast as I could without taking the time to enjoy any other part of Christ haha.
I tried to come up slow so my head wouldn’t explode, all while trying not to panic over my lungs tightening! It is a crazy illusion; right when you think you’re at the surface, another few meters sneak up on you. So when I finally emerged from the salty water I gasped for breath. But the feeling of accomplishment was awesome. The others said they had a similar experience. We all had bad headaches and ringing ears for the rest of the day; but it was worth it! We found out later that the statue is 15-18m deep depending on the tide so we most likely dove down about 50ft! (Christ of the Abyss photo credit: The Diving Group)
We made a pit stop in Portofino on the ride back and said goodbye to some Spanish friends we met on the boat. All of us were starving after swimming all morning, so we ate at a local restaurant where I had the best ravioli of my life and Ben and Dad ate authentic calzones.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing by the pool and then dinner at the small town bar just outside of Camogli. The next day we drove Ben M. to the airport in Genoa and said our goodbyes. The family enjoyed their last day on the rocky beaches of Santa Margherita and did some last minute souvenir shopping. We all soaked in the last sunset from our beautiful Italian abode. Ben and I were so glad they got to join in on this experience. Thank you family for spoiling us and for helping us through this tough, yet rewarding adventure! We love you!
Ben & Syd
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