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Remembering Old Friends in Vernazza’s Cemetery

Having visited Vernazza for over 30 years, I now have many friends in its cemetery. I remember following one of these dear friends, Monica, past the tombs in her town’s cemetery as she recalled her departed friends — illustrating the beautiful function that cemeteries provide.

If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.

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Meeting Up with Andy Steves

My son, Andy Steves, runs his own tour company. His mission: to help American students in foreign study programs enjoy smart, experiential, and inexpensive three-day weekends. The students never have classes on Friday, and discount airlines make it easy to fly just about anywhere for $50 round-trip. So, Andy’s company, Weekend Student Adventures, offers €200 three-day tours all over Europe. He’s taken literally thousands of students on great trips in the past few years…to rave reviews. See WSA on facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wsaeurope?ref=ts&fref=ts.

My son, Andy, spends more time than I do in Europe. But we rarely connect because his tours run during the school year and I’m normally in Europe in the summer. However, Andy just finished his tour season and was able to drop by and hang out with the crew and me while we filmed for four days on Italy’s Cinque Terre. Though Andy had other things to do during the day, each evening he managed to show up…just in time for dinner. I was happy to have Andy dining with us for two nice meals on camera for this episode.
My son, Andy, spends more time than I do in Europe. But we rarely connect because his tours run during the school year and I’m normally in Europe in the summer. However, Andy just finished his tour season and was able to drop by and hang out with the crew and me while we filmed for four days on Italy’s Cinque Terre. Though Andy had other things to do during the day, each evening he managed to show up…just in time for dinner. I was happy to have Andy dining with us for two nice meals on camera for this episode.
Andy has become a workaholic tour organizer…just like his Dad. Well, not quite as bad. But this moment, with both of us on our beds and hard at work on our laptops, with the wonder of the Riviera just a block away, struck me as interesting.
Andy has become a workaholic tour organizer…just like his Dad. Well, not quite as bad. But this moment, with both of us on our beds and hard at work on our laptops, with the wonder of the Riviera just a block away, struck me as interesting.
Seeing Andy off at the Monterosso train station was really fun — and tear-jerkingly beautiful for his proud Dad. Andy is an amazing traveler who, I’m sure, knows his angle on European travel better than anyone.
Seeing Andy off at the Monterosso train station was really fun — and tear-jerkingly beautiful for his proud Dad. Andy is an amazing traveler who, I’m sure, knows his angle on European travel better than anyone.
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Filming in the Cinque Terre

We’re having a great time filming our new public television show on the Cinque Terre, Italy’s perfect little traffic-free stretch of Riviera. Here are some behind-the-scenes shots from our shoot.

Our crew was out shooting on the breakwater in Monterosso. We scrambled for six days to finish our new Cinque Terre show. The weather was horrible for three days and just fine for three days. So whenever the sun was out...we were very busy shooting. We had just enough gorgeous weather to continue our mission of showing Europe as if it’s always sunny.
Our crew was out shooting on the breakwater in Monterosso. We scrambled for six days to finish our new Cinque Terre show. The weather was horrible for three days and just fine for three days. So whenever the sun was out…we were very busy shooting. We had just enough gorgeous weather to continue our mission of showing Europe as if it’s always sunny.
With so many of my guidebook readers enjoying the Cinque Terre, whenever I needed a bit player or two, I’d just tell the crew “I’ll be right back with people.” I snared a fan of our TV show from New Jersey with his French girlfriend, and they enjoyed a nice glass of the local dessert wine, sciacchetrà, with biscotti.
With so many of my guidebook readers enjoying the Cinque Terre, whenever I needed a bit player or two, I’d just tell the crew “I’ll be right back with people.” I snared a fan of our TV show from New Jersey with his French girlfriend, and they enjoyed a nice glass of the local dessert wine, sciacchetrà, with biscotti.
This scene looked very romantic on video. But in reality, they had a camera on one side and a reflector on the other as they looked into each other’s eyes and dunked their biscotti.
This scene looked very romantic on video. But in reality, they had a camera on one side and a reflector on the other as they looked into each other’s eyes and dunked their biscotti.
Shooting the back lanes of Vernazza, I had a list of things I needed to film in order to "cover the script." One was the inside of a B&B or rented apartment — the best way to sleep on a budget in the area. This can be a headache to set up for the camera. But as we were filming, a couple stuck their heads out a window high above us and said hi. I invited myself in to check out their digs. It was perfect. Moments later, the film crew was in their private rented apartment showing our viewers exactly what an independent budget traveler’s accommodations look like.
Shooting the back lanes of Vernazza, I had a list of things I needed to film in order to “cover the script.” One was the inside of a B&B or rented apartment — the best way to sleep on a budget in the area. This can be a headache to set up for the camera. But as we were filming, a couple stuck their heads out a window high above us and said hi. I invited myself in to check out their digs. It was perfect. Moments later, the film crew was in their private rented apartment showing our viewers exactly what an independent budget traveler’s accommodations look like.
If we are on target with our work — after we've filmed everything and know exactly what we have — we huddle to polish (or “scrub”) the script. Then I record a “scratch track” in the hotel room, which Simon brings home to use as the rough audio track for editing. When the show is all edited together, then we go to a professional recording studio in Seattle and record the formal voice track. The day after we finished shooting (and recorded this track), Simon and Karel flew home, ready to dive into post-production work.
If we are on target with our work — after we’ve filmed everything and know exactly what we have — we huddle to polish (or “scrub”) the script. Then I record a “scratch track” in the hotel room, which Simon brings home to use as the rough audio track for editing. When the show is all edited together, then we go to a professional recording studio in Seattle and record the formal voice track. The day after we finished shooting (and recorded this track), Simon and Karel flew home, ready to dive into post-production work.
We all love seafood, and it was seafood salads, stuffed mussels, and anchovies for lunch and dinner all week. When the show was finally in the can, we celebrated at Monterosso’s Belvedere Restaurant with their much-loved “Seafood Amphora.” When the waiter emptied the amazing pottery jar full of seafood into the big bowl on our table, we knew we were in for a memorable final meal on the Riviera.
We all love seafood, and it was seafood salads, stuffed mussels, and anchovies for lunch and dinner all week. When the show was finally in the can, we celebrated at Monterosso’s Belvedere Restaurant with their much-loved “Seafood Amphora.” When the waiter emptied the amazing pottery jar full of seafood into the big bowl on our table, we knew we were in for a memorable final meal on the Riviera.