Yacht JACK TAR: Tuscan and Ligurian coast

This post is written as we once again swing around the anchor, this time in the bay at Le Grazie in the large harbour of La Spetzia where we have been for over a week. It is a wonderful sheltered anchorage and one where we are comfortable leaving the yacht to go exploring. From Elba we crossed to the Tuscan coast and to Livorno which is the port where cruise ships dock for passenger visits to Florence and Pisa. So we did the same. On the day we trained to Florence or Firenze, there were six cruise ships in port and it was standing room only. Livorno itself was very attractive and interesting, with a Venice-like network of canals surrounding the old town. From our anchorage here we have visited Cinque Terre, which we walked about seven years ago, Porto Venere and by train up to Genoa which was surprisingly attractive. The seedy old town area of the old port, as reported, has been refurbished and is now a pedestrian friendly mall area with wonderful up-market shops and amazing architecture. The weather is warming and feeling much more like summer. Next, on to an anchorage at Santa Margherita, weather permitting.

An observation: young Italian women have embraced the tattoo and also, judging by the number of ankle-biters underfoot, their partners. Surely the birth rate is no longer in decline.
Photos below are not in order as I have yet to come to terms with an updated blog editor.