What snacks do you pack when you go hiking?

For my first Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Path) walk in 2006, I packed a few granola bars, a jug of water and an apple. I discovered that my walk mates had only brought along water. I figured that I was just more well-prepared… until we reached the first village, Manarola and my walk mates stopped for a gelato. It hadn’t dawned on me, good Canadian wilderness girl that I am, that we were hiking between 5 Italian towns, all with incredible food!

On the third leg of the path, our walking pace quickened as word spread that the next town held some of the best cappuccino and chocolate cornetti in the region. So we almost raced into Vernazza, and parked it in a cafe on the waterfront for our coffee and sweet carbs! An hour later, we were back up on the trail, climbing high above Vernazza with the caffeine and sugar fuelling us. Never touched those less glamorous granola bars or apple!

On 2 subsequent trips with other people, we have left our healthier snacks back in the room and have turned a stop in Vernazza for a chocolate cornetti and cappuccino into a tradition.

This 36th Mini piece is drawn from a photo I took of Vernazza from the trail on that first caffeine-soaked walk.

#36 – Vernazza, Cinque Terre

(ink and watercolour on 2.5″ x 3.5″ 140-lb watercolour paper)