This is not to say we did not have an excellent experience on the train, which we did, but only in spite of what seemed to be the gov't's best effort to produce a different result.
After the harrowing attempt to try to figure out the automated ticketing system and thinking that we had been pickocketed by a gentleman who was helping foreigners operate the machines quickly, we FINALLY boarded our train from platform number 24. We figured out that it was platform number 24 and not number 2 by a stroke of dumb luck in coming across an English speaking gentleman who explained the ticketing and scheduling chart and that we were looking for a train whose final destination was Genoa, not La Spezzia.
Much ado over platform numbers and the such, we eventually ended up on the right train, in the right car and in the proper seats.
Little did we know that was the easy part of getting to Spezzia.
Apparently, in Italy, goverment run trains have certain standard delays built into them. 30 minutes at the station to repair the A/C, which didn't end up working anyways. Another 15 min because (supposedly) the train engineer left. Then, there were the delays because we were delayed, so we had to let other trains pass. Fortunately, we had the company of another English speaking businessman named Ricardo. He was quite loquatious, and very entertaining. Ricardo was not only entertaining, but quite helpful and willing to bear through us practicig some broken and bastardized Italian with him.
With Ricardo helping us pass the time, the six hour trek to La Spezzia, which is normally four, felt as though it took no time at all.
Once we arrived in La Spezzia, Montorosso and the rest of Cinqe Terra were only a short train ride away!
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