Tuscany & Pisa

Big day today!!

We took off fairly early to Pisa but wanted to do a scenic route.  The GPS had other ideas and we we ended up back on the highway.  Prior to getting to the highway however was ridiculously hair raising particularly merging onto roundabouts during peak hour.  Sean again, cool as a cucumber, me hanging off the car roof like a cat with its claws out.  Holy shift!  Anyway, an hour on the highway and Sean made the bold decision to 'get off' so we did.  We took the next exit and headed for a little town called San Miniato, high in the Tuscan hills.  Best idea he had.  It was gorgeous, picturesque, story book stuff.   We found a park on the village outskirts and trekked up to the centre.  At first there was no one around but as we got closer to the 'hub' we found more and more people (when I say more I mean max. 10).  We were the only tourists in the place and it felt good to be where no one else was.  After the obligatory 1000 photos we headed back to the highway and onto Pisa.

Pisa is everything the travel guides say it is.  Again we found parking relatively easy thanks to my disabled husband.  We were accosted on entry by hawkers which is typical of many landmarks (they are not allowed inside the site so they hang around the entry).  We arrived in Pisa at about 11.00 am thinking that the lines were going to be outrageously long but to our surprise the line to the tower and surrounding church were very short. Maybe because it was a weekday and not quite peak season.  The tower is certainly impressive as you will see in the photos.  It has been restored so many times, it shows no age and is pure bright white.  It was surreal actually being able to see it in person.  Sean was supposed to take my photo 'holding up' the tower but he only managed my arm, what the?  It was funny seeing so many people with their arms in the air all doing the same pose. The Field of Miracles was unfortunately off limits as the groundskeepers are trying regrow the grass.  It was lush and green but chained off with many 'Keep off the grass' signs.  There was also a really great statue called 'The Fallen Angel' which I really loved.  You'll see the photo.  We of course bought the obligatory fridge magnet and leaning tower statue but Sean also bought a leaning tower shot glass.  It actually leans so he has dubbed it "The Leaning Tower of Jamieson (Whiskey)".

On a side note, you have to pay to go to the toilet which I thought did not exist any more!

From Pisa we headed to Lucca and then onto Barga to find my 'Tuscan Postcard'.  I googled this morning the scenic routes to take so we decided on this one.  (I was trying to find the Tuscan fields with its poppies but I think we missed them as they were near Siena and Cortona.  We did see poppies on the way through Siena but not in masses like the postcards.)  Anyway, the Lucca/Barga route did not disappoint.  Again many beautiful buildings and towns but this time, breathtaking mountain ranges and no tourists.  Another 1000 photos taken and we then decided to head home.  We did get lost a few times but that's part of the fun right?  Not when you are tired.  Nevertheless a great day had and a huge thank you to my hubby for driving all over the countryside to help me find my postcard. 

Tomorrow we are going to try and catch the Giro just outside Firenze where we are staying.  We did try today but miscalculated our timing, mainly because we got lost.  We will also be trying to see David, hopefully the lines won't be too long.

PS.  Noticed that the photos taken of the Florence buildings along the river were quite overexposed.  Sean will be rectifying this tomorrow morning as the camera was not on the right setting.  It is such a beautiful strip of road that we have to try and do it justice.



Ciao for now.

Lorraine and Sean

Photos
Google Compositions
2017-05-13~14 The Journey
2017-05-15 Road Trip, Rome to Firenze
2017-05-16 Tuscany & Pisa