Day: June 23, 2015

The Retirees go Abroad – Lucca and Pisa

We thought that yesterday was hot. Well, our trip to Pisa on Sunday proved to be been hotter. The weather although fine and clear was extremely hot.

We left early our apartment early in the morning to organise our tickets for the trip to Florence and fortunately we drove down as we learned the best place to park in Lucca. At the Stazzione Kerry and Veronica entered into world negotiations with the ticket seller over two return tickets to Florence. Everything including sign language was employed. I kept well out of it by parking the car in a legal parking spot and photographing the station, the park in front of the station and the bees busy at work in the Magnolia Trees.

We decided to use the village roads to Pisa and avoided toll roads. This meant we drove through the villages between Lucca and Pisa which included travelling through a tunnel and once we exited the hillside we had a complete view of the plane on which Pisa stands. Even its famous tower was clear on the skyline. Tommy even had the co-ordinated for the leaning tower so it directed us to the very gate in the walls of the city and to a kind African peddler who pointed out a free car park and held it for us (for a few shekels of course).

We were expecting a crowd in Pisa even though it was a Sunday. We were not disappointed. In less than 5 minutes we had walked into a crowd of tourists all taking their cliché photographs of the Tower.

It was about 11.00 am by then and Veronica found out that Mass was  being held in the cathedral, so she and David went in the adherents’ door whilst the non-believers were directed to the other door. A big sign greets you “Silence whilst in the cathedral and no photography”. That is water off a duck’s back to the gaggle of tourists, many Italian, tramping through door. Cameras and IPhones were clicking and a cacophony of voices rumbled as the Priest went through the Mass. So against my better judgement I clipped off a few shots of this magnificent monument.

Beside the cathedral is the Baptistery, equally as grand and 5€ to enter so you only get shots of the outside. Similarly with the Campanile we were not spending money to enter as we had hopes of catching the hop on hop off bus. These buildings are surrounded by the ancient city walls and where there once stood other buildings of the town now is only grass and the best lawn mower I have seen – air-conditioned cab and vacuum collection of the cut grass.

Once Mass had finished and we had refilled our water bottles at the communal fountain (frequently found in towns and villages of southern France and northern Italy), we head back to a restaurant with a special for lunch. The girls were using Veronica’s fold up umbrellas as well as hats it was so hot. We had turned down an African peddler this morning selling fold up umbrellas but now seeing the value we traded with one of them beating him down to 6€ for two umbrellas. Lunch was filling and cheap after which we made our way through the African peddlers back to the tourist information centre. One peddler was doing the silent act and we have no idea how he could do it in the heat. Kerry thought he deserved something for his effort and was rewarded with a photo opportunity.

We walked across the plaza of the leaning tower to catch the bus outside the opposite gate. It was extremely hot standing waiting for the bus and when it did arrive it was very uncomfortable on the top in the sun so the tour was a bit Ho hum for me but here are some pictures.

After completing the bus ride (the bus seemed to develop a fault so we got off  it was too hot to wait for another bus) we split up as Veronica had found some shops. Kerry and I took a slow walk back to the car via the tourist information centre where we cooled off in the air-conditioning. There was a display of scooters in relation to an old Cary Grant movie (cannot recall which one) and so Mrs Young had to pose for the camera.

A very hot Veronica and David returned to the car shortly after we arrived. With all windows wound down we drove home via the Carrefour Shopping Centre for some groceries and a cold drink. We sat in that shop for some time with the car underneath to cool it down. Cold showers all round once we got home.

The Retirees go Abroad – Lucca on a hot day

We set out early for Lucca from Nice (that is if you call 9.00am early). The car is now loaded to the gunnels but is still travelling sweetly. We can tell this is going to be another hot day and this is soon confirmed with Autostrada information – the temperate is 32C.

Leaving Nice is a task with its winding highway through the centre of the city but once clear of the city it is plain sailing. The sky is clear and the sun is starting to burn. With the air conditioning pump disconnected its windows down and head into the breeze. Fortunately the E80, A10 and A12 must be the world’s most tunnelled stretch of road. Not aware of the immense number of tunnels to come we did not count them but it would have to been in the order of 50+ as we journeyed through to Lucca. Most were over 600m long and every one had its own name as did the bridges stretching to cross the immense gulfs of air between mountains. There were equally as many bridges as tunnels.

We pass many hilltop villages and the landscape is mountainous to our left but pretty coastline and villages to our right. But both are hot as the notice board on the Autostrada continues to inform. On we fly hot wind in our hair and sweat running down our backs.

We stop for a cuppa underneath a radio satellite station on top of hills looking like moon stations. We pass Carrara and the scar on the mountain where they drag out the huge blocks of marble. The toll gates await as we turn off the Autostrada into Lucca.

Finally we arrive at our apartment. Kerry’s IPhone says “no service” so we cannot contact the landlord to let him know we have arrived early. David to the rescue and we make contact. No English! Okay the Italian lessons start sooner than expected.

A young woman arrives with a determined haste – it is Valerie with our key. Escape from the sun is now at hand. We have a lift so in go the suitcases but the apartment is a bit weird. Valerie is in such a hurry she does not ask for the bond and is gone before we can finish asking our questions – like where is the kettle?

David studies the apartment information and I have a shower to cool down. Cold water all around. Meantime we plan a visit to the old city via bus. The stop is across the road from our apartment block and the driver “no comprendi” but had a good idea of what every tourist wants. When we arrive at Porta de Pietro (a gate in the city walls – yes the wooden gates are still hanging in place) even the old chap sitting at the bus stop gave us a sign – no not the finger but pointed in the direction we had to go. We are such obvious tourists!

Finding the Tourism Office was quite a task. The map given to us by the landlord showed two offices and of course we chose the one that had closed. David interrogated two young kids kicking a football and got nowhere. I asked a signor outside some dodgy looking establishment and we were on our way. At the other end of the town we found the office in what looked like an old fort near the ramparts.

We then moved back through the town to a small square (Plaza del Puccini) where we settled in Madama Butterfly for some drinks. The breeze was starting to rise and the temperature was cooling. Some local beers and a half carafe of wine and Lucca was looking not too bad. We had settled so we looked at the menu. Two pizzas to share and another round of drinks and the girls were giggly. The waiter was young and handsome and the girls were feeling like flirting so we ordered desert. Then the band started in the square so we ordered coffee. Our budget was blown!

As we made our way back to our bus stop Pallazio Napoleane was being invaded by people dressed in white. Veronica ever the chatty one asked what was going on and found out that there was a fund raising dinner happening in the square and everyone brought their own plate and dressed in white. Meanwhile I had spotted a boxing match in an adjoining square. So I stayed to watch a couple of rounds until dragged away to catch the bus. On the way I was able to snap the old city gates still hanging by their ancient hinges, two interesting balconies and the Italians love of scooters.

Tomorrow had immense promise; we head for Pisa.