Venice via Florence to Pisa 7th and 8th September 2010

We set off after an early breakfast to the Rialto Bridge to get a ferry to the Rail Station. Pop asked about our Eurorail pass and found it is good to use all day and so we don’t need to buy a ticket from Florence to Pisa.  On our way back to Florence we will just need to but a local ticket. 

The trip went smoothly and changed to the correct train without any problems.  We arrived at Pisa at about 2pm and checked into our Hotel.  A bit of a rest and then time to go out and get some lunch.  Across from the hotel was a Pizza café.  We thought where else would you go in Pisa but to get a Pizza.  We sat at one of the outdoor tables and ordered our pizzas.  They soon were brought out to us.  We had just started to dish it up when a beggar came o the table.  She was dressed in a sheet and her face coated in flour (or some other white powder).  She put out her hand so Pop offered her a slice of our pizza.  She pulled a disgusted face and put out her hand again.  Pop made hand signs to suggest it was pizza or nothing.  She gave us the disgusted look and left.  Welcome to Pisa we thought.

After lunch it was time to investigate and see how far it was to the Leaning Tower.  We wandered through the old part of the town, across a bridge and to our surprise ahead of us was the famous Leaning Tower.

It was a beautiful sight.  It is marble, white and soft greys.  It had only just been cleaned a few months ago.  The Cathedral nearby is also beautiful.  The laws surrounding the area is a lush green.  We wandered around for a while.  We found out that to go up the Tower you have to be able to climb 300 steps.  I was extremely disappointed as this was just not a possibility for me.  We got a taxi back to the hotel for a rest.  We slept for a couple of hours then out for dinner.  We went to a piazza nearby to a café.  Pop had tortellini and I had cannelloni.  Yummy.  Home to bed.

8th September

We woke to a rainy day, so after brekky we went back to our room to do some reading.  When the weather cleared we walked back to the Tower.  It was just a rest day, so we walked slowly stopping here and there until we reached the tower again.  Took photos of the tower and then wandered back to our room –read, packed and rested, very peaceful.