PISA AGAIN

The decision to return to Pisa was really forced on me because of a lack of reasonable alternatives. After spending a lot of time in Florence I knew I had to get away from the big city. The day away in Siena was great and so thats what I intend here in Pisa where the hostel is pretty good and at an affordable  price. 
However, yesterday was fun, with a group of lads who are well old enough to know better, calling them selves 'Cheeky Northern Monkeys'. They are motor scooter fanatics who all collect them from wherever they can. These old scooters certainly hold their value with some the scooters in Florence yesterday worth up to 5000 pounds. Their excuse for this trip is a scooter rally in Siena today. 

The Samsonite stylish luggage suits this Lambretta from 1959 vintage, and the case, even older, is used for storing Christmas decorations when it isn't in use on scooter trips. What beautiful scooter though, I had one when I were a lad.


The weather has warmed up and so last evening I took some night pictures in the centre of Florence. D

SUNNY IN SIENA

The day went to plan and the weather is what I would have expected for this part of Europe. As I boarded the train to Siena, the sky was a cloudless blue. The price is a pretty modest 15 Euro return from Florence.

Siena and Florence have a kind of rivalry going about which is the best town, and after seeing Siena I would certainly choose Siena. It doesn't have the same traffic problems and although its a lot smaller, it has a huge amount of medieval charm about it. 

The large sloping main square reminded me of a beach and the people on it seemed to have the same idea as they laid back and sunned themselves while the tide was out. 

It sounded like a seaside holiday resort too. I suppose I should have looked into it long ago, but during the last week I have come across a strange little sculpture not only in Florence. Maybe someone knows who the small boys are being suckled by a wolf. Its similar to the Moses story except he didn't get the canine treatment.

There is no escaping the obligatory cathedral, or three, and Siena does have one of those spectacular creations. Though smaller than the one in Florence it can still hold its own against countless others.

And finally to end an enjoyable day, here is the first view of the square as you descend the steps in this hilly little town.

ANTI FASCIST DAY

Florence is full today with Italians celebrating the end of fascism. It seems that this day has long been a national holiday about the end of a troubled era but still Italy is beset with politicians of the unwanted variety. I wont mention any names but there is one particular person these people might like to string up. Here is the face of an elderly guy who took part in ending Mussolini's reign of terror, speaking to crowds of people enjoying the sun, the wine, and the food.

And he ranted passionately, not only about the past events, but also Italy's present problems. Taxes appear to be at the centre of discussions because too many people dont pay them, or so I was told. A fine orator but perhaps a bit too passionate for tender reserved English ears. 

Also the music was quite entertaining but unfortunately didn't manage to film the drummers I heard from the hill above the party.

Just above the the place where the celebration was taking place, there was great view point for that very photogenic bridge.

Tomorrow, I should be going to Sienna for the day, that's as long as there aren't any train strikes. Probably not.

At last, a summer day. Cheers D

FLORENCE STILL

Awoke this morning to the sound of very large quantities of water falling from the sky. Thankfully, it only lasted until I was about due to head out to the city. One thing that cheered me up was the huge money saving breakfast I had in the hostel before I left. Although it cost 4 Euro it was plenty enough to sustain me until the evening.

I suppose the first impressive place I encountered, completely by surprise, was Piazza della Signoria. I had seen pictures of the statues before but the setting of these master pieces didn't seem quite right. Maybe the square looked somewhat scruffy, or was it my imagination? 

The detail on the Greek style statues leaves nothing to the imagination and most were pretty brutal in their subject matter. 

In the video it is obvious that Piazza della Signoria is certainly on the tour groups list. 

One of the other must see structures is Ponte Vecchio, the bridge with buildings, now shops covering it. It was strange walking across it because it appears to be just another narrow market street. 

While I was near the bridge, someone was doing a report about the bridge, and Florence, with small camera crew. He looked like he might be quite well known. Does anyone recognize him?

Thats about all concerning the Ponte Vecchio but it has not been spared the scurge of the love locks. 

Finally, I took a trip on a local bus up to the hills that lie above the city. Great views which really show how much the cathedral dominates the centre of the city.

The surrounding buildings a many storeys high but even so seem like bungalows.

Cheers D

FIRENZE

The day went perfectly according to plan and the 10.30 bus from Pisa airport landed me in the centre of Florence with plenty of time to find my bearings. The bus service is a bargain for an hour's ride at 6 Euros. But it seems that Ryan Air has a hand in it, and I wonder if because that b....... airline has loads of flights into Pisa, they are depriving other airlines that go into Florence of business? Anyway, didn't use Ryan Air but the bus is handy. 
Took a few movies as the bus rolled down into valley where Firenze is situated.

The hostel is quite a long way out of the centre of things but seems pretty good. Its a huge old rambling place which belongs to a church next door. 
Had a brief skirmish into town this afternoon and then spent almost as much time trying to find the bus stop where I could catch a bus back to the hostel. Hopefully wont have that trouble again. That's all for now, cheers

UNLUCKY LUCCA

Lucca, a picturesque little town about 20 km from here was to have been my destination today. However, it was ordained for me not to reach it. At the station I duly purchased a ticket from a machine, completely oblivious to what was happening. On the platform everything seemed as normal when the train flashed up on the information monitor, but all was not well. Thinking a gentleman of my age was an Italian I asked him in the most simple English I could muster about the imminence of the train. He answered me in equally basic English. I thought nothing of it until his wife came, speaking to him with a noticeably Northern English accent. Funny, I thought, especially when he began speaking to her in the same natural English. It seems we both thought each other was Italian. It was only then that I discovered there was a train strike on which was effecting a lot of trains. The Lucca train then disappeared from the monitor and my hopes of a day out of Pisa dashed and a wasted 3 Euro into the bargain. Money back? That's another story.

The train wasn't going anywhere today so I headed back to the hostel to regroup. A new arrival in my room is an American guy from New York who found himself in much the same situation of broken dreams. We decided to team up and head out of town for the day, to a place called Tirrenia. Its not a long bus trip, and took us out to a beach resort. The sun very pleasant and an incredibly stiff refreshing wind coming in from the sea. The kite surfers were in action and Fred, New Yorker, introduced me to the delights of Amaro Montenegro, a delicious orange aperitif which went down very well, along with the coffee on a terrace overlooking the exceedingly choppy sea. Have already got a bus ticket to Florence where I am going tomorrow. D

SHELLEY WAS HERE

Its been a pretty nice day, the sun decided to make an appearance which toned down the cold wind. Stayed in Pisa and did some exploring as well as repeating some of yesterday's tramp. 
Found something which took me by surprise and that is a plaque on a remaining  wall of a demolished building. 

The plaque is on the wall near the centre of the picture on the left. It seems that Percy wrote his elegy for his friend John Keats, Adonais, here in Pisa in the building that has now crumbled. It was of course nearly 200 years ago in 1821 so I suppose its not too unlikely that the building has gone. Its always much better fun when I stumble on these things, like the George Orwell square in Barcelona, and Lord Byron's cafe in Sintra, near Lisbon.  
Also the Piazza dei Cavelieri had a certain old charm. Its a square not so far from the tower area. Come to think of it, nothing is very far from anything in this small town!

The main building in this small square has some amazing graffiti and just in front there is a very imposing statue of the man the square is dedicated to. Apparently, after a belated Wiki search the square is called Knight's Square as it was the headquarters of the Knights of St. Stephen and the man with his back to you is Cosimo I de' Medici, Duke of Florence in the 16th century.

I took a couple of extra pictures of the tower to show just how much it leans and for that matter, sinking. It was a better day for pictures so here they are.

That's all for now as I hope dinner won't be too long. Its curry tonight with the international trio. No guesses for who is going to cook it and I'll be watching carefully to try to pick up some hints. Cheers D