i woke up early this morning, and not just by my standards. i was the first to wake up in the room at 6:00 am! no, really...i did...i don't know what the hell is wrong with me...and then i read...for two hours...until the girls got up (who's lazy now?)...at 8:00 am. yeah, it really happened.
around 9:00 i head out to go to the train station. i bought our tickets to venice tomorrow and a round trip ticket toooooo...pisa! my foot was hurtin', but i was going to pisa come hell or high water. i didn't realize that it was at the ass-end of town, but, hey, i was going to pisa.
the girls stayed in florence, starting their day off with some laundry before (what else do women do?) shopping...and allegedly going to the uffizi. i don't know if they made it or not as i haven't seen them yet (it's rapidly approaching midnight). but i, on the other hand, went to pisa!
i make my way through the streets. my quick glance at the map outside the train station abruptly failed me, so i asked a dude in a hotel for a map. he was quite helpful. on my way, i stopped for a bite to eat (four-cheese gnocchi, prosciutto and melon, and a glass of wine), and then carried on. when i happened upon it, i was absolutely amazed! this thing is so much better than any picture that you may have seen. no, honest.
i always thought that it was just this tower, you know, a little tilted, standing by itself. no! that's not it at all! it's surrounded by the greenest grass that you'll ever see, with cathedrals and museums and all of these other outstanding structures all around it. all of it in the same hone of white.
after buying my ticket to climb the tower, i had two hours to kill. what else do you do? well, what else do you do with a bum foot? you go lay out in the grass and enjoy the beautiful day!!! i read some more...chilled a little...watched the kids kick around the mini-futbol...watched the gaggle of girls try to impress the boys...watched the lovers smooch on the lawn...watched the kids run on the endless field...watched the one dude - you know, the one dude - sleep through everything...it was awesome!
then my chance came, and i started up the stairs. they claimed it was "almost 300" steps to the top - but i wanted to be certain. my count was 294. they were close, but not exact. i need ot keep my count somewhat intact...
the view from above was breathtaking. i tried jumping up and down on the high end to even it out, but they yelled at me...something about ruining their tourist industry 'cause no one will want to come to the tower, yadda, yadda, yadda...
on the way back, i finished my book! (i'd tell you more about it, but the first rule of the book club is that you don't talk about book club...you can only guess what the second rule is...) i tried to take a short nap, but the air conditioner went out in the cab, so it was starting to get unbearably hot. i did have dreams of getting back to the hotel to take a quick nap before heading out for a bite to eat, maybe catching up with the girls...
once i got back to florence, i tried to find the bus that took me to the train station. i succeeded. there was a slight flaw in my plan...i knew where the stop was going to the station, but i didn't know where the stop was coming from the station...this quick jaunt back to the hostel ended up being an hour and a half tour of florence and its suburbs...i went to the industrial zone...i saw where the people live that can't afford to live in the hubbub of tourism and history. what more can you ask for? all that for just €1,20!
i noticed that there was heightened nervousness when i was near my stop. i had no clue where it was, but i kept second-guessing myself and thought that i should've got off the bus in about three different places...that wouldn't have been too big of a deal, i could've just hopped on the same bus going in the opposite direction, but rode it out - and i'm glad i did!
when i finally found my spot, i went and chatted up simona, the very pleasant and beautiful girl that greeted us when we first arrived monday evening. i purchased an internet card and busted out that very lengthy first blog of the day. in fact, time ran out, so i had to get a second one (which i'm currently utilizing).
while typing, i met a nice young lady who was here for school. she was but 21, here with a class, but about to travel to rome on her lonesome. we chatted earlier today, but she was on the computer tonight too, so i enjoyed listening to her story for a little while.
after i finished that first blog, i wanted to check out ponte vecchio in the evening. kelli's mom told me about a place down that way, and i wanted to see if i could find it. i started out around 8:00. the walk down this street is beautiful. the trees are mature, and the smell is intoxicating. i followed this wall for probably, oh, i don't know, two or three miles. i think it was guiding me back up to piazzale michelango (my map was a small one printed on something a little larger than a 3" x 5" card, not too helpful at all, actually), which i wasn't opposed to, but wanted to see the other part of town.
i finally made it down there around 10:00 pm. my timing is impeccable! many of the restaurants in the area were closing down, so i grabbed the first thing i could find: expensive, horrible pizza and a beer. i way overpaid. then, not being quick in the head, i did it again with some over-priced gelato. at least that was delicious...
it's now 12:30, and i'm finishing this up before shaving the ol' noggin again and taking a bath. (god bless that shower!) tomorrow's an early morning - but we're heading to venice! i'm so excited!
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4 comments:
Some years back, I sprained my foot very badly, the 2nd day in London...of a 2 week trip. I finally went to the hospital and was told to stay completely off it for a week...right! I bought a cane.
The "everything happens for a reason" comes to light, years later. The cane (and pain) forced me to slow down and enjoy the little things; i.e. people watching, birds, smells, beer, wine, etc. I wasn't able to rush about, non-stop...as most tourists do.
Take it easy, big guy....and I hope you don't have to visit a doctor (at least not until that polish wears off!)
Sleep well tiny Dancer...Sleep well.
Tomorrow is a new Adventure!
Glad you got to take time and smell the roses = )
Hi J-Man!
Adopting this new attitude really does expand your world. I know a certain maternal figure that blew out a knee three days into a three week vacation in Hawaii...teaches one acceptance of the moment it does...and how to work a wheelchair. (-:
Your description of the Piazzele was so right on. Sometimes we're so caught up in doing the museums and seeing stuff that we don't see where we're at at all.
I have a very fond memory of coming around Sacre Cour in Paris late in the day. The funicular was not working, so everyone had to do the hillside of steps to get up to the church.
Sitting on those steps was a gaggle of young people - maybe a hundred, hundred fifty - and at the bottom were three guys, one with a guitar.
They were singing Beatles songs in English (I recognized the tune before the words...it was obviously English practice for many of them.) A Hard Day's Night.
I was ready to jump in and lead them in a few tunes when I realized I don't really know all the words to many - any - Beatles tunes and had to give up the opportunity.
But I did stand and sing with them for a chorus or two...it was enchanting and fun and completely unexpected. It's also one of my favorite travel memories about finding the unexpected..
Take care of that big bod - you've got a lot of travel left....
And I can't WAIT to see how you like Venice.
Love, Ma
Drink enough of that bad beer and maybe your foot won't hurt so much!
Being somewhat of a gimp myself, I feel for ya. If it get's too bad, just have the girls carry you around... you know, Julius Ceasar style (when in Rome?)!
Be good.
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