Pisa, Italy 4/9/07

I am sitting against a wall in the Piazza del Duumo, as the sign here says or the Campo dei Maracoli as the Rough Guide calls it. Either way there is a cathedral between me and the famous tower. I found a quiet patch of lawn void of tourist for about 20 meters in each direction. There is just some cooing pigeons and me.

It is an overcast day which kind of takes away from the photogenic appeal of such a famously photographed spot. I only snapped a couple of the tower before I had a feeling of satisfaction. “Ok, got it. What’s next?”

The lean of it is kind of fun, especially when you get close to the base. I was disappointed to see the guide wires attached to its sides though, feels like cheating to me. Half the fun should be never knowing if it’s going to fall over. I’m sure the local CVB would disagree with me. I am still debating on buying a ticket to climb it. Very odd for me I know. It costs 15 Euros though and my gut tells me it’s just not worth it. Maybe after lunch and a café (espresso) I’ll change my mind.

Today is just a day trip over to Pisa. I am actually staying in Florence, or as the Italians call it Firenze. I’m still confused on why if the Italians call it Firenze, and it’s Italian, we call it Florence. It s like that with many of the Italian cities though so “when in Rome…”, while I am in Italy it will be Firenze. When I leave it will go back to being Florence. I doubt the residents will ever feel the difference.

Speaking of Rome that is where I spent this past weekend; 4 days, 3 nights wandering day and night through the dirty streets of Rome. That dirt thing goes for Florence and Pisa too. I can’t get over how dirty things are here in Italy. I miss Switzerland. My stop off in Lugano, Switzerland, after Zurich, turns out to be the perfect melting point.

Lugano from on top of San Salvatore

It’s technically in Switzerland so it’s still very clean and well maintained but it’s so close to Italy everyone speaks Italian and the menus also reflect the culture shift. I’m really glad I stopped there and not just because of the great hike I had to the top of San Salvatore. Lugano is turning out to be my favorite Italian city despite its technical geographical location.

Rome was a lot of fun mainly because I finally had a friend to hang out with. My world traveling federal agent friend Chris McMahon has lived in Naples now for a couple years. When I started planning this little trip to Europe, meeting up with him was one of the few things I knew for sure that I wanted to do. I would have liked to get down to Naples but I only have two months in Europe and lots to see so Chris suggested we just meet in Rome.

Much like London and Paris I pretty much saw all the main highlights in Rome but didn’t feel the need to wander through every museum or church including the basilica of St. Peter. Plus I should mention I was there on Easter weekend, Good Friday to be exact. Kind of a popular time to be there I found out. We wandered into Vatican City and the Piazza San Pietro and the line to get in the Basilica was longer than any que I have ever seen. I never saw the end of it. If I’m going to wait in a line that long there better be a concert waiting for me at the end of it and I don’t think the Pope does much rocking out. Well not on Easter Weekend at least.

Chris in Piazza San Pietro

I was more interested in Rome’s pre-Christian stuff anyway so disappointment didn’t cross my mind. I invested my tour money and time on the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Forum. I really liked them, especially Palatine Hill, and feel happy with my tour guide investment.
Looking back at Rome, the main highlight for me though was just hanging out with a good friend. Telling old stories and making new ones as we wandered from one thing to the next. Basically they were places I would have seen if Chris was with me or not so having him there is what made it different.

Almost everyone I meet that has ever been to Rome or Italy in general, talks about how great the food is. I would agree with them and again thank Chris for making that a reality for me. I’m sure the eating experience is not nearly as good without good company.
We had some great meals. Whether it was just a Panini from a mobile cart or a 3 course dinner in the Campo dei Fiori the food and drink were excellent. My older age has brought me an appreciation of the espresso. I enjoy one at any time of day but I really find one after a meal to be top notch. In the States only your nicer restaurants have it available. Jillian can vouch for how many times I have been shot down trying to order an espresso after dinner. In Italy it’s pretty much standard everywhere and I love it!

Of course there were many cold beers drank too and with the help of a nice siesta on each day Chris and I had a couple late nights hitting the bars of Rome which is probably where most of the new stories were created. We made bar friends from Iowa to Europe. I found out Italians can either be really nice or really stuck up, just like the rest of the world. Most notably I learned that Slovakians can be hilarious and carry really good candy bars!

The distinct smell of pot just drifted past me. I think the three dudes down the wall to my left are using this spot like they were behind the Shop in high school. I wonder if the tower leans more if you are high. Maybe it appears straight and all the other buildings start to lean? Alas, I’ll never know.

Tomorrow is my big museum and tour day in Firenze. I’m planning on waking early and tackling the Galleria degali Uffizi, del Duomo, the Santa Croce Church, and also to the Gallerie del Accademia. I’ll probably hit that one first in an attempt to beat the crowds all heading to the same thing I am, a statue “people” tell me is a masterpiece but probably one that will look just as nice as some lawn statues I’ve seen. It’s Michelangelo’s’ “David” and it lives in Florence and it’s just one of the things that I know I have to see. Kind of like the tower, leaning on the other side of this church in front of me. I’m not sure why but am I more excited to see Galileo’s grave at Santa Croce than I am to see “David”.

I arrived in Firenze yesterday so I have already wandered a bit. All the hostels were full, not a good sign for things to come at the museums I’m afraid, so I had a hotel room last night and are moving to a cheaper place today. Last night’s 115 Euro evening was an OK place. An old hotel right on the River Arno, but I think my money all went to the view. I should have just slept out on the balcony.

My goal when I left Rome was to work most of Easter Sunday. I was spending the money on the hotel room with Wi-Fi so I should take advantage of it and rest the tourist legs for a day. 20 minutes into my 24 hour investment of internet time it was obvious their system wasn’t working correctly. The inept staff at check in were no help and the manager was just as confused. “We have had this problem before. I will call the service. It should work again by Tuesday.” So much for my work day. I tried!

It was a beautiful late afternoon and I used the last 3 hours of sunlight to wander from the Piazza de Republica to the Piazza Del Pitti and from the Pointe Della Vittoria Bridge to the Pointe Vechhcio Bridge. I hung out for awhile on the Pointe Vecchio and watched the sun set. I took note of the famed bust of Cellini and more specifically the railing that surrounds it where lovers use padlocks as symbols of their bond, lock them on the surrounding fence, and then throw the key in the river. There weren’t many locks on the fence. Either they recently cleaned it off or there is far less love in the world than I thought. I’m hoping it’s the first reason but that would probably make that little fence the first thing I have seen them clean in Italy.

It’s getting close to lunch time. I better go find a window with some Panini’s I can recognize. A Panini, aqua naturaly, and a gelato; it’s another Italian lunch for me. Maybe I’ll even get a double scoop of gelato today with different flavors. Such tough decisions I have to make these days!!

MJF