I've ridden trains in Europe before, but Dr. Browder took care of all the details. He just told us what train to get on, so today was a total learning experience for me. Turns out, the train schedules read a little like the subway schedules for DC and London, but I didn't know that at first. Then, we have to figure out where to buy our ticket. Not at the ticket windows, but in the newspaper shop. Then, we have to find our track, which is hidden. We get on the train and there is no seating left. We end up standing the whole hour, which was not as bad as it sounds.
I should mention that my girls decided not to go to Pisa but to spend the day in Florence. I was with some members of another group who seemed to think I knew what I was doing.
On the train, the kids with us strike up a conversation with two young women, one from the states and one from Canada, who are friends and are touring Europe for two and a-half months. They got to hear all about the girl's fabulous adventures. I don't think the kids were impressed, which I actually think is a good thing.
The train stopped right on time at Pisa. Mario, my favorite toy tractor, had given us three options for getting to the Tower. We could take a taxi. We could take a 20 minute walk. Of course, what I have discovered with Europeans is a five minute walk in Europe is a fifteen minute walk for us Americans. Or, we could take the city bus. This was another new experience. I do get us on a bus, and thanks to a local lady, we get off at the right spot.
By this time, it has started to rain. We are assaulted by umbrella salesmen every five steps for the rest of the day. They said it was the same in Florence. We reach the Tower and take several pictures, including the cheesy standard one of holding up theTower. I want to walk around the Duomo, the Baptistery, and the Field of Miracles. We make plans to meet for lunch in thirty minutes.
The Duomo is very beautiful. Because Pisans were merchants, they were heavily influenced by Islamic and Moorish architecture. Had I been alone, I probably would have went inside one or the other. Because of time, we don't climb the Tower. Mario said it was ad luck to Italian students to climb the Tower before the graduate from University. I shopped and we met for lunch. I had pizza with ham and mushrooms. The crust is very thin and crispy, my favorite.
Then the check comes, not separated. Some have the right amount of cash. Some need change. Some want to use debit. The waiter tells us to go to the cashier to pay. The cashier is very put out about the separate checks. I try to help, but I get confused, and then he got confused, and then he gets frustrated and yells at me. A lady from Sicily was there with us, and told me not to apologize. Mario told us it was very difficult for them to separate the check afterward because of their computer accounting systems. I knew this, but I was with them.
Now, it's time to get back on the city bus. We go back to where we got off and start looking for a stop going the opposite way. We should have just got on that one and went all the way around because we walk a good distance looking for a stop. Finally find one, the bus comes, but we just miss a train back to Florence. The next one is scheduled an hour later.
I recall from Dr. Browder that Mussolini made the trains run on time. They should have kept that element of Fascism, because we don't get to Florence until time to meet the others for dinner. I hate that the other group didn't get to spend any time in Florence, but I enjoyed the day.
We had supper in the city center and I caught up on the girls' day with their new friends. Back at the hotel, I strolled out for gelato. Tonight, it was hazelnut. Too sweet.
Tomorrow is not a lazy day, starting early, but full of little adventures. That's the thing about these tours. They are little adventures that give you a taste for the experience of traveling, and little lessons along the way.
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