After a couple of days in stunning Florence we are on the move again today, heading by train to Lucca.
Not the fast train this time, just your average Thomas the Tank Engine, but something more reliable than what we have in In Victoria in Australia!!
This morning we were up early and went next door for breakfast.
I had some beautiful scrambled eggs on toast, but the thing that threw me was when I was asked if I wanted cake too. For breakfast????
As there was a large range of cakes to choose from, and it is the thing to do over here, I obliged and was glad that I did. It was just sensational!
It just goes to show that when one travels, one must leave the habits and customs of your own country behind and go with the flow in the country that you are in.
Eating cake with breakfast...
You can look down every street in Florence and see a new photo.
The sun comes up over the Arno River.
The Ponte Vecchio bridge at dawn.
Looking down the Arno River as the sun comes up.
The obligatory pano shot!
Our New Year's Eve shot from Florence.
So yesterday we left Florence and headed to Lucca. Not by the fast trains that we have used so far, but by the standard edition. It still fanged the trip at 140kmh in excellent comfort, something that our Australian operations could do well to look at !!
We found our digs fairly quickly and started to think about tea, only to remember that it was New Year's Eve. We actually did remember it in Australian time, which for us was about 2.00 in the afternoon. The kind people at the desk found a vacancy at a restaurant nearby but it would cost us €100 each. Thanks, but no thanks!
So after we found a supermarket that stocked very little, Jen settled on cheese, ham and bickies, while I had one of those nasty noodle cups that have as much nutritional value as a slice of old carpet!
The sun comes up over Lucca, showing the wall around the city.
A bike ride around Lucca to get our bearings.
Lucca.
The track around the city, above the wall.
Yours truly on the bike.
Not my usual type of bike, but it does the job.
Inside the historic amphitheater in the centre of Lucca. A circular piazza with only 4 entrances. One is taken by the contrast of the ring of restaurants at ground level, and the washing hanging out the windows from above.
In front of one of the many restaurants at the amphitheater.
The sun is coming through gradually on a very cold day.
A dog and its owner sitting patiently...
Overlooking Lucca from a tower that we climbed.
Another view of Lucca.
And yet another.
Inside the Cathedral at Lucca.
The Cathedral at Lucca.
And we finally succumbed to an espresso. The spoon nearly stood up in the cup!!
Another street, another Tower!
Another long and winding street, typical of Lucca.
A building near our digs.
Jen looking suitably impressed after a great lunch and walk around Lucca.
We came across a group of about five families playing 'What's the time Mr Wolf' in a piazza. They were having so much fun, and very typical of the Italian way of making time with their kids.
We saw this very touching, yet very powerful nativity scene in the Cathedral at Lucca. It highlights the plight of refugees in this part of the world, keeping in mind that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were refugees too.
For those who know me well, I do like to get my exercise, so if I miss a day I am off my tree. Imagine how I was feeling after 5 days if not having the shorts and runners on!! I was like a caged lion, so this morning was the first chance I had to hit the road and get a bit of aerobic exercise, and to feed my exercise addiction!!
There was absolutely no-one about, probably because it was New Year's Day, it was very early, and it was minus 1!! Among the few runners I did see, I was the only one in shorts and a t-shirt, as they were all sensibly rugged up. If I get out tomorrow, the mittens will definitely be on.
Regardless, I felt like a million dollars afterwards and just thankful for the chance to blow off a few cobwebs.
As you can see, today was a good day, but walking just doesn't do it for me, not aerobic enough, so I just had to go and grind out some hills.
The next few days look bleak weather wise, but you won't hear a complaint from us as we are just so appreciative to be doing what we are doing. Who would expect to travel to Europe in the middle of Winter and see nothing but blue skies for the first five days?
And to finish off today Readers, I have promised someone back in Bendigo that a special gift I was given for Christmas would accompany me on this trip. So Sienna, here is one of the socks with me while I was standing in the square in front of the Cathedral in Lucca. Who knows where they will appear next? You will be surprised!!
So, tomorrow we are travelling again. Where to?
Suffice to say,it is a famous place, known for people taking very dorky photos. I'll put it out there now, we will probably do the same.
So if you want to find out, you'll just have to keep following.
Even better, leave a comment!!!
Until my next post Readers...
Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment