October 6th: Lucca

Our Warmshowers host, Jack, advised that a short stop at Lucca on our way back to pick up the bikes would be a good idea.  The old part of Lucca is a walled city with charming architecture and tourists that were less dense and widely distributed.

En route  to Lucca, the train system continued to impress.

As did the land forms seen through the train window.

Attractive sculpture welcomed visitors

As did these travelling choristers.

Churches were again on show

,

As were other architectural niceties,

Sculpture and piazzas abounded

Lunch with Madam Butterfly

Puccini dropped by for coffee.

Pageantry was on display

We were well entertained.

Goodbye from one of many Luccan lane ways.

October 5th: Pisa

Having spent two days walking the Cinque Terre we directed the third day, with rain threatening, at Pisa.  We thought we had refined our use of the Trenitalia ticketing system down to a fine art until we were confronted by our first inspector and the realisation that we had forgotten to validate the tickets.  A large fine was reduced to a small fine which made the ticket inspector feel better, but I remained bitter - an innocent abroad!

The strangest thing - look what we found in Pisa!

I was prepared to be unimpressed by this building, but that was not the case - quite apart from the lean, it is a beautiful building with amazing columns and fretwork and built of a pink / grey stone that demands attention.  The famous belltower or Campanile is not a stand alone attraction - it was built to complement the Duomo (Cathedral) along with the Baptistry and the Campo Santo (the monumental graveyard).  All four buildings compete for attention within the Piazza del Duomo which came to be known as the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles).

The leaning tower is related to the Duomo,a hulking edifice with its own charms.

Side-altar one...

Side-altar two....

Main altar.

The Baptistery attracts its share of attention.

The view from high in the Baptistery

Pisa - little wet, a little crowded with pesky tourists, a little rushed, but  satisfying nonetheless!

October 3rd - 5th: Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre is a series of five villages perched over the Ligurian coast and accessed by hiking trails with breathtaking views - that is until weather intervenes and threatens to wash village and trail into the sea.  October 2011 saw such an event and although all five villages are back in their multi-coloured hues, some trails have not re-opened.  All villages are accessible by train and boat.

Our first view of Riomaggiore where we were to stay for 3 nights.

A stony beach for sun worshipers.

Riomaggiore from on high.

Monterosso

Benton's Plumbtec  rules - plenty of work to be done in Italy.

Typical coastline in which the five villages are nestled.

Elena and Paul - two Bostonians we kept bumping into.

Efforts to keep the land from falling into the sea.

Classic Vernazza - first time this photo has ever been taken!

Living cheek by jowl.

The ancient crafts are maintained.

Pumpkins were sometimes used instead of rocks to keep the roof from blowing off.

Leaving Vernazza

Still leaving Vernazza....

The origins of Australia's prickly pear.

Typical rock hugging in Corniglia.

Manorola

Swimming at Manorola.

Manorola by the sea.

A steep climb to our room at Riomaggiore.

Goodbye to Riomaggiore.

Sept 28 - Oct 2: Florence and Prato

Flew from Prague to Florence on twin propeller plane that was filled with about 30 passengers - about two hours on Air Darwin, a Swiss outfit that worked well.  Arrived after dark, so got a taxi to our rendezvous with another Airbnb host in downtown Florence.  This time we had an apartment to ourselves for three days.

Lost in thought........a tired and ill traveller on the balcony of our typical 3rd floor Florentine apartment about ten minutes from the centre.  It was entertaining to sit here and watch life going on around you - washing machines lived on balconies, washing was hung to dry off balconies, telephone calls were made from balconies - we appeared to be the only bods who took their meals on the tiny balconies.  This was a taste of local life away from the tourists who dominated central Florence.

Speaking of tourists - here are couple of the hotspots - the Dom

The Uffizzi Gallery where an 11 Euro admittance became 28 Euro when a reservation was made on line!!!

View of the Arno from the Uffizzi Gallery

Tourist central near the Uffizzi.

Rosemary's interest in the Franciscan Basilica of Santa Croce saw her take a tour of this famous site; famous for among other things being the burial ground of Machiavelli, Micelangelo, Galileo, and Gioachino Rossini.  The tour involved climbing up through this scaffolding towards the ceiling to examine frescoes painted by Giotto and Donatello.

On leaving Florence, we rode to nearby Prato where we explored the 12th century churches and castles that abound.  That night we would meet Giacomo (Jack), a Warmshowers host.  While sightseeing in Prato, some thoughtless locals stole my good Brooks saddle and pump  - not happy Jan!

A sad sight and a sore tail if you had to ride far.

We had given Jack only 24 hours notice - despite already hosting three mates to dinner to watch Juventus play Galataseray - he was quick to invite us to stay overnight in his lovely apartment and join in the dinner.  A great evening was had - terrific to meet local people in a social manner - next morning Jack escorted us to the train station where we began our journey to the Cinque Terre.  Jack would host our bikes in his garage for the next three days.  Upon our return three days later, I found that my stolen saddle had been replaced - Jack then proceeded to drive us to the car rental office at the airport.  What can I say - the kindness of people is sometimes overwhelming.  May you live a happy and prosperous life Jack.