October 7th - October 12th: Under a Tuscan Sun sometimes!

One week booked at Cottage Plinio, otherwise titled Poggetto di Montesse  - what would it be like?  Would the photos and expectations be matched in reality?

These views of nearby San Gimignano from the cottage answered our questions with a resounding yes.

This dwelling, adjoining our host's house, would be our base for the next week.

San Gimignano, 2.5 klm from base was frequently visited......

These towers, erected in a centuries old game of one-up-manship lend San Gim its unique appeal

Time to spread our wings - a day trip to Siena and the biggest piazza we had seen - Piazza del Campo

Siena's Duomo - monumental

It's frescoes -luminous

Another treat was Siena cathedral's tiled floor, usually covered for preservation, but revealed in October

The slaughter of the innocents was an extensive study

Finally, looking over Siena from on high ....

Funiculi, Finicula ........a trip to Certaldo's old town required special assistance to overcome the steep climb

The sights at the top were impressive

Next we visited the town of Volterra, which is perched on the cliffs that inspired Dante's cliffs of hell. With alabaster shops lining the streets, it was nice to be in such an ancient little town,that incidentally, has a Medici fortress in the centre that is a maximum security prison for 60 prisoners.

Roman ruins, complete with amphitheatre, were another attraction

And soon, our week in Tuscany was drawing to a close, but not before a farewell dinner ...

And a last look at the fabulous views .....

And hooroo to a new friend!  Time to leave for Umbria, where our base would be Assisi.

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!