Sunday is for sighseeing.
Sunday is for rain and cloudy weather.
Sunday is the worst day ever.
I need to stick to my instincts more. Do you ever ignore the signs and just keep forging ahead, and in the end it's a terrible outcome, and you knew you should have known better? I ignored four. Possibly more.
#1. As I walk toward the stazione centrale, i see a sign (a literal one) that is pointing left to the station. I pause, reflect, well if it's posted it must be right, no? NO. Just took an extra trip around the block - which made me miss the train i originally wanted to take (#2) and so now the next train, leaving soon thankfully, is unfortunately more expensive.
#3. The train i'm on, posts a delay; 30mins, look again, 60 mins....(and now there is a funny scene of a very angry Italian woman with no patience who wants off to catch the other train, which is leaving in less then 5 mins. However, the train official on board is unable to open the doors - they lock them once the train is to leave. I follow suit, along with another gentleman. I speak English - he speaks English and German - and our triumphant anger ball speaks German and Italian. Priceless. Finally, we get off and rush for the other train, regarless that our ticket is not valid for it nor do we have seats....once we're on, doors are locked, right? So what can they do? )
#4. When i arrive in Florence to transfer trains to Pisa, it is raining. Pouring with rain. Do you bring an umbrella when you travel? One should never ignore the signs to a bad start - or at least try to realize that they are indeed signs.
Once i arrive in Pisa, the rain is just dropping like kiddy pools of water crashing down. Thankfully there are these super annoying gents selling umbrellas to the folks who don't check the weather repotrs- moi (in my defense, even when i do check, it never seems to be right). I haggle with him, and find the information centre, where the clerk is super helpful, not only with directions to the leaning tower, but also with finding information on how to get to Vinci.
I continue on my path towards the leaning tower (maybe a 20min walk from the train station). It is Sunday, so most shops are all closed up, and in smaller towns, not a lot of restaurants or cafes are open either. Right at the bridge there is a market with vendors of olives, nuts, cheese, which i partake in a few samples.
The first sight of the tower, i am struck by how white it really is (the due torri in Bologna are nothing to look at really except that they are extremely high). It is highly decorated and expertly sculpted. From far away it really does look like it's toppling over almost. However once you are closer, it doesn't seem to lean quite as much as one would have thought - all about perspective. I get my picture ( i look like a giant climbing the tower and about to squash all the little tourists) and get out of Pisa- it's cold, my feet are soaked (i did not bring rain boots) and i want to go to Vinci. The gentleman from information centre has informedfound out for me that there is a bus from Empoli (Pisa - Empoli by train) that will take me to Vinci at 14:45, however there is only one returning at 19:45. Perfect, i'm sure there are other things to see in the town apart from the museum dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci (da where do you think he was from?). I was wrong. There is nothing else to do in this tiny, tiny, tiny hill top town. (#5?)
The small town of Vinci has a castle and church built up on high, and this is where Il Museo Leonardiano di Vinci is situated. For 6 euros, you can meander through the main floor of the museum, and also trek through the castle to view other works based upon the drawings of da Vinci from his Codex Atlanticus ( a very large book (there are 12 volumes) of all his drawings and thoughts, which is house in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan).
I still have 3hrs to kill before the bus comes round again. I get the brillian idea that i can walk it back to Empoli. I am an idiot. It is still raining, and halfway there, it gets dark ( i didn't think this through odviously) so i wait; in the dark, in the rain, on the side of the road (that has no shoulder) for 2hrs at the bus stop, jumping into the bush to avoid the crazy speeding cars, and finally, finally 19:55 rolls around and the blue light of the bus comes into view. I am an idot. (#6?)
You think i would learn.
Listening to: Under Pressure - David Bowie ft. Queen
Drinking: Blackcurrant, Vanilla & Ginseng -Twinnings
Reading: Pompeii walking tour
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