Pisa and Lucca, Italy (Tuscany)
6/21/01

E-mail excerpts from Tuscany
I actually made another one (good decision) today. Knowing that I had seen many of the "signature" sites of Venice, and desiring a little adventure, (and knowing that I had an extra day of usage on my Eurorail pass that I wasn't going to use), I decided to hop on a train and head out of Florence and explore a little of Tuscany. What I found on my trip was some of the most incredibly relaxing sites that I have seen on my trip thus far. Tuscany is comprised of some of Italy's richest agricultural areas renouned worldwide for its deep green virgin olive oil and other produce. The remote hills and valleys provide heavily wooded areas, and land which is fertile, and productive for all manner of crops. There my train moved through endless plateous and valleys, past countless villages and towns locked in an asymmetrical time warp, as if time had run off to Rome and Florence, and merely waved its hand in salutation as it passed by. Quaint villages abounded as the train slowly trolled along; Rigoli, Bruonelli, Garafagnna, Ripafratta, Pescia, and eventually Pisa.

Perhaps no one symbol is more renowned in Italy than the little tower that they have here, that slightly leans to one side. . . OK, it leans ALOT to one side. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a special site in what is otherwise an overlooked city. I spent the first half of the day in Pisa, walking down its wonderfully tight streets and along the endless corridors and pathways that Italian villages like Pisa are known for. It was a wonderful experience. of course, the Tower itself is ubsurd. That thing is a leanin' and it don't seem like it would take much to bring it all down. Of course Galileo proved his great gravitation/Mass theory by droping two different sized objects from the tower. Of course, the tower wasn't leanin' much when he did it several centuries ago. If he leaned over the edge today, he might have proved his theory by falling to the ground himself (at the same time as his objects, of course.)

Eventually, I found my way back to the train and went to the small village of Lucca. This town is literally trapped in time. A prosperous Roman colony 2 centuries before Christ was born, it boasted a significant Amphitheater and some of the finest silk manufacturers in the Empire. However, over the centuries, the city has been sacked and rebuilt several times. The present construction dates to the 8th century and the walls from that period are still sturdy and standing. In fact, the entire city is within these huge walls, and inside. . . I found great peace. Without the crouds of nearby tourist areas, I was amazed with the peace and tranquility of this little town that seemed to be all alone and unable to find its mother. The overwhelming calmness of Lucca was amazing. It was so quiet. I just found myself sitting under a shade tree, and looking out over the grassy plains in front of the Lucca Duomo and Cathedral and trying not to fall asleep. You could hear the birds chirping nearby, and the steps of anyone walking in the piazza could be heard echoing off the surrounding walls. What a dream! I spent the afternoon there, and then hopped back on the train and headed back here to Florence.

You may download my Europe 2001 screensavers at Webshots

• Rome, Italy
• Florence, Italy
• Pisa/Lucca/Tuscany, Italy
• Venice, Italy
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Versailles, France
• Paris, France

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