Pisa and dream land.

21st January

So here we go… Pisa awaits me and I was up at 7:00 to make up to the train on time as I do not wish to miss it. All done and I was on the station by 7:45, time for the Italian breakfast of Cappuccino and Cornetto at the station coffee place tucked neatly in the opposite of all the touristic shops and cafes under and behind the screen with all the trains departure schedules nearly not visible with black doors, what looked like some workman area for railways staff. Only the people exiting through them with paper bags full of pastries and satisfied smile on their faces was sign of something nice as well as when I approached the smell of freshly baked pastries “cornettoes”   and coffee will drag you by your nose and as in trance you will float towards the place through the narrow door with your feet hoovering inches above the ground. What a start of day… ahh fresh coffee, cornetto ..La Dolce Vita … Got all in time to get back to the schedule display where my train was already listed at platform 17 and mass of human bodies moved in unison as some sort of ants towards the train. Seated at my seat beside lawyer in perfect charcoal Italian suit who typed email upon email on the laptop and phone with girl at opposite seat with ear plugs in listening to music and not being present only for short talk with friend before departing train. Got the laptop, water and fruit out and get on typing as much as I could finish in the four hours journey from Milano to Pisa since I have feeling that I will not have much time to type when arrive to Pisa i.e Lucca 😊 Few times looked through window on the passing winter landscape without snow but with shades of grey and green of fields, gardens and houses of various colors. Finished typing just incase to get ready to get off the train, as much as I could do and I realized that I did shorten each article just to finish it. Well Pisa is here in 10 min and my hands are shaking as if I was junkie missing his fix, so nervous that it was surprise for me, since I’m not usually that nervous. Feeling like teenager before first date 😊 what a strange and nice feeling as when I realized why I feel that way I was happy since I’ll meet brown eyed girl in her home turf to her advantage as they say in sport jargon. Well off the train and red carpet with prosecco is nowhere to be seen, hmm such a disappointment but hope is high so maybe outside it will be. Nah, nothing at all, not even her… a little bit of disappointment but I knew in my heart that she will come so just wait and see. Still make a phone call in case she is late I could get lunch or coffee and she did not answered but I felt that she is driving and cannot talk so all good and in few moments call came through that she was parking and coming towards the station “ I see you now” and hung up the phone and here she comes across the street with that most beautiful smile what makes you melt and also make you feel light and as if you are floating. Hugs and kisses were exchanged and we are on the way to the car and to explore the Pisa after few moments in the car. Obviously leaning tower is a must when in Pisa as well as the cathedral but since it was cloudy and dark I did not bother to get on the tower itself as I rather go there in sunny weather so I can enjoy the view from the top and also feel a bit warmer with the sun. We walked around listened to echo practice in the baptistery through the closed door, since the sign at the door was informing all that no entrance during the echo practice. Moment later guy emerged from the door and took the sign away but no one got out so it must be him practicing fit X-factor competition during the work. We’ve got ticket to the cathedral and saw at least this one since it was a bit warmer inside and the smiley was cold. Did the usual tacky photos of me holding the leaning tower and then slowly progressed to town for toilet and food as you cannot last long without them, more without the first one, so Pasticceria was first stop and then off we went to restaurant with saints painted all over the walls what was called Saint or something like that, where I had nice wild boar ragu with glass of red for digestion. Nice and now we can go explore Pisa a bit more to see all the beauty of Tuscany first hand in cold more Irish like weather. Walked around a bit and then we decided to go to airport take car for me as I haver not booked anything since I do not have the official confirmation of valuable citizen of consumer world i.e. credit card it has to be her who is taking the charge for the car. Ford Fiesta with battle marks all over the body was available as the Fiat 500 was not available what was the first choice but hey car is a car. The charge was €300 for 12 days  what is a bit rip off but with full insurance in Italy is better option as you never know who will bump or scratch the car since the indicators are not supplied with cars in Italy or they had not been taught to use them. Before we arrived at home we stopped at Lucca so I could have my private tour in evening light to get around the Lucca and also we had to wait a bit for personal reasons before arrive to house. Walked around the evening / night Lucca was like walking in ghost town as not many people were out, which is due the fact that it is cold and damp. The main city walls are truly amazing feature to be seen as well as some of the 99 churches based in the walled city. Piazza dell’Anfiteatro  is nice to be seen as most of the space in walled city is used for houses and narrow streets are more prevalent that any empty space. This Piazza is beautiful round shaped place with houses build in circle and I can imagine the summer with cafes outside bustling with laughter and talk echoing in the circle piazza. Since the cold and hunger came to us, we were looking for some warm place to have dinner, what proved to be little bit difficult task as it is Monday and seems like the place is deserted. Anyhow we were able to find a local restaurant full of tourists and got some delicious local food, antipasto with special locally produced pork fat, than as main secondi it was buffalo steak and glass of red to wash all down. Great food for reasonable price in nice area with Americans all around us. Since we were fed and rewarmed we hit the streets to get a bit more walk over the ghost town of Lucca admiring the architecture in shadows of streel light. Towers of the town were the only witnesses of us walking through city streets. Time has stopped and we were just enjoying the company of each other like this was the whole universe and nothing else existed, time and place does not exist it is just you. Eventually we get back to our cars and headed towards the home i.e house of brown eyed girl in the woods past the village and in nice family area with sis and parents houses around in clusters like real Italy is. All the drive to there I was smiling to myself how lucky I’m and that this must be dream as I feel so good to be with her and beside her, even in the same city, on the same road is make me feel better that anywhere in the whole world. Arrived in the house, got some small bite of food and rest is not for public 😊

22nd to 25th January

What a great feeling to wake up beside the brow eyed girl in her huge bed watching her to waking up with smile on her face as if this is most natural thing to do, as if you are mean to be there or already have been there. Italian breakfast of coffee pardon cappuccino and biscuits is something new and to be experienced but breakfast need to be a bit more substantial as energy is needed. Well the weather is not so great and since she has to work I went to town to walk around but at least I had idea where I’m due the last night tour. Found the same car park spot, where we parked last night and went on the stroll through the town as well as on search for the wedding suit and shoes for wedding in Thailand and since I’m best man I need to represent and where to buy clothes if not in country of fashion. Walked around just discovering the streets, recognizing some areas from last night tour and then find the clothes shop we saw with relative good prices. Went in and upstairs of the shop as downstairs it was kind of mixed department so when i said that I need suit the guy directed me to upstairs part of the shop where they are keeping the suits. There was a girl who looked after the first floor section and had a bit of English so we were equal in our language skills and awe agreed that I need something light for Thailand and all the suits we heavy and polyester but then I saw this beautiful jacket in grey with blue squares and lines and it was real summer jacket without lining so got one to try and after adjusting size only once it was perfect, that nice white shirt with tiny blue lilies like pattern and blue chinos with red belt I was ready for wedding for € 140 on the way to shoes shop where I saw those colored shoes as I feel like coloring my life a bit. The shoe shop was closed as it open only from Thursday to Sunday so got something small to eat and drink before heading home to the dream land of brow eyed girl. The rain just started as I got into car so no better timing to leave city as well as my parking ticket just expired and I need to pay another fee. Got home and into bed for a little snooze since the change in weather and a bit of jet lag worn me down or was it shopping maybe … 😊 Woke up on the house buzzer as the most beautiful girl came home from work. It is something that it is a bit hard to explain but best would be say that when you know difference in feeling between house and home this was home. Since I was arrived kind of by surprise she had arrangements in place for that evening so she went to attend the family party and I was using the time to finishing off articles. When you love someone you want to be with them all the time as if they could be gone any second. But what if you know that you will be together forever and the short separation is not an issue as I felt calm, knowing that she will come back as soon as she can and that I do not need to worry as we will be together and this short separation is just normal part of missing someone as without separation we will not know how much we miss each other. Well I was nearly at the end with article when I realized that it is a nearly 23:30 and she is still there as much as she said that she will be only hour. With that thought just leaving my head she opened door and danced in the house and to my lap. I said that all is good and that I stirred soup every hour “little joke what is going like this – Wife saying to husband; I’m going to neighbor for few minutes for coffee, please don’t forget to stir soup every half an hour”. Well so nice to see her and also to be able to finish my things. The end of today and start of tonight … 😊

              All the days were fused together in one timeless piece of bliss and happiness what I could describe as fuzzy warm feeling or dream like existence as if all around us was just projection from some movie and we were floating on this cloud through the heavenly place. We went to various places, Lucca of course during the day light now to see the town and most importantly to buy my shoes as she laughed that I’m worse than girl when I t come to shoes. Well I saw them and since I saw them I knew that I want them. But we also went for a nice lunch at the city walls, where the old fusilier was transferred to  beautiful a bit posh restaurant with great food. Well we were both starving so maybe that will misguided our judgment but I don’t think so as the fried pecorino with pear was a starter from heaven, better than my antipasto di mare of tuna and sword fish but the secondi of pork was sooo delicious that I did not want to ruin the taste on my tongue with dessert and therefore I just savored the taste and slightly balanced it with white wine. Afterwards was time for walk of sightseeing and shopping. So we started in the cathedral of Lucca what is made of marble and has amazing ceiling paintings as well as crypt of lady who was first wife of ruler of Lucca which was made from marble of course and it was life like as if she will get up any minute form afternoon nap. Then we had to made emergency stop at pasticceria due the rumble in belly what I had to attend quiet fast. Then up to the tower to see Lucca from above under the trees , yes trees on the top of tower, what were there apparently because they made tower higher that other towers. Anyhow I could imagine to have cup of tea or coffee there in the summer if someone would be able to bring it up without getting cold. Eventually we got to the shoe shop and I was trying the colorful leather shoes made in Italy and bough the pair I want but then had a bit of doubt due the size of the shoes and not wearing the proper socks so we purchased some socks in the store next door and came back to try one smaller size to make me sure that I have the correct one. All done and we went to some food shopping as it was time to support the supermercado not only restaurants as I was told to behave since we could meet daughters with their Dad as they shopping in the same place but we had not met anyone and went home as well as clear small misunderstanding in the car as I misinterpret one detail, which caused the brow eye girl shed a tear, which break my hearth to see. Gladly we cleared this issue and moved on as well as promised that no matter what we always tell each other  everything to clear the things before they could become any issue. I was glad that we did that as the dynamics already shifted to another level and I felt that we grew closer and more intimate.  Home made food a bit of drink and evening can start with movie and sofa  😊

              Today we hit the road to the mountains to do proper tour of Tuscany on the hills and stopped at some villages and attractions that it was amazing see them and also see them in the sunshine. First was Devils bridge Ponte della Maddalena which is lovely tall bridge across the river what was made by devil in exchange for soul of first trespasser, the builder let the first trespasser be a pig so the devil was cheated out of his plan. Nice place in the middle of the Tuscany hills, good to see and took pictures. Then coffee at the petrol station and what a good coffee it was … hmm Italians know how to make good coffee. Then up the hills to Barga village for a view from the top of the village where is church and then nice local food in the local restaurant, what seems to be only one restaurant there, especially in the cold winter as summer is busy with tourists. Nice soup and pork with ham and French fries and lovely grappa. WE moved further to Fortezza di Verrucole what was unfortunately closed so we just enjoyed sunshine on the bench facing the hill and snooze for a while.  Then we moved to the Castelnuovo di Garfagnana what is big ish town in the hills where we had a coca cola to help digest our lunch and then as the sun descended we hit the mountain road to home. This road would be great to drive through in summer as you are in deep gorge / valley and the winding road is chiseled into the rock and there is no issue with finding falling rocks on the road. We stopped in one town which name I could not remember now… for Aperitivo in nice bar with atmosphere and I would imagine that this place is good starter for night out as the music was great and the atmosphere as well as people were cool and ready to party. Again another nice tower with winding internal staircase with partially finished façade cover in marble apparently with touch of Michelangelo. Then time to get home as tomorrow we are going to spa weekend in the hills and need to pack and sleep a bit more than previously as the drive is two hours from home. Hmm I’m using the word “home” describing the house of brow eyed girl as it was my home… feeling nice and warm, when I think of it. So we get home and instead of packing we had other plans as packing can be done in the morning, swim suit is easy to pack quickly.