1st Day in Pisa (January 7th)

We are back from Sicily, and I have some updating to do! I'll try to get as much done as possible, especially since I have a really good internet connection here in Pisa.

On the 7th, we had to leave San Gimignano and take the bus to Poggibonsi. From there, we took the train from Poggibonsi to Empoli and then from Empoli to Pisa. With all of these connections to make, we really thought the our biggest delay would be from trains and buses. We were wrong. The biggest issue came up when we arrived in Pisa at noon and then had to wait until 2 for the lady who runs the apartments that we are staying at to arrive and let us in. This delay was somewhat annoying, but in the end, it worked out great.

While waiting, we decided to buy some additional airtime for our SIM card. Sadly, the store tricked us and sold us generic airtime instead of WIND airtime. It is still usable, but it is essentially a calling card. It is much more difficult to use than what we wanted.

We also got in touch with Massimiliano, whom we were meeting for dinner and gaming later that night. We contemplated leaving our luggage at the train station (for a 3 euro per bag fee) but decided to just wait around until 2. At 2, we dropped off our luggage in the room and booked it to the Piazza dei Miracoli. This piazza, billed as one of the most beautiful in the world by Lonely Planet, contains the Leaning Tower, a beautiful cathedral, and a battistero. On a side note, I suspect that Italy contains all of the world's most beautiful piazzas.


At the piazza, we were incredibly lucky and we booked the next time slot to climb up the tower! The price was 15 euros, and we had considered not climbing it. But, the weather was nice for once, and I know that actually touching and climbing these awesome sights enhances the overall experience and helps you to remember it much more than if you just took a picture and left.

It was worth it. The view from the top of the tower was spectacular and you could feel the lean as you climbed the steps.


After leaving the tower, we entered the cathedral and had a look around before heading back to the apartment.


We met Massimiliano around 6 pm and he took us to a grocery store to pickup dinner and some other items. At the supermarket, they had this really cool time-saving device. All you had to do was scan each item as you put it into your shopping cart. Then, when you checked out, you simply gave the scanner to the person at the cash register. The whole plan involves trust, but I would love to see stores back at home implementing this.

We had chicken, potatoes, a green leaf vegetable, and some fried corn meal patties for dinner. Sorry Max, I forgot the names of those last two items. Then, Max invited friends over and we played Sushizock im Gockelwock and Robo-Rally. It was an excellent time! Max is very knowledgeable about Italian culture (history, language, food, etc) and his English is excellent. We learned a great deal that night. After gaming, we left our luggage at Mass's house and he drove us back to our apartment. The next day, we would fly to Palermo and then take the train to Catania.

And, let this be the first of many THANK YOUs to Massimiliano. Your hospitality was greatly appreciated and we had an excellent time gaming and talking with you!