rambler409

rambler409

VT to Lucca

6/17/10: We and our tightly packed bags: one carry-on, one personal bag each, loaded into a Delta commuter from Burlington into the hubbub of JFK and and polyglot of nationalities and races and clothing styles heading all over the world.

For us a Boeing 767 from Gate 4 to Pisa, Italy. Quiet trip: 600 mph at 36,000 feet, outside temp, minus 65 F.

I asked the steward how he became bi-lingual (Italian and English) and he replied that he was a native of Venezuela (Spanish) with Middle eastern roots (Lebanon) and he spoke English, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, French, German and a few more assorted methods of communication.

Fly over the Alps, Mont Blanc, I think, and many other peaks, poking up through the clouds, over Torino and then out over the Ligurian Sea (Mediterranean), looking back along the Italian and French coasts, beautiful blue sky, white clouds, blue water, with boats visible as we glided smoothly into the tiny Pisa airport (smaller than Burlington it seems) past the port of Pisa and the orange-tiled roofs and poplars of the Tuscan landscape.

Passports stamped and I immediately lost my ATM card by forgetting the PIN and spent about 30 minutes communicating with the very helpful bank people in the bank upstairs who retrieved the card. However, so far it hasn't worked since, even with the right PIN.

Anyway, onto a bus and off to the Field of Miracles, where it is a miracle that the Leaning Tower has not fallen over squashing Euro and other world tourists into the piazza. It was a long wait for tickets so we took a stroll through the sunny square, tourists gawking, Frisbees flying below the doom. Had a gelato each and headed by bus for Lucca.

Arrived, found the hotel after walking with width of the walled city, rolling out wheeled suitcase, rattling over the medieval stones of the skinny streets. Back out for more strolling.

Lucca is beautiful, surrounded by a wall on top of which is now a wide, paved promenade that allows you views into the tiled and stuccoed buildings in the old city and the mountains and the rest of the city outside. Cyclists, strollers, runners, tourists and locals all strolling.

Off to dinner at Trattoria da Leo, run by two brothers in the old city. Nice food, great atmosphere, great desserts of tiramisu and gelato with hot peppers.

Staggered back tot he Hotel Melecchi, having met our goal of not falling asleep for more than few minutes at dinner and ready to adapt to the European sleeping schedule after having been up for 30-plus hours with very little sleep.