Pisa with the works

I'm writing this at three in the morning for some reason. My brain keeps thinking of all the mundanities of home life. It thinks it can do what it likes just because I can't get at it. Cheeky bugger.

Since I'm awake I guess instalment number 45 is due for publication.

I'm reminded of the extent of my insomnia every hour by the soft ring of the night-bells from the cathedral. I'd never thought of the need for night-bells. After a few score centuries I suppose somebody finally complained about the noise and a committee was formed to find a solution to the dreadful racket day-bells make during the still hours. Nice one Florence.

We woke in Pisa yesterday after a night on the best bed yet. The beds have been overly hard in Europe. Jane wanted to commute to Florence from Pisa after sleeping on that mattress. The breakfast was great too, in fact everything was great when one stays at a five star for a quarter of the going rate. They even gave us a room facing the Tower and Basilica. It's great to have the luxuries every now and then, though a bloody iron would help seal the deal.

The old town is surrounded by a wall of three different layers, each one of a different type of stone and construction. The castellations look like they were added as a fourth final touch.

We only had a few hours before driving to Florence so we payed 15 Euro each to walk up the tower. We were surrounded by Australians, of course, but we went up anyway. It was a very strange feeling to be in a toppling tower climbing well-worn (badly worn?) marble steps to the the bells. The bells, the bells... We were then shown the last little spiral staircase which led to a very narrow set of steps to the very top. Again with the steps but we couldn't resist the opportunity and our legs are ready to self-immolate after Cinque Terre.

I wanted to put some photos up of it all because the tower has been completely refurbished over the last few years. They are still finishing the fifth level.

But anyway, the feeling of being inside that thing had all my limit-switches clicking. It feels weird to be perfectly safe yet not feel it.

Pisa was a great stopover, I had wanted to explore the mountain regions but the days are counting down and since it's our first time here we feel it's only sensible to see the big sights (big sites?).

Our trip to Florence was in the rain up a narrow Autostrada (no verge at all). We had all the maps we needed and Jane's very useful brain (wish I had one) to navigate. The only problem was all the unmarked (on the map) one-way streets in Florence. Jane came close to a short-circuit on her motherboard after half an hour of stymied progress. She does well. It was a good joint effort, oh yes it was.

Wish she had helped me through Utah.

Florence is amazing. A huge shopping mall with ancient accouterments.

And lovely bells.

More tomorrow.

btw
The women on top the tower are shouting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oy, oy, oy"

P.S. see other blog for more pics