Deiva Marina to Pisa

Wednesday and Thursday were planned as do nothing days, well apart from getting a couple of loads of washing done and a visit to the local minimarket for some basics. Both days started a little cloudy but the sun soon came out and with a pleasant breeze the washing was soon dry; thereafter just chilling and a bit of planning. Our programme was for us to go to Pisa next and as it's only just over an hour away we thought we'd get away early on Friday, get parked up and spend a few hours there, maybe staying overnight or maybe moving on. We decided we'd just see what transpired.

The camp site has what appears to be a quite busy small restaurant, it certainly seems popular with the “residents” so we thought we'd give it a try on our last night. Very friendly staff, including a waitress who wouldn't believe us when Terry asked for a birro grande, which was actually a litre. After a bit of banter it was reduced to a medium, and was very nice – Bren had cola, the bar not being very comprehensive and not stocking her favourites. A platter of mixed meats between us, shnitzel for Bren and ravioli for Terry then tira misalou (that right?) eventually as the waiter kept forgetting us! Very enjoyable though and we returned to a slightly desperate Jamie who we'd forgotten to take out before we left him.

Deiva to Pisa to Lucca - 85 miles

So Friday up early as planned and away by 9.15 straight onto the autostrade, then off into a services as Jamie was crying and wanted out – he's got a bit of an upset tummy and needed to poo. Then into Pisa where we'd got three parking areas to choose from, all a bit difficult to find. Numbers one and two were deserted and we didn't like the look of them either so sought out the third which was a tad further away from the centre and more expensive, but it was attended and secure and obviously where everybody else stayed. We payed for a longer stay, which turned out to be a mistake, it was possible to pay for just 6 hours which would have been quite long enough. You live and learn.

Ruined Roman gatehouse - Pisa

Guess?

Tower and Duomo

Not-Leaning Tower of Pisa

Baptistry - and yes, it leans too but the other way!

Everybody trying to get pictures holding it up - we chose a lamppost instead!

Taking Jamie with us we walked into the town, it was supposed to be 2km to the Tower but we didn't think it was quite that far after taking a short cut through the town. Most of Pisa's attractions are gathered together in one open space, the magnificent Duomo, Baptistry, museo and of course the world famous Leaning Tower. Obviously it was quite busy but again not overcrowded and we managed to view all we wanted quite easily, although we were not inclined to pay the somewhat steep entrance fees – we couldn't take Jamie in anyway. Instead we satisfied ourselves with photos and an ice-cream before having a little wander through the rest of the town in a general direction back to the van with a hot tired doggy who was still pooing wet ones.

Senior school, Pisa

Lunch then a decision; we'd need to pay more to stay overnight but as there was nothing else we wanted to see we thought we'd push on to Lucca, a nearby town recommended by Elaine our neighbour. We noted a couple of parking/overnighting spots so with TomTom fired up headed off. It was only half an hour away but the private parking we had chosen was full however the friendly owner directed us to the municipal parking which he said was fine and so it turned out to be. Plenty of room when we arrived but it did fill up later.

Cold drinks and a snooze then we gave up the idea of going into the town for the cooler evening and instead bought pizzas at a local place that had put leaflets around the parking. We felt it would be better to get up early again and explore before it got too hot.

We stayed at;

Lucca Municipal motorhome parking area. €10 for 24hrs, water and waste disposal.