Everyone wants to see the leaning white tower, and it is an icon of not only a city, province or nation but of architects, scientists and Olive Garden coloring pages. Yet, there is so much more to Pisa than jumping off the train or bus, seeing the tower and then running back to your transport. So much more.
I asked a friend from history class on Thursday if she would want to join me to go to the beach at Pisa, she said yes, asked one of her roommates not taking the Venice trip to join us. We met at 6:45 to catch a fast train...but due to unforseen and unexplained ticket circumstances we spent an hour trying to sort out Meghan and Mary's tickets. Here is what we all learned. a) You have to have a physical ticket for REGIONAL (in Tuscany) trains for the ticket checker person to stamp, sign, look at. BUT you don't need it for fast or longer-haul trains to Milan or Rome. Even though the website says you don't need a physical printed ticket...you do for regional. MY TIP: just buy it at the train station when you get there. b) you have to VALIDATE your ticket in a little green and white box, that sits innocently on the wall with no sign or explanation. This has to be done BEFORE you get on the train, by inserting your ticket to the far left of the large slot. It is so you get a time and place signature on the ticket, so they know you were not doing something with fake tickets or not jumping from station to station to get better ticket deals.
But FINALLY we got the tickets printed, got on the 8:05 train and an hour later we had arrived in Pisa. I was so happy it was a Friday, because that meant that there were tourists but not as bad as say Saturday or even Sunday. So getting off the train meant that to walk to the tower was easy, with little to no crowds and see the tower was also easy with crowds but not swarms as we see in Florence by the Dumom or the Vatican in Rome. So we snapped some goofy photos. Walked to a small restaurant for lunch, I had a mushroom risotto, yum, a cup of coffee and some water. While Meghan and Mary chowed down on some pasta, and we all discussed our parent's, growing up, ethnic backgrounds and other little things. It was so nice to feel as if conversation was natural, comfortable, full of laughs and just three new friends getting to know one another without judgement or stiffness.
After lunch, which was a two hour occasion, we walked the riverside, took photographs and tracked down this AMAZING park in the city. Pisa, which many people don't expect or know, is a relatively small, walled city. So on the edge with the age and walls there are some beautiful features. For instance this park had the medieval walls, fragments of Roman walls, fountains, playground equipment and really friendly locals that used the green space for some peace. Though the city is not at all busy, chaotic, crowded, or heavy with traffic, it is always nice to have trees, birds, and a river nearby to remind us of our natural world.
We cut our park visit short to meet a couple of other students from the Art School I am attending. Jacob and Chris. Chris is in my history course so I already knew him, and Jacob meant meeting someone new. Which is one of my favorite things about travel. Once we got the guys we made our way to the beach...
The Beach? you ask! In Pisa?
Well sort of.
You have to go to the Marina Di Pisa, but this is a pretty easy task. Step 1 you locate the bus station that is pretty much right next to the train station. Step 2 find the Tabacchi next to the bus station and buy a €2 ticket to Marina Di Pisa. Step 3 find where the bus will pull up, there should be a sign and time schedule listed as well. Step 4, get on bus when it arrives. Step 5 validate your ticket in another little box ON the bus. Step 6 try to sit or stand as your bus driver drives like a mad man for fifteen minutes until you reach your destination. Step 7 try and decide which stop to get off at...you will have no idea. Then you will decide on one, that you can see the beach and ocean from this will work. BUT it is better to wait for a few more stops and get off by the sand at the Marina, rocks are not the most comfortable to hang out on. Step 8, if you get off far from the sand, walk and you will reach it, and it will be wonderful, except for having to go rock climbing to get to it. Just be careful, they're building a ramp for the next time you visit. Step 9, stake out your plot with towels and bags. Then you an hit the water, which is really calm because they built a rock barricade to help with not having such severe waves. You will be amazed at how clear the water is! You will be in up to your waste and be able to see your feet, minnows and if you climb on the rock barricade to the other side you might catch some star fish and sea urchins! Step 10 ENJOY the hell out of your afternoon/day/morning on the beach. Enjoy it because you're one of the ONLY Americans there on a Friday, the rest are locals, you don't have to pay like a Viareggio, the water is clear and a rich blue...and ladies if you are single, enjoy the men in Speedos, single guys enjoy the topless women.
We spent from about 2-7 at the beach, and didn't even realize. I spent some time in the water, but mostly enjoyed laying in the sand under my umbrella taking photos and resting my tired eyes, from only 4 hours of sleep. About 6:30 we realized we should try and buy a ticket from a Tabacchi and make it back to Pisa, in case the buses should end. About 8 we made it back to Pisa, we made our way to the leaning tower so Jacob and Chris could get some photos and see the darn thing. Since it was sunset this meant that I also got some really cool photos and with less tourists milling about it felt really calm. We then found a little eatery on our walk, they had Senza Glutine Penne, or Gluten-Free Penne for yours truly, and we all split a liter of house wine, which was AMAZING. Then we wandered back the the train station, stopped for some water at a kebab bar, and then caught the very slow, second to last train to Firenze, about midnight. I passed out until 10:30 today, Saturday, and have yet to get out of bed. My roommates and I are doing a tour of the Uffizi today with our program director, so I better get moving at some point.
CIAO!
I asked a friend from history class on Thursday if she would want to join me to go to the beach at Pisa, she said yes, asked one of her roommates not taking the Venice trip to join us. We met at 6:45 to catch a fast train...but due to unforseen and unexplained ticket circumstances we spent an hour trying to sort out Meghan and Mary's tickets. Here is what we all learned. a) You have to have a physical ticket for REGIONAL (in Tuscany) trains for the ticket checker person to stamp, sign, look at. BUT you don't need it for fast or longer-haul trains to Milan or Rome. Even though the website says you don't need a physical printed ticket...you do for regional. MY TIP: just buy it at the train station when you get there. b) you have to VALIDATE your ticket in a little green and white box, that sits innocently on the wall with no sign or explanation. This has to be done BEFORE you get on the train, by inserting your ticket to the far left of the large slot. It is so you get a time and place signature on the ticket, so they know you were not doing something with fake tickets or not jumping from station to station to get better ticket deals.
But FINALLY we got the tickets printed, got on the 8:05 train and an hour later we had arrived in Pisa. I was so happy it was a Friday, because that meant that there were tourists but not as bad as say Saturday or even Sunday. So getting off the train meant that to walk to the tower was easy, with little to no crowds and see the tower was also easy with crowds but not swarms as we see in Florence by the Dumom or the Vatican in Rome. So we snapped some goofy photos. Walked to a small restaurant for lunch, I had a mushroom risotto, yum, a cup of coffee and some water. While Meghan and Mary chowed down on some pasta, and we all discussed our parent's, growing up, ethnic backgrounds and other little things. It was so nice to feel as if conversation was natural, comfortable, full of laughs and just three new friends getting to know one another without judgement or stiffness.
After lunch, which was a two hour occasion, we walked the riverside, took photographs and tracked down this AMAZING park in the city. Pisa, which many people don't expect or know, is a relatively small, walled city. So on the edge with the age and walls there are some beautiful features. For instance this park had the medieval walls, fragments of Roman walls, fountains, playground equipment and really friendly locals that used the green space for some peace. Though the city is not at all busy, chaotic, crowded, or heavy with traffic, it is always nice to have trees, birds, and a river nearby to remind us of our natural world.
We cut our park visit short to meet a couple of other students from the Art School I am attending. Jacob and Chris. Chris is in my history course so I already knew him, and Jacob meant meeting someone new. Which is one of my favorite things about travel. Once we got the guys we made our way to the beach...
Well sort of.
You have to go to the Marina Di Pisa, but this is a pretty easy task. Step 1 you locate the bus station that is pretty much right next to the train station. Step 2 find the Tabacchi next to the bus station and buy a €2 ticket to Marina Di Pisa. Step 3 find where the bus will pull up, there should be a sign and time schedule listed as well. Step 4, get on bus when it arrives. Step 5 validate your ticket in another little box ON the bus. Step 6 try to sit or stand as your bus driver drives like a mad man for fifteen minutes until you reach your destination. Step 7 try and decide which stop to get off at...you will have no idea. Then you will decide on one, that you can see the beach and ocean from this will work. BUT it is better to wait for a few more stops and get off by the sand at the Marina, rocks are not the most comfortable to hang out on. Step 8, if you get off far from the sand, walk and you will reach it, and it will be wonderful, except for having to go rock climbing to get to it. Just be careful, they're building a ramp for the next time you visit. Step 9, stake out your plot with towels and bags. Then you an hit the water, which is really calm because they built a rock barricade to help with not having such severe waves. You will be amazed at how clear the water is! You will be in up to your waste and be able to see your feet, minnows and if you climb on the rock barricade to the other side you might catch some star fish and sea urchins! Step 10 ENJOY the hell out of your afternoon/day/morning on the beach. Enjoy it because you're one of the ONLY Americans there on a Friday, the rest are locals, you don't have to pay like a Viareggio, the water is clear and a rich blue...and ladies if you are single, enjoy the men in Speedos, single guys enjoy the topless women.
We spent from about 2-7 at the beach, and didn't even realize. I spent some time in the water, but mostly enjoyed laying in the sand under my umbrella taking photos and resting my tired eyes, from only 4 hours of sleep. About 6:30 we realized we should try and buy a ticket from a Tabacchi and make it back to Pisa, in case the buses should end. About 8 we made it back to Pisa, we made our way to the leaning tower so Jacob and Chris could get some photos and see the darn thing. Since it was sunset this meant that I also got some really cool photos and with less tourists milling about it felt really calm. We then found a little eatery on our walk, they had Senza Glutine Penne, or Gluten-Free Penne for yours truly, and we all split a liter of house wine, which was AMAZING. Then we wandered back the the train station, stopped for some water at a kebab bar, and then caught the very slow, second to last train to Firenze, about midnight. I passed out until 10:30 today, Saturday, and have yet to get out of bed. My roommates and I are doing a tour of the Uffizi today with our program director, so I better get moving at some point.
CIAO!
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