Tuscany, Pisa and a new wheel shaft
Trip miles 2,696
The drive to the border took us through Tuscany and we
spent an enjoyable few days exploring lesser-known hilltop towns and
fortresses, many of which still sport the tall column towers built during the Middle
Ages to symbol the area’s wealth and prosperity.
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| Sunset at Lucignano |
The high clear skies and bright sunshine showed off the
gentle rolling hills dotted with poppy fields, olive groves and vineyards and many
fortified farmhouses were secretively tucked into the shaded groves of tall dark
cypress trees.
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| Monteriggioni town living |
A problem with Bertha’s front wheel caused us to stay in
the steep walled town of Certaldo for a repair. Typical of the hillside towns
it boasted a small circular centre on the crest of a hill which is nowadays
best reached by funicular but we puffed our way up the medieval cobbled slalom
of track that pitches nearly vertically
into the centre. Certaldo’s many tall red brick buildings wound in and around
themselves. Originally it had a number of towers along its high fortress walls but
was told to ‘lop them’ in retribution for a rebellion against Florence in the 15th century. Timeless Italian posturing!
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| The tall towers of San Gimignano from Certaldo's walls |
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| Life on a Tuscan town wall |
We enjoyed a cool glass of local white wine with bread and salty olive oil whilst pondering Bertha’s likely costs which
turned out the next day to be precisely (maybe suspiciously) 250 euros. We were
overcharged on the labour (but unsurprised) and amused by the daily life of the
garage’s smoke-filled office which revolved around an antiquated photo copier,
a fax machine, a ghastly coffeemaker that spat out millilitres of thick black
goo and a smelly communal loo. It was a relief to get the problem fixed and
back on the road.
Electing to use the fast, smooth and cheap toll roads we
quickly reached gorgeous Pisa on the Tuscan coast. This lovely city worked its
charm upon us once more and we wandered around the improbable and alluring
Piazza dei Miracoli admiring the world-famous leaning tower, cathedral and
baptistery.
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| Piazza dei Miracoli |
Along the banks of the Arno and passing Byron’s palatial
riverside mansion we returned to see what progress had been made of the
excavations to reveal the original Roman Citadel. The work was scheduled for
completion at our last visit in 2010 and despite new hoardings boasting of
billions of funding from the EU, the site is still fenced off and little
appears to have been done.
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| The Gothic Santa Maria della Spina church alongside the Arno |
We meandered for the day around the student quarter,
the main shopping boulevard and the many picturesque medieval piazzas which
include the wretched site of Udolfino’s incarceration and subsequent devouring
of his own children, as recorded in Dante’s Inferno.
Pisa captured our hearts
once again as our favourite place to visit in Italy.
The fast toll roads got us to the French border with a
final stop at San Remo to admire the start of the season for the sparkling
Italian Riviera.
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| The growing hills above San Remo |
An old favourite, the Billa supermarket at San Remo,
meant we could stock up on Italian treats of cheeses, prosciutto, sundried
tomatoes and jars of pesto as we crossed the penultimate border of our journey. Arrivederci Italia et Bonjour La Belle!
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| San Remo aire with a sea view |
