Europe 2012 Day 9, Italy - down day

July 21:

We decided I needed a "down day" on Saturday, so we took the train to Viareggio and went to the beach.  It was overcast and started to rain as we walked toward the beach.  But once we arrived at the beach, the rain stopped.  It was still quite warm out despite the clouds.

In Italy, most of the beaches require you to rent chairs and umbrellas to gain access to the beach.  We chose one and went in. We rented two lounge chairs that had individual head screens (cool little rotating screens that keep the sun off your face)  and went down to the water.  Laying on the beach, listening to the waves, feeling the warmth of the sun and gentle breeze was just what I needed to recuperate from all the travel (six planes in six days) and work from the week prior.

In Viareggio, if you stand in the sea (Ligurian) and look inland, you will see the Alpi Apuane mountains. The view was spectacular.  It so happened we were set up by the shower (to rinse off the sea water).  There was one perfectly formed man (in my and Leonardo's opinion) who went into the water and rinsed off often.  That view was spectacular as well. 

And then there was Bev's spectacular viewl:

Later in the afternoon, around 4 PM we decided we had enough sun, rest and relaxation.  So we went back to the train station and hopped a train to Pisa.  We asked at tourist information what was the best stop to get to the leaning tower.  She gave us a map and circled it.

When we arrived at the train station we were sure she told us to get off at, no one else left the train and the station was all but deserted.  We walked to the street and that too was deserted.  Bev mentioned us perhaps being lost.  I told her that I no longer believe in the word lost - especially when on vacation.  We just weren't quite following the original plan. And, I'm sure we were here for a reason.  There is something here we need to see or do. 

We came across a pedestrian.  I pulled out the map and asked him "dove?" (I love that word!) he actually pointed to a picture of the tower and told me to go straight and turn right.  So we wandered in the direction he pointed.  When we got to where we thought (as we translated Italian to English) he had said, "Don't head toward the parking sign. Turn right," I opened the map and looked at the street sign.  The street name wasn't on the map but I thought this was still the spot.  Suddenly, Bev said,"look," and pointed to the right.  Three blocks up was the tower.  We had definitely found the quick (and little known - so it seemed) way in and out of Pisa!