Day 20 - Livorno, Pisa, and Lucca

We’re back in Italy. At least more familiar. Today MIL was paying a guide to show us around Pisa & Lucca. She met us where the shuttle buses dropped us off and had already purchased our bus fare and we made it to a train. About 30 minutes later we were standing in front of the leaning tower… and it’s still leaning – LOL! We talked about Galileo and gravity… took our pictures (isn’t it another universal truth that you take a goofy picture in front of the leaning tower?) and entered the Cathedral.

It was, as always huge… and beautiful. The guide pointed out that this was the same church & chandelier that got Galileo pondering the mysteries of physics with the pendulum of the chandelier. Doodlebug wanted to know if we could get it to swing again – LOL! Umm… no.

Back outside to the street venders, around the corner for a pizzetta or two and then Piazza del Cavalieri where DH’s grandfather had his office years ago when he taught opera at the University of Pisa… right next to the Church of St. Stefano where the crusaders were all “suited up” for battle against the Muslims in the Middle Ages. An interesting church since the décor on one side is armor/flags from those battles.

Another train and we were headed to Lucca, the only city that DIDN’T fall to the Medici/Florentine rule… and was “its own” place until Napoleon marched through and took over, and then gave it to his sister as a gift. Some gift. It’s really quite lovely, and peaceful. Their ‘ampitheatre” was turned into a strip mall of sorts and we ate lunch at a café in the same arena where people were presumably sent to their death. Still, the gelato was good .

Back through the streets, under “the wall” and we were making the journey back to Livorno and the ship. It’s a little sad and the kids were definitely “down” as they have TRULY enjoyed the cruise and the vacation as a whole. Packing was a BIG job as we had to have our “large bags” set outside our cabin before 11, but we were trying to pack everything we would need for the next 3 days in Florence as well as 2 days for the journey back home into 3 carry-on bags. No problem, right? LOL!

We made it through, picked up the kids from their last night at Camp Carnival, took them downstairs for their last free soft serve ice cream… and actually took them to the souvenir shop on board. DS1 chose a few postcards (he’s become quite the collector of postcards these last 3 weeks) and a deck of cards, Boo-Boo chose a “Fun Ship Freddy” stuffed toy, and each of the girls chose this pink stuffed monkey that has arms & legs with Velcro. Not sure WHY this monkey has captured their fancy, but I’ve heard about this monkey for more than a week now and while I’d figured out it wasn’t in Camp Carnival, I’d only JUST realized where they’d seen it. While it has little to do with the cruise ship, I have no doubt that they’ll remember they found it ON the ship and so it’s a “cruise” souvenir anyway and I purchased our photo from the first “elegant night”. :D