Italy trip: Pisa and Florence

Leaning Tower

31 May 2012

Woke up early to catch train to Pisa Centrale station at 7am.  Second class ticket cost us usd 28.5 per pax, we have bought all our tickets earlier online at italiarail.com (which a bit expensive as they are travel agent but the navigation on the web is much easier compared to trenitalia.it ) The journey should be 2 hrs 30 mins but we arrived late (the train stop couple of time for long period due to some problem).

As we already late, we have limited time at Pisa. Nasib baik ticket from Pisa to Florence is an open ticket. As such the time is more flexible. You may hop in the train at any time as long as at the same day.

Put our luggage at the station (1 bag €4 ), bought €1 map and we walk towards the Leaning Tower for 25 mins.

The whole area called Field of Miracle whereby 3 historic building are next to each other : Grand Romanesque Cathedral, Campo Santo and The Leaming Tower.

Our original plan was to go inside the leaning tower (€15) and climb the 294 stairs but we don't have much time and the queue was long.

Florence from Piazza Michaelangelo

Back to train station, pick up our bag, validate our ticket at the green and white box and off we go to Firenze (Florence) Santa Maria Novella Station. One hour journey cost us usd10 per pax for second class seat. Walk to our hotel and took a power nap. Tired.

Took map from the hotel and walk again heading Piazza Michaelangelo (tempat tertinggi di Florence). Boleh tahan menapak jauhnya dari hotel sebabnya tidak kejumpaan bas no12 itu. Menaiki tangga dgn sabarnya and finally the hard work is worth it. View kota Florence yg cantik. Terdapat juga patung David hasil karya Michaelangelo.

Jalan pulang menyusuri the old bridge along Arno river. Sepanjang jalan melihat-lihat bangunan bersejarah dan singgah di kedai kebab for dinner. Kedai bag kulit juga banyak di sini, buatan penduduk tempatan katanya.

Sedang melihat-lihat, saya di tegur oleh seseorang. Katanya kerana dia mendengar saya berbahasa seakan indonesia. Cerita punya cerita, menurutnya dia ada bersama-sama wartawan media dari Bernama TV yang meninggal dunia untuk misi kemanusiaan di Mogadishu, Somalia tahun lepas. Katanya sebuah klinik telah dibina atas nama beliau. Dia ingat nama beliau. Saya yang tidak ingat. Aneh kan, kami berjumpa di Itali.

Kota Florence adalah kota lama, penuh bangunan bersejarah dan agak santai.

Location : Sestiere Cannaregio, 49-53, 30121 Venice,