lucca & pisa

1080p from Jodi Anderson on Vimeo.

i can't believe it has taken me so long to post more about italy.  i am not even half way through!!  once we got home we have been gone a lot and i haven't really been able to catch up!

we absolutely loved lucca and pisa.  our wonderful sister in law came up with the best plan for our second day in italy.  saturday morning we left early for the town lucca.  it is such a charming city.  we walked around for a bit taking in the churches, buildings and shopping!  paige had looked into to renting bikes.  so we grabbed a couple of bikes and rode around the city wall.  then the boys took off and biked from lucca to pisa through the beautiful tuscan side of italy!  paige and cute little ada (who was a trooper) took the train to pisa.

we met the boys at the leaning tower.  it is so crazy how far it leans.  ryan and i walked to the top.  i was terrified.  the older i get the more scared i get of heights.  pathetic.  and we hiked up so many towers in italy!  on my way down the leaning tower i nearly trampled everyone in my way.  i am such a baby.

the best part of our day was the bike ride back.  on the way back to lucca ryan and i rode the bikes back.  it was so amazing.  we biked on tiny roads with old italian women walking to their neighbors or out hanging laundry or just sitting on their porch enjoying the tuscan evening.  it seriously was amazing.

once we got to lucca we grabbed a gelato and headed back to bologna!

italian fact:
italians are crazy drivers.  cars, scooters, cyclists and pedestrians all share the rode.  bikes would pass cars.  there were no real lanes for anybody to drive in.  it was a little nerve racking at first, but then i got used to it.  i was amazed at how the cars expected bikes and people to just walk right in front of them.  i wonder how many accidents they have?