Monday in Pisa Italy. Yesterday Roger and I awoke and had a quick continental breakfast with Jean-Marie and Michelle. We said farewell to his guests and started out for Dijon. I had found that a 10:30 a.m. train was leaving for Pisa by way of Lyon and Turino. An interesting turn was that the leg of the journey between Lyon and Turino was by bus. At first I thought it would be a mess, but the bus was modern and comfortable. We arrived in Turino after a 4 hour journey.

I boarded the train for Pisa at 7:05 p.m. and settled into a nice cozy compartment. During our trip south, I busied myself playing game after game of Sudoku and lost a track of time. At one point, I looked up to see that we were headed to Pisa along the coast of Italy. I looked up to see the Mediterrean Sea on my right! More than that, the full moon had risen and seemed to be lighting our way. We passed through many little towns along the way, through many tunnels and over small bridges. At one point, don't forget it was Sunday night, there was a huge fireworks display in the early evening. It thought it was nice of the Italians to welcome me that way! Don't you?

We arrived in Pisa Centrale at 11:30 at night. A quick cab ride, I was at the Hostel and asleep by 12:30 or so. This morning I was up and out at 8 a.m. The hostel I've found to stay in is 800 meters from the Leaning Tower, so I walked into the old city. Coming around a curve and looking in the distance, I saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa for the first time. It was a thrilling and overwelming sight!

Now it's around 11 a.m. and I am on the way to the train station to find out when the trains leave for Rome in the morning. I stumbled into this little cyber-cafe, and decided to catch up on my blogs. Once I return to the hostel this evening, I'll finish up the days events --- so, as always, stay TUNED!!

Click HERE to see where I am now.....

Pisa, 3 p.m. and back at the hostel. I've had a very interesting, enjoyable and educational aftenoon so far. After I posted the early part of this blog, I continued to the train station and found that there is an 8:55 a.m. train directly to Rome. I bought a 1st class voucher, needed in addition to my Eurail pass for 5 Euros, and headed back to the walled old city of Pisa. On the way, I figured out how to use my Europe cell phone as an alarm clock and got the phone number of a taxi company. I called just to be sure they spoke enough English or I spoke enough Italian to get a cab in the morning. Thankfully, they spoke a good deal of English. Hopefully the dispatcher in the morning will be just as good.

Once back in the old city, I thought it was time for a sit-down and a beer, so I walked into a "restorante" and found I needed to pay at the register for a beer. At the time, I was asked if I wanted to buy it at the bar, and I said I did. The beer cost 4 Euros and I gave the casher a 20 Euro bill. He gave me 6 Euros in change and we discussed the concept of "addition and subtraction". I pointed out that 20 Euros minus 4 Euros is 16 Euros. A couple of "no comprendi's" later, he gave me a 10. Lesson learned -- follow the money!!!

Once I had my beer in hand, I turned to walk outside and sitdown at table to enjoy the brew. Another employee of the bar, a woman this time, chased after me, telling me I had to stand at the bar. Afterall, I paid for a beer at the bar and if I wanted to sit, it would cost me extra!! OK, I got that and stood at the bar enjoying the drink and doing some people watching.

A fellow next to me was enjoying what appeared to be a small glass of wine and he had been given some peanuts to enjoy with his drink. When he left, I pointed to the peanuts and asked another woman behind the bar -- "OK??" She said "si si". Two peanuts later, the bartender, a guy, took the peanuts and when I asked for them he said "not with beer, only wine!" "But the lady said OK," I said, and he pointed out that "no, she's a-crazy!" So much for the peanuts. I shrugged my shoulders and laughed, and finished my beer. The bar tender starting talking to another co-worker in pretty rapid Italian. I heard the word Americano, but figured they were enjoying my ignorance and good nature. Or maybe they figured I was "a-crazy" too!!

'Til tomorrow in Roma --- Ciao!!