Saturday 24 May 2003

Another Hot Sunny Day

Following another slow start to the day, we were about ready to leave for Lucca at 12:30. After two false starts, we finally get underway about 1pm on the right road. We drove up into the mountains to some super views. Tom especially liked the long tunnels through the mountains because they had their own names; he thought this was very civilised.

On reaching Lucca, we followed signs for the Tourist Information Office and parked up outside. Inside, we hired a tandem bike for riding around the walls, bought a map and a got a recommended luncheon destination. We had to move the car outside the city walls and then walked back inside to pick up our alternative transport for the afternoon. After a little shaky start we were soon in tandem and sailing along the top of the city walls. Tom decided that we should cycle around the city (we had been around the raised walls twice) which was OK until we encountered other life forms (cars, bikes, pedestrians, corners – need I go on...) where I felt it was necessary to close my eyes! Feeling a little peckish and having seem most of the city from the back of our bicycle made for two we stopped to get out the city map to find our way to the luncheon destination recommended to us by the Tourist Office. Three American girls approached us to ask where we had hired our bike from; we gave them lengthy directions and one of them said, “Y’all on your honeymoon?” In the course of chatting about our wedding, Tom noticed that we were standing about 4 shops away from a different bike-hire place. How we all chuckled.

By the time we returned the tandem after having toured the city again, all the restaurants were closed. Apparently, Italian lunchtimes do not last all day, just from noon until around half two. We eventually ate at a place called Chicco's, where we had gnocchi and a house salad. Then we had another perfect cappuccino, plus delicious biscuits, at Patisserie Lasquinelli around the corner. We window shopped for a while, in no particular rush to go home and then called in again at Patisserie Lasquinelli for a slice of pizza for Tom's tea and a bag full of delicious biscotti. The pizza turned out to be the best pizza in Christendom, according to Tom; I opted for olives, bread, tomatoes and breadsticks to accompany a very nice Chianti I had purchased. Fruit and biscuits were followed by honeymooning activities.

Now Tom has spots all over his chest too, so either we both have heat rash (or measles) or we are both allergic to married life!