Today (6-15) was our first full day in Italy. We started the day in Pisa, where we landed last night. Our accommodations were sparse, but a nice shower, a clean bed, and a working A/C unit (and extra 50 cents) were all we needed.

After packing up, we made our way to a little cafe. Pastries, and coffee, and prosciutto, oh my! It’s going to be hard keeping kosher in Italy.
We had an entertainment as well, watching a gentleman balance a carry-on bag and his companion all on his tiny scooter. Satisfied in stomach and in heart, we headed towards the train station in Pisa.

A few twists and turns, and we learned all that we needed to about buying tickets, validating tickets, and using tickets to get on the train. We set “a top the train,” which is to say we sat in the upper berth, not on top of the train itself, that would have been dangerous. From there, we watched the countryside roll by as we made our way towards Lucca. We did manage to spot the famous leaning Tower, albeit briefly. We also saw ruins, presumably Roman, beautiful mountains, and people making their way to work in the various towns and cities along the way.

Once we arrived in Lucca, we met up with Rabbi Sara’s brother and sister-in-law. They took us into the walled part of the city, where most of the action happens. There, we met up with her parents. We enjoyed a mid-morning drink and took in the sights. There was a flea market set up with all sorts of art, and antiques, and other things. It was astonishing to see what sorts of things end up in a flea market in Italy as compared to the United States. At the same time, I could not help but wonder if some of those things just came from the Italian IKEA and were as ubiquitous in Italy as some of the things we see here are.

We did stop in one church to see what it had to offer, which was a lot. Art and artifacts from hundreds of years were all in one place. The main attraction, so to speak, was the not-preserved body of a Saint. Without making judgments about any other religion, it is safe to say that I am glad I do not share my workspace with a corpse.

We took a bit of a siesta (what’s Italian for siesta?) and then all got together for a lovely Father’s Day dinner. Among the highlights of the meal were broccoli flan, veal à la Lucca, and great conversation. For dessert, we had our second gelato fix of the day.

We retired to the Airbnb, which overlooks Lucca’s famous walls, and awaited tomorrow’s adventures.

Photos are of the train to Lucca, from inside the church, a different church, the view from the Airbnb, and the tower. Not sure I can write every day, but we will when we can.