Our Adventure Begins

Traditionally, getting off a plane and coming out of the airport is usually followed by a pre-determined itinerary however, this wasn't the case when we arrived at Pisa International Airport yesterday at 5:08pm. We stepped outside and I felt an overwhelming sense of adventure as I looked around for our next mode of transport with absolutely no agenda in mind. Everything was a mystery. Finding what bus to get, figuring out where to alight and then trying to navigate our way through an unfamiliar city in search of a decent place to stay for the night was a welcomed challenge. Our first search was actually much easier than I had anticipated after a simple look through a list of cheap places to stay we decided that Albergo Serena would be the best option and also the closest. We arrive at the hotel at around 6:20 and were greeted by a man standing at the top of a winding staircase shouting "ello". We accepted his offer of 40 euros for the night and were guided to our room. My first thoughts were slightly reminisce of the bate's motel (imagine an Italian version) and surprised by how large the room was with extremely high ceilings and a long narrow window with shutters overlooking a small cobbled street. The sound of birds chirping was also mixed with Pisans riding scooters everywhere. Once settled, we decided to visit the Torre Pendente (the leaning tower of Pisa) to see it lit up at night. It was one of those priceless moments where you have to stop to take it all in. It was almost too much to comprehend... one of the world's most famous landmarks right there in front of me. We marveled at the bad Italian engineering for a while before resting at the nearest trattoria pizzaria for some authentic Italian food. I said grazzie for the first time and have been told by Ali on several occasions that I'm overusing the word. Pisa was much quieter and smaller than I thought but enjoyed the lack of bothersome tourists. Today we had breakfast and meandered through the small cobbled streets that all seem to be linked by grand piazza's and churches. I ate the nicest gelatto before climbing 300 steps to the top of the Torre Pendente for an immensely rewarding view of the city from 60 meters above ground. Now it's off to Venice where I hope the search for a suitable hotel is as easy as it was last night.
çiao for now.