Here we go...
Day 7:
We woke up, packed up, and left Venice. This seems a simple thing to say, but the reality of leaving Venice with three kids, a small duffel, 3 little backpacks and a large pack and play is not easy, even when you are out before he crowds. Thankfully I had the stoller, which I loaded down with the pack and play and entering else it could handle. Lillian and Oliver were little helpful superstars taking charge of their little sister. We had to take 2 water buses to get to the car park, it took us a little over an hour, but we did it. We were out and on the road a little before 10, so we were even early!
We had a 4 hour ride ahead of us to get to the villa my Mum and Dad had rented out for a few weeks. Thank goodness my phone works here with 4G service, otherwise I would never have found the place! We made it here in 4 hours almost exactly, with a stop for a drink along the way. No one was interested in lunch, they were just excited to get to the villa and see other people!
It is located up a dirt hill on the slop of a hill, a lovely little 200 year old Italian farm house surrounded by olive trees, fruit orchards, and wine vines a little further afield. What could be more perfect? Well, it also has a pool, and a little park for Bronwyn, so it did get even more perfect. We spent the afternoon catching up with family; my mum and dad (Mimi and Popi) and my mums brother and wife (Jack and Colleen) and my dads sister and husband (Bobbie and Mike). We are all staying at the villa for the next week. The kids could be wait to get in the pool, and so in no time we were all relaxing. It really is a perfect spot.
Day 8:
We must really like the car because we were back in it the next day to tour around Pisa, it was about a 2 hour drive from the villa. We went with Jack and Colleen, as mum and dad had already been earlier. We left Bronwyn with Mimi, so she got a break from being dragged around from one monument to the next.
The leaning tower was the obvious draw here, so that is where we headed first. You can go up it now, so we bought tickets to do just that. There were a lot of people in this big open area surrounding the cathedral and tower. We had time for lunch before going up the tower. I am very sorry to say that this was the worst lunch experience we have had. The food came in waves, and mine never came. This was after we had moved to a different restaurant because the first one was so rude. But never mind.
The tower was great, a bit surreal when you walk up it, you feel a little tipsy the whole way up because your balance is changing as you go round the staircase. The view from the top is awesome, and it is fun to walk around the top and find the high point and the low point.
We also went into the cathedral before heading back home. What a beautiful cathedral. They make them so big! Definitely awe inspiring.
We decided to take the longer way home, by way of smaller winding roads instead of the autostrada. When you get off the big road then you really get to see Italy. We were headed to a town someone had recommended and we saw this awesome hilltop village in the distance. It got closer and closer and suddenly we realized that is where we are headed! So I found a parking spot spot and we walked into the town. What a cool spot it was. Unfortunately it was raining a bit and it was getting late so we didn't spend too long exploring. But we did stop for the best hot chocolate ever! It was so think and creamy, just what we needs on a cool rainy afternoon.
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