Lucca

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Off to the market in Lucca this morning to stock up on fresh food, we’re being adventurous and trying new veggies, even the kids.
While we’re so close (1hr round trip) we take a detour to Pisa. Hundreds of people trying to do the ‘holding up the tower’ photo (which we also tried), the town walls lined with souvenir stalls (as expected) and dozens of Africans holding trinkets, watches and handbags to sell. But I wasn’t really expecting anything else. So we had a picnic on the side steps of the church and took in the interesting buildings before heading back to Lucca.
Now this is a great town. Surrounded by fortified walls with no cars allowed, it’s busy but quite peaceful. Lucca in its day was a more prosperous town than Florence, the buildings and villas ooze opulence and wealth.
We hired some bikes to ride around the garden pathways on the towns’ wall. I love riding on these flat paths with the wind rushing through your hair (though I'm not riding that fast) they don't wear helmets at all in France or Italy and only pedestrians to maneuver around (and Darcy as he cuts in front).

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Photos

Pisa
Obviously! (All of the photos have to have a title)

Duomo at Pisa
really ornate too.

The mummy up close-grotesque
She was the wife of a Lord of Lucca

Deli in Lucca
Darren's idea of heaven