Biking in the Rain

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After a mourning of dull Italian lessons, I decided to take a day trip to Lucca. I had read previously that it was the only Tuscan city left with city walls still in use. The walls provide a good view and I was looking for a nice relaxing day. I had woken up with a conjested head and runny nose plus I was still over tired. The day was gloom the minute I awoke. I was overtired, sick and annoyed that I had to go to school. So, by the time it reached 12:30 I was not really in the mood for such a trip, I just felt like going to bed. However, when you are in one of the most beautiful countries, there is no time to be sick or tired or cranky.

I headed for Santa Maria novella station and purchased my ticket to lucca for 5.10euros. I went by my self. I had offered my friends to go with me, But, I really just wanted to go by myself. Sometimes you need to be by your self, to think a bit and to bring yourself back to a balance. Being around people all the time can be tiring and annoying. If your always trying to please people, you never get the chance to please your self. After a hour and forty five min train ride and a little snooze, I arrived in Lucca. it was a small station. I purchased a rain proof map and began my mini adventure.

It was raining when I walked out, which was not a huge surprise as it always rains in Tuscany during the winter months. The station is on the out side of the city, so I had to walk to a main entry to enter the walled city. The walls were about 15 feet high in some areas and probably higher in others.I really wanted to get up on the walls, but first I wanted to rent a bike. The walls are about 4 km long and I really didn't want to walk that because I wanted to be back to the station by dark. So, I wandered through the city for an hour looking for bike shops. Everyone there was biking and seemed like the normal way to move about the city. However, the city was pretty dead. At first I only saw maybe 25 or 50 people. But, once I got to the other side of the city, there were more people walking and biking around and a few cars. The city is just mainly for pedestrians because it was banned of vehicles because of the narrow streets. At the other side of the city, I finally found a bike shop that rented bikes. There was a lot of bikes out side and inside. It was 2.50 an hour for each bike rented. The man in charge of the shop was very friendly and even gave me a lock for free. I had to give him my id before I could take the bike.

Once I was on my way, I begain biking all around the walls. It felt great. After being In a city for 3 weeks with out driving or going very fast, biking felt fantastic! The wind was blowing through my hair and I was smiling as the rain poured down! I felt like a child again! I was just doing whatever I wanted, I did not care who saw me because I would never see them again. It felt great just to please my self instead of me always pleaseing others! There were alot of people running and walking on the wall. It would be great to live in Lucca because you'd have your own personal track around your city. The view was very beautiful especially with the mountains in the background.

After cirling the walls a couple of times, I returned the bike and headed back home. I stopped on my way to the station to get a sandwich and a coke with pastry from a family owned bakery. I didn't understand them nor did they understand me, but I just pointed and tried my best attempt at a few Italian words. By the time I was back on the train it was seven o'clock. I tried eating my sandwich but it was too hard and stale so I just skipped that and ate the pastry with coke. Not very healthy, but sufficient. I got back home around 1045. I was soaked and frozen and I was soooo glad to see that my roommate and some friends were in the kitchen cooking supper. I was hungry!

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