My Ass is Freezing on the Beautiful White Marble

PA and I have agreed on many things, of late... Italy is fun, gelato is yummy, espresso is addictive, Italian men are overwhelmingly hot... but I think the one thing we agree on most strongly at the moment is that Zes was somehow destined to not make this trip with us. It is COLD here, and she would not have appreciated God's little meteorological thumbing of the nose.

That said, it is also beautiful. The whirlwind touring of Wednesday afternoon did not diminish the beauty of this city by any measure. Yesterday, we were on our own to scope out precious works of art, sample local gelato (yes, apparently there IS a difference between cities!), experience an Italian laundromat, and take a short beauty break. Today was Pisa, which... for all the pictures you've seen of a building that tilts and what's the big deal... was really kinda cool. Not to mention the church and the baptistery that are right next to it that you NEVER hear much at all about -- it's a new perspective on all of that, really. I felt similarly to how I did upon seeing Mt. Rushmore live and in person. You know what it's going to look like, but somehow, the experience of actually being there makes it altogether different.

On the down side, the clouds rolled in and the wind kicked up, and this was probably the coldest day we've had yet. On top of that, we just missed a shuttle bus that would take us back to our tour bus to come back to the hotel, and we were unaware that we'd arrived at the bus stop just exactly as the shift was due to change... so, yeah, our butts sat on those white marble bus benches for just over half an hour before we gave up and decided to walk. An unbeknownst adventure, as even the tour director wasn't sure how to get back to our bus on foot! It didn't take long, though, till we were safe and warm on our comfy big green bus, and back on the road.

Oh, and PA and I also got insulted by one of the Nigerian illegal immigrants who walk around selling fake Pradas and shit!! Yeah, the hilarity continues...

Dinner in Fiesole tonight, then on to Orvieto and Rome tomorrow morning... which means I'll have to pack after dinner. Better be careful how much wine I drink!!