We'd asked Alessandro our host via email whether we could leave our suitcases behind while Eric went for his dental appointment. However when we'd arrived home after eating the best steak in the world the house / monastery was in darkness. I'd been relieved however that he'd kindly taken our clothes off the line. I checked my emails at night and in the morning but no permission had been granted and when I bumped into him during my exit from the bathroom he said have a pleasant remainder of your holiday.
That seemed pretty final so we continued packing and to save time had some of our cocopops and nutrigrain for breakfast. In our naivety we'd never noticed that the bus stop we caught to the city centre wasn't called Faentina ( only our hop off fermata was) but Il Cinto of course I'd googled directions to the dentist that didn't match.
Desperately i tried to reaccess the wifi whilst outside the monastery's enormous timber doors but they were too thick and we were doomed. I knew that it wasn't far from the station so we caught the bus to Stazione Centrale and then looked for a non tourist in a state of panic. We only had 25 minutes to get to the dentist.
Two men stood having a heated conversation in Italian so I politely asked for directions to the dentist. We were only two streets to the right away, so off we went pushing or pulling our suitcases along the cobbled streets. The second via to the right was actually the leather markets so it was really a must see area.
Gargoyles adorned the ancient door at the doctors we rapped on the door but no one answered so Eric asked at the wine cellar next door in the meantime I realised that one pulls the dragons head and a buzzer rings and the door pops open.
The wine seller, a bored looking woman in her tracksuit whose face belied her kindness took it upon herself to guide us in. She led us to a minuscule lift and all three of us got in , suitcases and all. It was too cramped for breathing!
We got off at reception and bid her goodbye then went to the waiting room.
Eric slipped some covers onto his boots and was whisked off into the examination room. He soon came out with a quote for a root canal. I urged him to do it as it was much cheaper than in Australia. However he wanted to think about it as it's a huge step to take. We asked to settle the bill as he'd had an xray but we were told it was complimentary. Woah in our home country we'd have to pay for this !
Down the teeny elevator we went out into the cobbled streets. Our train was leaving in 2 hours so we went for an exploratory search for breakfast. We settled on a cafe which had a nook to store our suitcases and a real English style breakfast with eggs and toast. (Italians don't have eggs for breakfast just pastries - and they're skinny - go figure? ??)
I purchased our tickets using the machine then wanted to confirm with the attendant that I had interpreted the information correctly. While Eric guarded our coffers I stood in line as the attendant had what seemed to be a reunion with a long lost friend. A lot of hugging and handshaking -:no kissing, went on for 15 mins then the elderly gentleman infront of me asked his question.
During this time the attendant answered a phonecall waved to us cheerily and sauntered off. Freaking awesome, I felt so annoyed, there was no alternative but to go to the platform of my interpretation which luckily was correct. We had to change trains in Pisa ( no sign of the Leaning Tower) and soon we were at Torre del Lago Puccini where the famous composer was born and worked from.
Enrica our hostess came zooming around the corner in her little VW. We squeezed in and within minutes pulled up abruptly outside our new digs. It had been advertised as a room with a shared kitchen. However it was a granny flat with a shared wall. We had landed on our feet again! A large comfy bed, bathroom, kitchen and dining room with a patio shaded by a fragrant wisteria vine - i think we'll be very comfortable here.
Maurizio her husband soon came home and we conversed in English about our plans. It seemed Sienna was a no go as we should have done it while in Florence but we organised a trip to the Carara marble mines and a visit to a cave for Thursday or was it Friday, I actually have no concept of the days of the week or the time. So after we'd unpacked we went to the supermarket enroute to the marina. However we couldn't find the supermarket and ended up at a gelateria instead, between us we had 6 flavors, the only one I liked was fragola (strawberry ). Our hosts told us the beach was a twenty minute walk, one hour later we arrived. (Mind you we walk very slowly compared to Italians,) Eric pointed out that an elderly gentleman not only passed us but we then had to eat his dust as he sped past, soon he was on the distant horizon .
Cairns beaches are so beautiful compared to the beach here at Torre del Lago Puccini, there was about 400 metres of sand being farrowed by a tractor with people sunbathing in willy nilly spots. It looked like there was an irrigation system set up with lots of metal poles stick in the gondola. I later learnt that each quadrant is a seasonal spot that they hire for the summer season for €7000, at other places it is €30 000 per season. We however had brought our blanket which we'd liberated from Swisse Air, Eric stuck his toes in the water and declared it freddo!! Needing a bagno break we were forced to buy some water from an open bar, the staff were only there to prepare for the Easter festivities and we were a mere inconvenience in their world. Everyone was obsessed with either painting or sweeping.
Enrica had booked a restaurant down the road from us for our dinner, so we power walked along, this time we cut 15 minutes off our time. A kindly lady directed us to the COOP supermarket and we rapidly filled our trolley, paid and raced home. Only to be tempted by a green grocer along the way. Dressing in the glad rags we'd packed for our special night out whenever it might come, we went to Piccadilly. Eric's zuppa della Frutta de Mare was great but my food was pretty uninspiring. How I longed for my bistecca in Firenze! But I did love the ambience of our new temporary home, we came back to the aroma of wisteria filling the night sky!
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