ASIANOVERLAND.NET WINTER EUROPEAN DAY 7/180:   MONTE-CARLO TO FLORENCE, ITALY

“DAY 7, 18/12/80 PISA – FLORENCE"

Armed with Monaco hangovers, we take the beautiful coastal day drive to Italy along the Italian riviera, Genoa.

Pisa is our main tourist stop en route, before we hit the Red Garter Bar in Florence and “camp” in the main city square, Santa Croce, giving the locals an eyeful.

Nobody knows why Rule number 5 is -

“NO SEX ON THE BUS”,

but rules are made to be broken.

Pisa is a city and comune in Tuscany, straddling the Arno river, which we visit for its Leaning Tower of Pisa, a freestanding bell tower of the cathedral of Pisa, known worldwide for its five-degree lean, the result of unstable foundations.

The height of the tower is 55 metres from the ground on the low side and 56.67 metres on the high side. The width of the walls at the base is 2.44 m. The tower has 296 steps on the high side and 294 steps on the low side; the seventh floor has two fewer steps on the north-facing staircase. It’s a fun walk up.

The tower began to lean during construction in the 12th century, due to soft ground which could not properly support the structure's weight, and it worsened through the completion of construction in the 14th century. By 1980, the tilt reached 5 1⁄2 degrees.

The city is also home to the University of Pisa, which has a history going back to the 12th century.

We walk up to the top of the leaning tower, take a few photos, and get on the road again, because Florence awaits – not to see Michaelangelo’s David today, because the Acadamie is already closed, but to spend the night at the Red Garter Bar, drinking Zombies ….

The Trip Book records:

“Life in a Goldfish bowl.”

SANTA CROCE SQUARE CAMPING GROUND

After a night at the “Red Gutter” Inter was home for a few ZOMBIES the next morning.

Magnificent Dead Ants followed by a magnificent lead balloon led by “Wackas” - locals impressed by -

“What the matter you – hey!!!”

The driver held his end up admirably on 2 consecutive nights despite structural problems with his bunk.

Florentine street sweepers known to have enjoyed a “birds-eye view.”

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