Pisa...not so bene

Not to be a "debbie downer" but our day in Pisa was less than a success.

After leaving our B&B, buying our bus tickets and arriving at the train station

we realized we didn't have our pre-paid train tickets with us.

Okay, so no biggie.

We'll ride the circuit around back to our hotel.

An hour and a half later we are still on that same blasted bus.

But that's not gonna get us down...no siree-bob!

We finally make our way back to the train station, this time with our tickets.

Little did we know that there are several different trains, some with more direct routes, to Pisa.

We somehow pick the slowest one with the most stops.

Oh well, C'est la vie.

We excited just to be on our way to see the tower!

Finally, we have arrived!!

5 minutes after the picture above was taken the rain started.

Our spirits are getting a little dampened at this point, literally.

But you can't keep a good man (or gal) down!

We headed over to climb the famous tower. 

Well, wouldn't you guess it?

You have to buy your tickets to climb the tower in advance

and the next available time isn't for another 4 hours.

Well, rats!

But still, I mean, we're in Pisa, Italy.

Marveling at this famous building.

How bad could things really get?

Up next, how about some good 'ol home cookin' from McDonald's?

Now that our tummies are smiling, we decide to make our way back to Florence.

Only, there are zero, zip, nada taxis in sight.

Anywhere.

After asking a few different people we find out

the taxis stop running at a certain time here in lovely Pisa.

Ok, no biggie.

We'll just take a bus...only there are no tickets to be found anywhere.

So we decide to chance getting a fine and ride without tickets.

(sometimes they check for tickets here and sometimes they don't)

Almost an hour later we are still waiting for a bus.

And the crowd of tired tourists and vendors is swelling by the minute.

Will we even make it on this train at all?

We probably could have walked to the train terminal by now.

Finally we see the bus coming and we push our way through the crowds to secure our standing

room only spot.

Hey, at least we got on, right?

Exhaused and wet we get back to Florence when the rain that was in Pisa

catches up with us.

Thankfully, we got a proverbial bone thrown to us in the form of a local restaurant

with the best dinner we've had all trip.

Thank you LORD!

...what...a...day...