We boarded the train from Firenze SMN to Pisa around lunch time. Tsk! Got fined for not validating our train ticket.We were running to board the train on time... It did cross my mind to have our ticket validated while running but I didn't see a machine on the way so 'just went ahead... I didn't think that it was mandatory to validate the ticket... though we always did the last few days. Well, at least the fine was not too bad... Eur5.00 for all of us.
At Pisa, we left our luggage and bought a map at the station. Like many others, 'just visited the place to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, good to know that it's only walking distance from the central station.
A part of the walking path from Pisa Centrale to Piazza del Duomo was being renovated... Further down, we could still feel a good ambience, a street with shops and restaurants at both sides.. It's a busy street, but not so crowded with tourists walking... (or maybe because it was Good Friday.)Highlights:
Ponte Di Mezzo - one of the ancient bridge over Arno River at the heart of Pisa.
St Mary's Cathedral - also known as the Cathedral of Pisa... It's a splendind cathedral beside the leaning tower.
Leaning Tower of Pisa - the famous white marble bell tower of Pisa Cathedral. It was not really built to lean but it did even before its third story was finished. It was an embarassment for Pisans but come to think of it, Tower of Pisa gained it's popularity from it. It became famous for visitors of the tower to pose in front of it, pretending to hold it up at jaunty angle to stop it from falling. I grab the camera and did so for Mon and Justin. 
From where we were, Pisa was leaning to the left. My head literally ached, doing the same pose, for 15 minutes maybe. First, it took Mon longer to setup the camera, seemed trying to make it perfect for me, then when I saw the photo.. I said, "What!? It is supposed to be leaning... why did you make it look like straight?" So he tried again. When I looked at it, I said, "It doesn't look natural. Look at the bottom. And why did you make it lean to the right, should it be leaning on the left?" I posed again, and he tried another shot. Again it was leaning to the right... I said desperately, "Don't you know your left and right? The tower is leaning to the left.", pointing to him the tower and also showing him the shot that I made for them. And then he said, "I'm just pressured!!!" He probably tried it for more or less 10 shots of the same pose. "Hu!hu! I looked crazy doing the same pose for such a long time... Maybe, let's just have a walk and forget about it." Justin said, "I'll do it, Mum." Well, in fairness, Justin got it. When I remembered this scene... I can't help but smile. I felt like a child desperately trying to get it perfect... hehehe. I am being so silly, am I?
We walked around, bought a souvenir and take-away lasagne for dinner. We hadn't done the laundry for a few days, already running out of socks and undies, so we went to shop... only those things that we would need till we fly back to Melbourne. I asked the saleslady where to find them... I used the word "boys' undies".. the sales lady couldn't get what I meant. Then, I said 'brief', still they couldn't get it. Finally, I said, "underwear", and they understood me. 
We're back to Pisa Centrale... headin' to Milan, hoping to catch a train to Zurich. Otherwise, 'would stay there for a night.When we arrived at Milan, it was already late and we couldn't get anymore trip to Switzerland. The train station would close at 1:00 a.m. according to one of the guys we spoke with. Thanks to SYGIC Iphone Apps! Very useful and doesn't require any WIFI signal... It was a big help for us in searching for the phone numbers and addresses of nearby hotels. Most of them were already fully booked... But thank God, we're lucky to find one! The fate didn't let us down... we didn't have to sleep in cold night in the street outside the station.
More Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1982966686741.114067.1020438581
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