Thursday 15th September Today started out like any other shifting day. We had breakfast, packed up and waited for the taxi to arrive. This happened dead on time and we headed off for the carpark where we had been told, by firstly the chap at the information centre and secondly by the lady that showed us to our apartment. Well when we got to the car park our car wasn't where we had left it!! The taxi driver who could speak no English suddenly threw up his hands...

Wednesday 14th September Last day in Lucca and it's been a lovely place to stay. We have enjoyed this place so much. This morning we hired bikes mainly to do the wall. It's been so hot and walking 4.2kms didn't seem to be the right thing to do. The bikes from the information centre are not well maintained ( so there's a job for you Mike) and it took a few goes to get bikes that everything was secure on. The first little hill up to the top of the wall took som...

Tuesday 13 September 2011 A slightly late start this morning as we wanted to wait for the washing to finish so we could hang it out to dry before we left. Our little courtyard where the automatic machine is located is very enclosed - although open to the sky - and consequently there is not a lot of drying. This added to the fact that it is extremely humid makes getting the washing dry a bit of a hastle. We tend to bring it indoors at night and hang it in ...

SUNDAY AND MONDAY Sunday 11th September Last night we ate at a restaurant in the Piazza Del Malcontenti - we were happy! Bon Appetito! All the news today is about 9/11 - even though we can't speak Italian we get the message. Lucca is a lovely city and from whatever direction you approach it you are confronted by the city walls. The present walls are the forth perimeter defence system that the city has had down through the ages. In Roman times the city ...

Saturday 10th September This morning we went out for coffee and were told that there was a market on at the far end of town so off we walked and along the way stopped for coffee - €2 and was good. Finally got to the far end of town from where the apartment is and walked down through the longest market I have been to. It sort of followed the wall and there were lots of cheap stuff and Jannie was looking for linen. Found nothing and bought foccacia for l...