Towers, Walls and Confetti

Sparknotes version of this weekend: Pisa, Lucca, then Viareggio - 3 cities, 2 days.

Pisa: Got there and it was drizzling. Not that great of a city except for the Leaning Tower and the Church. When we saw it we were all like, "wooaahh it's actually leaning.." now this may sound like a dumb comment considering it's called "The Leaning Tower of Pisa" but it's far more impressive in person, so don't judge till you see it! Of course we all did our obnoxious tourist pictures holding up/kicking down/pushing the tower then quickly hopped on the next bus to Lucca.

Lucca: AAMMAAZZZINNGG has to be one of my favorite towns in Italy so far. Surrounded by a city wall this is one of the few cities that I've seen that actually has grass! This may not seem like that big of a deal, but it's a nice contrast to the cobblestone of Florence and Siena. Adorable little town, such a great "parent town". Fun shops, cafes, amazing restaurants, and gorgeous churches. There was a lack of night life but it was so pretty none of us cared. We also stayed in a hostel that was an old boarding school and made us feel like we were all at summer camp with 5 bunk beds.

Viareggio: The closest comparison to anything like Viareggio is a Marti Gras festival in New Orleans. Basically it consisted of a huge mob of people, dressed in very peculiar costumes and masks, and EVERYTHING was covered in confetti. We got to the main street where the parade was taking place and had to immediately stop complaining about the 15 euro entry fee once we saw the floats. They were nothing like I have ever scene. The floats, moved, played music, and some were towering over the 5 story buildings that lined the street. It was more spectacular than watching the Macy's Day Parade. Also, it was right on the beach so we got a nice view of the Mediterranean Sea.

It was a great first travel weekend, and even after the long train ride and a hot shower, we are still trying to get the confetti our hair..