headed for lucca, neatly enclosed within 4km of city walls. agreed with RG’s verdict that it was 'quiet without being dull.' climbed up the torre delle ore (clock tower, 207 steps) for panoramic view of the city (€3,50). should have gone up torre guinigi instead which offered the same views in the shade of an ancient holm oak.
saw san michele in toro’s exquisite façade topped by the titular saint as well as the 'severely asymmetric façade' of duomo di san martino, which housed civitali’s tempietto, a gilt and marble octagon.
lunch at buca di sant’antonio (since 1782). had cold rabbit salad and roasted goat (capretto). former tasted of chicken, latter quite good if dry in parts. dessert of doughnut in chocolate sauce (which sounded better than it tasted) and coffee. E had vol au vent (aubergine and salmon) and gnocchi (oof, heavy) and A had the tripe and veal shank. service fluctuated depending on the waiter. came to 108.
after 2 hour lunch, headed to pisa’s galileo galilei airport to pick up W. blamed road signs for our being late, including a right turn announced by an aeroporto sign just before it with no other prior indications.
pisa was another blank from 12 years ago. after parking in a residents-only blue lot, headed for campo dei miracoli. the leaning tower was once again open for admission but the price was steep (15) and one had to book ahead. the duomo is an ‘archetype of the pisan-romanesque style.’ the huge interior, filled with high arches and, unusually, light, featured a pulpit by giovanni pisano, with exquisite sculpting.
dinner was back in rufina, at the only restaurant still open, il retrovo. (the other joint, take-out pizza, was reportedly not up to scratch. 'like sbarro.') had half a cappricciosa pizza, which was a little on the salty side. 45 for 4.