Tuscany Heat, City Wanderings, and What Comes Next

Let’s catch up a bit on how my vacation has been going. Last time I wrote, we had just arrived in Tuscany—and let me tell you, it was a heart-warming experience. And I mean that quite literally. The heat was something else, and at times it felt like we were melting away. Luckily, we had a pool, plenty of ice, and some fans to save us from total defeat.

But despite the heat, Tuscany was wonderful. We managed to see quite a few cities, and each of them was special in its own way.

The first city we explored was San Gimignano, an old town that seemed perfectly built for summer. The narrow streets offered shade, and a light breeze made walking around surprisingly pleasant. What made it even more charming was the fact that cars weren’t allowed in the city—unless you had a very special license. Not even the locals could drive in. Instead, the city had huge parking lots at its entrances. The result? A city that felt calm, relaxed, and almost like stepping back in time.

Next, we went to Lucca, a city not too far from Pisa. If you enjoy architecture, this is the place for you. Lucca was designed like a fortress and is still surrounded by massive city walls. It also had no shortage of beautiful cathedrals, each one worth a stop.

And then, of course, there’s Pisa. You can’t visit the region and not see the famous leaning tower. Naturally, we gave in to the cliché and took the classic tourist photos of “holding up” the tower. Sometimes, you just have to.

Of course, no vacation of mine goes by without something happening. The day after our Pisa trip, our vacation home—and in fact, the entire village—suddenly lost power. And just as we were in the middle of making dinner, too. For a while, everything stopped, but eventually, the lights came back, and life continued as usual.

Sadly, every trip has to end at some point. On our last day in Tuscany, we visited a place that’s very special to us. I’ll keep the details private, but I can say that it was the perfect ending to our time in Italy.

As I’m writing this, though, the story doesn’t stop here. I’m already on my next adventure: the annual trip to Sweden. This time, however, it’s completely different from before. I’m traveling alone, at least for a while—and here’s the kicker: I’m doing it with my bike. But more on that in the next post…