Florence to Pisa and Return

Was up before seven. Helen had breakfast with me in my room. Started at 8:30 for train with field glass, opera glass, parasol, Baedeker, phrase book, coat – and lunch. Helen went with us but left at the entrance when she found she had left her watch under her pillow. Went in, found that Cook’s man had made a mistake and that the train went at 8:45, not at 9:30. We were ten minutes too late – another train went at 12:00. We went to Cook’s but they denied they had made a mistake. We went home and I wrote 4 postals. We took No. 4 train when we went back – got outside seats by the window – a young Italian girl was on the train. I tried to talk with her. Met a young English woman on the train and asked her if she would like to ride up in carriage with us and share experiences. She stayed with us all the afternoon. She was very pleasant. We ate lunch on the train.



Went first to Duomo – then Battisterio*, then Campo Santa and then the Leaning Tower. We saw two babies being christened. There was an old crenulated wall running along aside the Battisterio with a lion at the corner. A tower in one part of the wall. The buildings stood in a great deal of green grass which made a beautiful background. The Campo Santo was most interesting. The frescoes on the wall of Death Triumphant, the Last Judgment and Hell were powerful – crude and most interesting. We looked at the tombs and monuments, then to the Tower. We climbed to the place where the bells were and the English lady went to the top. I am sorry I didn’t. Came down and went into the Battisterio and the guard gave a number of notes that awoke a marvelous echo. He did it several times – it sounded like the chords struck on an organ. Bought some postcards.

Got down in good time for the train – a young soldier was opposite us and I tried to get him to tell me about the line solders at the review but I couldn’t make him understand. It was a beautiful ride home. Got back at 8:40. Had dinner. Gave Maria a franc between us. Helen was moved to a quieter room upstairs.

* The Baptistry of St. John