On the way to the coast: Lucca – Livorno and disaster averted

We sat at Hong Kong airport, awaiting our next flight We got there way too early and had time to kill that night We met two Pommie tourists who gave us some advice … when you get to Italy, Lucca’s very nice Today when we left Greve, headed for the coast We spent some time in Lucca but there was nothing much to boast ”Let’s head out to Livorno, a place I want to see That is where he was born and raised, my Modigliani” We drove around the city, in rain and looming dark Found a central hotel; right outside a handy park Went inside to check the room and the daily rate Returned to find beside our car il dodgo and his mate We should explain that we have a bright red number plate Which makes us easy to mark out as tasty foreign bait The dodgos scurried off as we approached the boot But we felt sick that we were nearly robbed of all our loot This ain’t no place for us, we said, and belted up the coast To stay at Marina di Massa, with a friendly Italian host