Pisa

Today we went to Pisa. This time, “train” meant “train” and it was about an hour to Pisa from Florence. We took a cab to the tower, made our reservations, then shopped along the hundreds of small stalls around the area.

We went inside the cathedral and looked around, noting a few dead bodies and bones (see pictures below). Danielle was not dressed appropriately enough – her shorts were too short (no thighs and no shoulders is the rule) – and the guards gave her a blue paper smock to wear when she entered. It was hilarious for Cristina and I, but I’m not sure Danielle thought it was as funny. The smock only covered about four inches more than her shorts did anyways.

We couldn’t have picked a better day to visit Pisa. It was very clear and sunny. Seeing the leaning tower made me very glad, and climbing up it made me even gladder. Is that a word? Anyways, we climbed up to the very top, and it was a breeze, since we’re already used to climbing hundreds of stairs every day. Many people had to stop and rest, but not us! They led us to a section most of the way to the top and we got to look around, then we were led up to the very top. It was so weird to climb this tower. When we were going up, we felt like we were going down, and when we were going down, we felt like we were either walking perpendicular to the ground or climbing up. At the top, Danielle (who is afraid of heights) stayed up there just long enough to snap a few pictures and went back down.

After the tower, we took a horse & carriage ride through Pisa , then taxied back to the train station. When we were back in Florence, we had dinner at a Chinese restaurant by the train station. It was very weird, but good. Not what we are used to calling “Chinese food” but it wasn’t pasta and we were grateful.

Please enjoy the pictures – even now I can’t believe that I was just there. I have been sick the past two days and I’m exhausted…the girls are going out but I’m going to hang around tonight and try to get some rest.



My first picture of the leaning tower of pisa!




The babtistery and the cathedral.






yes, it really does lean!



Danielle's smock.


Some dead saint. Creepy.



Skull & crossbones of some dead nun. Creepier.



Ah yes. You can't leave without one of these pictures.


Cristina.


Danielle.



Climbing up the stairs...






More stairs to the top...




Pisa, from the top of the tower.


Some of those treacherous stairs.


Danielle bailed after about 15 seconds.


Down in the center.









At the top of the leaning tower of pisa.


Coming out. I was leaning but the stairs weren't. Weird.



The horsey that took us on our carriage ride.