Pisa

So, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon on January 2nd, I arrived in Pisa. In reality, it was perfect, because really, Pisa has a few hours worth of things to look at. I'm pretty happy I decided just to do the afternoon here and not an overnighter. It was the perfect amount of time to appreciate it and see a bit of it's dirty side.

Pisa Centrale! The train station where I landed. Here I bought a bus ticket that would take me to the Leaning Tower, which conveniently also has the rest of the big sites in the Field of Miracles. Rick Steves' Italy, the handy book I got from Alice, my wonderful boss in Edmonton, told me to walk there and take the bus back. I broke all the rules in Pisa.

A fountain at the station

Entrance to the Field of Miracles (AKA tourist aisle)

 

 All Three! The Baptistry, Cathedral, and Leaning tower. Also, the green, green grass. This picture is one of the reasons I took the bus. I wanted to see everything while the sun was still blue and the sky was shining. Uh, I'm not going to fix that line, because I think it's a good representation of my current exhausted state. Allora. It was really amazing to walk through the arch, in the picture above, and bam! These three really beautiful buildings were gracing my eyes with their beauty.

Getting closer to the tower...

The dome of the Baptistry (See how I even got the names of everything for you this time?)

Clock on the wall of the square.

The Tower! (See here, it's leaning)

The Tower! (See here, it's the the land that's crooked!)

I strongly felt the need to take a fun picture, because all around me there were people getting ones done that looked like they were either holding it up, leaning on it or other hilarious poses. At first I didn't notice the cameras, and I was like, "Why is everyone standing around like they've been hit on the head?"

Then I remembered where I was.

People chilling by the back door. These doors are mentioned in my handy book. They are bronze and they are fakes but they are still old and they are a story of Jesus. That's what the book says in many more words.

A look up at the Cathedral on the way to the bathroom. It was a good thing I needed to find the bathroom, because I ended up on the other side of all these building. Did them full circle. They really are beautiful, and the bricks, laid whitewith grey with off white, make them all look so elegant and graceful and light, but really, the tower weighs 14 thousand tonnes.

Ah, the grace. Also, the tower was started in 1173, and after give or take 200 years and three architects, it was finished. It was leaning from the beginning and they've just always kept building and kept trying to fix it and that has been it's life. It's constantly broken life. I'm not sure, but I assume it has never even been used for it's intended purpose. It is a bell tower, but if they rang a bell in this sucker I'm sure it's tilt would either increase or become nothing as it hit the ground.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral

The Baptristy (And my perfect timing)

Cathedral. I headed in here, but none of the picture I snuck came out. It was really stunning and had a great Nativity Scene, as they all do this time of year. However, this was when I realized the cotton in my ears was inhibiting my ability to experience the way a huge Cathedral sounds. I was a little sick from running around in the rain with Kira and the Italian folks in Rome...

The other tourists and some apartment buildings. There was also the best display of solid merchandise booths I have seen so far.

Above the door of the Baptistry

Doors of the Cathedral.

The detail. Oh, the detail! These are 3D doors we're talking, here.

 

The beautiful people and the beautiful sun. I have to keep mentioning this, because it was the only nice day I had on my trip.

Cathedral Full Frontal

View of the walls of the square

The tower as I left.

The dome with some wonderful Black Birds that were playing games.

The Base of the Tower. It was when this was built, just this, that they noticed the lean. But, why should that have stopped them?

Ha! Homer Vitruvius at the merch. stands. After the Fiel of Miracles, I decided to walk back to the station and see what I could see.

A house I decided I wanted.

Planning a wedding? Don't forget your Raybans! Oh, and your three piece dress and your slick Italian husband.

Another Church as I headed back. I loved how colourful this was!

What I think is a school

With more umbrella sellers taking a break next to some anti or pro (I can't tell) nuclear graffiti.

A yard I was perving on. They have a nice lit up box of Mary. As you'll find at random around this part of the world.

Aw, You believe in me! That's what this says. And it's fricken cute and you can't deny it. It then has the date 21/08/2004 in Roman Numerals. Fricken cute.

I took this picture for two reasons. One: Palm trees. Check those babies out. Two: Agip. The local gas station.

I took this one pretty much just for Lisa. Chemical Pharmacy! The building was huge and fancy. You should apply for a winter post!

Trees of the neighbourhood

I was heading over the tracks right as the sun was looking rather lost behind those trees. It was just starting to get chilly. You see, I decided to walk back from the Field of Miracles instead of to. This way I would have time in case I got lost or ran out of sunshine. Which I did.

Dead rat! I am developing a small collection of these pictures.

Just before heading over the bridge.

From one ruin to another

View from the bank

It was right when I saw this that Alessandra, who was in Livorno, which is where Guido works, called. She knew I was going to be in Pisa this day, and Livorno is quite close. I actually went through the station on the way from Rome to Pisa. Anyways, it would be cutting it close if they came, since I wanted to hitch a train earlier than later, and Sarah had a bit of a flu, so we never saw each other. Which was ok. It was nice to have the week without the family and just on my own for a while.

A bridge and the canal.

More of the canal

A rusted out fridge in the canal. That puppy road the waves like no body's business

Old Man on a bike! I have always wanted a picture like this and it just accidentally happened. Oh, the magic of Pisa. Also, check out the lack of snow on the snow capped mountains.

Here's a game we can all play. Count the crosses!

I was quite tired, and in fact we still haden't decided, by the time I saw this church, if Alessandra was coming or not, so I didn't want to head to the station just yet. So, I went up to it.

It was so neat! All of the columbs tha tyou see are each different! They all came from scraps of other churches either being built or taken down.

Then I captured this:

A father and his son playing with a big red ball in the churchyard. I sat and watched for a while until I got cold and the call from Alessandra to say they wouldn't make it.

Then I stopped at a small grocery store, grabbed some dinner and breakfast and here is the last view and last picture I took in Pisa. The station!

I hopped on a 6 euro train from Pisa to Florence. They go about every twenty minutes. This was the worst train ride I have had to date. There was this horribly creepy guy sitting across from me. Now, at first, I didn't think this. We started talking and he told me that he was going to meet a girl in Florence, but he kept repeating that he was only allowed to kiss her on the cheek, not the lips. That's great. Good to know. He kept asking me what I was up to in Florence, and where I was from, and I understood him mostly, which I am starting to notice isn't always a good thing. Should have played the "Only English" card. Anyways, this is when he started calling me beautiful and kissing my hand. I recoiled and he backed off for a bit. He then started telling me why he didn't want to live in Pisa. You see, his friend takes needles. He doesn't. Trust me. He showed me his arms and everything to show that he wasn't taking drugs. No marks. Really. Which I congratulated him on, because really, this isn't why I disliked him. In fact, I was surprised not to see marks. Then he asked if I had a phone, which was a quick no, because the last thing I wanted to do was end up with my number in this guys pocket. Also, as I was drinking some of my chocolate milk, he asked if he could have a swig. What?! No! He was ok with that because I was beautiful, he said. Another kiss of the hand, and he sat back and just stared. Like. STARED. I cannot explain how strange and horrible it was. The whole hour trip he just stared at me. Not happy. Anyways, it was insanely uncomfortable, and as soon as we stopped in Florence, I was outta his sight. I watched him as he went into the crowd, asking people to borrow their phones so he could call this girl he was meeting. He had shown me her number. Something tells me they didn't really have plans, and that she didn't know he was going to try to see her.

But, got to Florence in one piece, took a while to find my hostel, but settled none the less. It was a lot cheaper and lot less frills than the one in Rome. The lady was very nice, and I had a clean cot and a bathroom. That's all I really wanted. By this time, I was coughing up a storm and my ears were ringing from the wind. I had some dinner, planned my next two days in Florence, and went to bed.

Real time update: Since you've just been reading about my trip, I'll give a little update on my current situation. There is no snow. I took the girls to the park yesterday and we played on the swings and with the dog. I've read the CBC article about how cold it is in Europe right now. Don't you worry, it's not here. And thank goodness, because there is no way that I came all the way here in order to avoid winter, just to have it follow me. There has been some major flooding in my area, which is what the worries are around here, but Urbino is on a hill, and therefore pretty safe from major flooding. Plus, is hasn't been raining for two days. Which is a nice break. It's been nice and I had tea at Canyon yesterday on the terrace. It was a little chilly, but I was content with my tea and scarf. It was my first walk into the centre since I got back, and it was great to be back in my town! I feel good here, and I loved to see familiar sites and familiar faces.

I've had dinner with Val and Andy, and while I was there we played with some modelling clay! They've dried now and I am going back to paint them on Wednesday. Also, I told them that I was going to cook this time! Any ideas? I would appreciate them.

I am also planning on heading out to Karaoke for the first time tomorrow night! I am pretty excited. I used to frequent karaoke in the city, and I miss it! I plan to invite Giorgia and Lucia and the Spanish girls in their dorms.

This New Year is looking pretty interesting, and I plan to spend more of it meeting more people and doing more activities out of the house! This week I have been pretty much housebound, because I was tired from the trip, and I've just felt like being inside. That's ok, I think. But, now I'm ready to hit the town! I feel much more confident in my Italian. Enough to go out and meet some more people. I shouldn't say confident. It's a funny thing, confidence. The better I get at Italian, the more afraid I am that I'm doing it wrong. Ha, people are always correcting me, but I always thank them!

Also, I wanted to thank Maureen and Janny for their cards! I got them before I took off for Rome. Also the calendar from Dez is already in good use and the Cds from Kristen full of Canadian music make my heart smile :)

Remember, tell me your favourite recipes, so I have something to cook on Wednesday night!