Today our destination was Pisa!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

Our tour is officially over, but when we found out that we wouldn't be going to Pisa, we decided to see it on our own...

So here's some pics:

The famous Tower itself:


The Cathedral next door:


The builders of the various buildings weren't above stealing marble from old buildings to save on costs. Here's an example of some cannibalized marble in the church:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. thanks, Peggy!

these pictures go great with my morning coffee

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. You're so welcome, my dear Tuesday Afternoon!

How about that? You're having your morning coffee...........and it's mid-afternoon here in Italy!

[Lionel Mandrake]

3. Galileo supposedly performed an experiment here.

According to a biography, Galileo dropped two balls of different weight from the top of the tower and found that they both took the same amount of time to fall to the bottom. This result contradicted Aristotle, who had claimed that the heavier ball would fall faster.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Thank you for this fascinating tidbit of history, my dear Lionel Mandrake!

It isn't immediately obvious to me that the balls would fall at about the same rate of speed. But then, I don't know physics...

[femmocrat]

5. Wow, Peggy! That's a great photo!

weren't you tempted to take one of your husband trying to push it back into place? hehehe

Fascinating fact about their pilfering marble, too! They were very, uh... resourceful! Looks like you are having a wonderful tour.

Thanks for the photos!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Aw, thank you, my dear femmocrat!

Nah, we weren't tempted at all to do that............saw more than a few people doing it though!

It was so hot and humid that getting the pictures was about all I could do.

Quarrying marble is very hard work...I really can't blame the ancient folks for pilfering!

I am glad you're enjoying these!

[LeftofObama]

7. More beautiful pictures!

Thank you, CP!

Now that your vacation is officially over and before you leave treat yourself to lunch at the Olive Garden for some authentic Italian cuisine!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. My dear LeftofObama!

You are too funny!

Seriously though, once upon a time, I'll bet their cooking WAS authentic and Italian...Alas, those days are gone forever. They don't exist in Italy.



And thank you...

[MiddleFingerMom]

15. Better yet:

.
.
.
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stirring-pot-mcdonalds-serving-pasta-italy-6C10066307
.
.
.
Infamnia! McDonald’s Italy rolled out a new menu item featuring the country’s
most beloved culinary staple: pasta.

The fast-food giant is partnering with Italian pasta brand Barilla to serve a
pasta salad with tuna, tomatoes, peppers, capers and olives with a price of
4.90 euros. Roberto Masi, CEO of McDonald's Italy, said in a statement the new
offering was “responding to the tastes of the Italians.”
.
.
.
My dear CaliforniaPeggy -- thank you for taking the time and making the effort
to take us all along with you on your vacation. It's been fun!!!
.
.
.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. My dear MiddleFingerMom!

You know it's been no trouble at all to share my pictures with all of you...

It is my great joy.

Even though I'm far away from most of you, you are still important to me...

[Kali]

8. nice!

have you/are you going to any beaches? heat and humidity makes me dream of the shore...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. Thanks, Kali!

Nope, no beaches. I guess Pisa is near the coastline, but we didn't see any of that today...

[Kali]

13. and of course I momentarily forgot

you LIVE near one

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. That I do!

But I've never been a swimmer, esp. in the ocean...

There aren't any places to hang onto!

[Kali]

18. ...

[avebury]

10. CaliforniaPeggy - You take such wonderful pictures! nt

[CaliforniaPeggy]

12. Thank you, my dear avebury...

It's hard not to when everywhere you look you see beautiful things...

[struggle4progress]

17. Find about about their Pi. I'm usually not that interested in Pi, but I keeping hearing about Pisa's

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. My dear struggle4progress!

Huh?

[struggle4progress]

24. Pisa Pi. Some people have heated arguments over this

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. Ah, gotcha!

[struggle4progress]

26. Happy travels, and remember to practice safe eating!

[Blue_In_AK]

19. Nice, Peggy!

I didn't know you guys were out of the country.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. Ah, thanks, my dear Blue!

Now you do...

Glad you enjoyed!

[Blue_In_AK]

22. I've been kind of out of the loop.

Vacation, remodel, politics....it's all too much.

Did you see the link to our vacation photos? Finally got them posted last night. http://northernvisions.smugmug.com/Vacation/Southeast-Alaska/30371194_SgdM4F#!i=2616713183&k=vQVxSSV

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. I know you've been busy...

I will look at all your pictures shortly...

You do such a great job!

[bluedigger]

27. I thought this was going to be about food...

And where's the shot of you holding up the tower? You going soft on us?


Nice shots! Looks like you are having a great trip!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

29. My dear bluedigger!

Nope, not about food, lol!

It was just too damn hot and muggy for me to mug for the camera!

The tower is really impressive...

Our trip is now basically over, and we're on our way home...

[Locut0s]

28. Ahh Peggy, fantastic, is there still work being done on the tower?

When we were there several years ago they were doing work at the base of the tower to stabilize it for preservation. It's worth it just to see the tower even if it IS hyper touristy. I don't remember there being a lot else in Pisa but I could be wrong.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

30. My dear Locut0s!

There wasn't any work being done on it when we were there yesterday...

I think they've stabilized it for the foreseeable future. I hope so, anyway...It's truly magnificent.

There are a couple of churches next door and they are worth seeing too.

Otherwise, it's not an unusual town.

[auntAgonist]

31. I missed this! What an exciting trip. Are you with a group? Isn't Lionel Mandrake with you?

I get confused. LOL
I saw your hubby comment and immediately thought maybe you're on a trip with a group of friends. Lots of people do that.

Regardless, nice trip of a lifetime

looking forward to seeing more.

aA

[CaliforniaPeggy]

32. My dear auntAgonist!

You bet Lionel is with me! When we go abroad, we always travel together...

And now we're on our way home...

It has been an excellent, though strenuous, trip. Lots of great sights and food too. Lots of walking!

There are other trip highlights in my Journal........

[auntAgonist]

33. In another life I'll be a world traveler !! I love to live vicariously though :) n/t

[EdwardSmith74]

34. WHOA! Before you leave, get back there and do one of those "holding it up" pictures.