Pisa, Italy

Our day started in Livorno, Italy, where we were safely docked after skipping the storm in Villefranche.  The weather was cool and drizzly.  There was a shuttle into downtown Livorno, for 10 Euros each round trip, but it didn’t really go anyplace interesting.  The port was industrial, so we were held hostage – either take the shuttle or take a tour – no walking allowed. 

 We decided to wait until our tour at 1:15, and enjoyed a leisurely morning.  We played shuffleboard and had a small lunch before the tour.  By the time we boarded a bus headed for Pisa and the famous Leaning Tower, the sun was out and it had warmed up.  We drove through Livorno and quickly decided we had made a good decision not to go there.  It was plain and uninteresting.  Andy, our guide, explained some things about the area as we drove through a “State Park” to the Arne River, where we boarded our river boat. 

 The cruise began in the rural area of the state park.  As we got closer to the city, we saw a lot of these fishing nets.

We cruised up the river, with Andy pointing out several sights along the way. 

The old cathedral…

 The first Tower of Pisa, which was part of a church…

 And then into the city with the old homes of the rich…

 We arrived at our destination, and boarded a trolley to take us to the Leaning Tower. Bus parking is at a premium.

 We came to a shop where we enjoyed a snack and drink (and a restroom).  I didn’t really enjoy it, however, because I got locked in the bathroom.  Luckily, there were lots of people waiting to use it, and someone got the manager to unlock the door.  I was more relieved to exit than I had been to enter!

Then we walked down the street to the Tower.

 And there it was!

 It was meant to be a bell tower, but the bell can no longer be rung as the vibration and motion of the bell would cause further damage. 

 It leans at 10 degrees from perpendicular because the ground underneath is sandy and unstable.  It began to sink during construction.  Building stopped after the 2^nd floor while experts studied how to stabilize and finish it.  One attempt was to use marble wedges to support it.  You can see how far it sank – about 10 feet on this side.

 Construction eventually resumed, but the angle was changed to balance it, so it actually does have a bend in it.  It’s a popular thing to take the touristy “push” photo.  We tried, but it’s not as easy as you might think.

 

 

 

There are 297 steps to the top and visitors are allowed, but only 30 people at a time can be inside.  The tickets are hard to get and the lines are long.  Our tour didn’t include this.

There are a number of other buildings the Field of Miracles; a fort, a chapel, a museum, and a cathedral.  Touring the cathedral is free, but requires a ticket so they can count the number of tourists each day.  The other buildings charge a fee, and we didn’t have time for them.

The trolley took us to the bus parking area and we admired the beautiful Tuscan countryside on the way back to the ship.  I love the green mountains.

 Andy pointed out the many “Umbrella Trees”, which are a type of pinon.  They produce pine nuts (rather than cones) which are the base for pesto sauce.

There were tours to Florence to view the Statue of David, and also quite a few other options.  Tuscany certainly has a lot to offer and I hope to return here to explore it all.  It's lovely country, and the people are very welcoming.  I hated to leave so soon.  Stay tuned…