Pisa

On Jewel's to-do list in Italy was the Leaning Tower of Pisa. She was a little more than disappointed when I told her we didn't have a whole day to waste in Pisa. I had heard there's not much to do in the little town, other than the Tower, and this information proved true. Nevertheless, Pisa is a perfect pitstop on a train route from Castiglioncello to Florence. 

We made all Jewel's bucket list dreams come true. 

Checking our bags into left luggage at the train station (the benefits of traveling light), we made the jaunt to the Piazza dei Miracoli. 

You would expect the number one attraction in Pisa to have some excellent signage on how to get there. Not so, thank technology for Google maps.

After some "Are we going the right direction?" concern, we saw a pretty good indicator we were nearly there. 

Contrary to popular knowledge, the Torre pendente di Pisa does not stand alone. In the square there is also the Pisa Cathedral, Baptistry, and Monumental Cemetery. 

To be honest, we all know that everyone only comes for one reason though. To see the tower lean.  

And to take the obligatory tourist photo of standing and holding up the Tower. Now let me tell you, this picture is way more of a struggle to take than one would anticipate. It's essentially a series of "Ok, little to your left, no, now a little to your right, ok back to the left, no my left, etc, etc". 

We tried. 

I, more or less, look like I'm petting the Tower (GETTCHO MIND OUT OF THE GUUTER -if you never click my links, please click this one to be transported to Youtube hilarity). 

The struggle was real. 

Our photo for Padre turned out much better than our attempted perspective. 

One last attempt. 

We came, we saw, we conquered. It was very Grand Tourist of us. The Tower was actually pretty cool, I must say. How it has not completely caved to gravity, I really don't understand. I think I really enjoyed seeing it to, because it was one of the things my Grampy had said he'd seen when he was in Italy during the war. So it was all very sentimental in that way (insert small amounts of home sickness here). 

This was my last day with Jewel and Mom, nearly a month ago. I loved having them in Italy immensely. It was great to get to show them around the places I know, and also explore new places with them. When they left it was about an 8 hour time span (during which I was sleeping) that I was a bit relieved to have them gone, mainly because I was completely exhausted. Then, I woke up, rejuvenated, and was immediately sad. I never actually wanted them to leave, I just wanted to sleep; two very different conditions that can blur together. 

Our last night we went to dinner and got the best eggplant parm in Florence from Ristorante Parione. We ate and ate and ate to our hearts content. Italian dishes, wine, dessert, aperitif all around. It was ideal, and the perfect way to end our time together. I only wished they could come back, but soon (ok not that soon) but eventually I'll be home and it'll be the whole gang back together; and it'll be summer, my favorite season. I can't wait! 

Yours, Kenna