Stasera in Pisa

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Ooooohhhh...tonight I was told by la mia cugina Ari' that "stasera" I have finally arrived in Italia; mid-festa!

I joined my cousin Arianna for a quick giro (tour) of the Piazza di Miracoli, which includes the "piu famoso" leaning tower of Pisa. Since our destination this evening was the birthday party of a friend of hers, I did not bring much more than my pocket camera, although I have plenty of time to revisit the site to take all the pictures I want...NONE of which, mind you, will be of me trying to hold up the towner from the foreground! ':~P I've included some pictures of some of what this looks like, and I'm pretty sure some of you may have partaken in the very same poses!

After discovering that it would cost me nearly $100 to climb to the top of the tower, I pretty much decided that such is not at all worth my time. Even if it were to fall over next year, I don't believe I would feel as though I missed out. Anyhow, after a glass of some miscellanesous red tuscan wine as an appertivo (We must have received the "Italiano Price", thanks to my cousin, I guess, at this VERY touristy restaurant, because we were only charged 6 Euros, or ~$8.40 U.S.!) in view of the tower, we set off for the festa.

We ended up on the top floor of a very nicely decorated flat, where I got to practice my Italian on a bunch of my cousin's friends, and even, FINALLY, met a few English speakers to give the over-worked translating processors in my brain a few moments off... Ari's amici are a well-rounded mix of Pisa's creative sector, with artists, architects, and perhaps a fashion designer or two, which made sense given all of the art and "artful" fixtures and furniture and lighting in the apartamento. Being on the corner of the building, this home provided an absolutely amazing view of Pisa, including the Duoma, Tower, and Battistero.

The view alone, without all of the seemingly good people I met, was enough for me this evening. There's NO WAY they know what they have...

Ciao.

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Photos

Pisa, IT
On the road from Lucca, which I was told was at war with Pisa during the Medieval period.

La Mura di Pisa
This great wall surrounds the old city.

Mura di Pisa
Our entry point to the Piazza di Miracoli.

La Piazza di Miracoli
Through this porto, or doorway in the wall, the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" can be seen in the distance.

Evidence
So I insisted that I would be holding up no towers in the pictures of me, and Ari decides to put the tower on my shoulders...LOL.

Proof
The tower is certainly leaning. It was nice to see that the cables I noted on TV accounts of the tower several years ago are no longer there. It looks amazing...

Ari Davanti la Torre di Pisa
Chin-chin (ching-ching)!

Cool sink
One of the "artful fixtures" I mentioned in this blog post from the home in Pisa. Cool...