ONE DAY.....about 3 weeks ago
Andy cam home from work, told me that he took leave and we are going on a road trip. I was thinking..."Really? Road trip with the kids?....Do you love me? Ugh!!!" Andy doesn't take "NO!" for an answer so I had 2 days to pack for a 1 week road trip. Here we go! Packing, planning and reading Rick Steve's books. Considering the trip was planned last minute.
Thanks to google maps, i was able to somewhat plan our trip.
We had a late start on our drive, but we arrived with enough time to drive from Florence to Pisa at night. That was a pretty cool sight!! Didn't get a picture, but I am sure it is not our last time visiting there.
Our hotel was outside of the city of Florence, we were a little hesitant about squeezing the Jeep into a small parking garage in the city so we were conservative by staying in an American brand name hotel with private parking. Lucky for us...the hotel had FREE parking (they gave the Jeep the best parking our front) and FREE shuttle service to/from the train station & downtown Florence. Yes, I said FREE because FREE is rare in Italy!
Excited to start the day!!!
Waiting for the shuttle...It's already hot and humid. Can you tell by the look on my face and not hugging the kids?
First stop....The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Pisa, Italy)!
Took the train from Florence to Pisa (1 hour), walked about 5 kilometers from the train station to destination.
Two peas!
Andy was excited to be out of the office, can you tell my his big smile?
3 Kittenz!
I gave in and took a pic....just wanted to get out of that dang sun!!
Pisa a Garibaldi...we are getting close!
Lots of cute shops and cafes, most were closed (it was Sunday).
Taking a pic in the shade. Ahhhh!
We entered through the back end of the Piazza.
So exciting!!!
We were surprised that it really is at an obvious slant!
We tried and tried and tried but couldn't get the "holding the tower up/random funny tower pics," It was a hot day, with minimal sleep AND it was crowded with other tourists....we all lost our patience on trying to get that perfect picture. So here are a few of our tries...
Yeah, not quite buddy!
Leilah didn't even try! (Thats my girl)
Almost honey!
Kaitlyn is our child from heaven, she was the only one wanting to get that perfect picture. Doesn't give up like her daddy!
Too far, move closer...
Ok, now back up a little...
Ok, turned away from the camera, move to your right!
Got it! KINDA.
So if you can't beat it, join it! Lean to the left!!!
Nice try!
Yeah...not going to happen.
There is a lot more to see, but we knew that this will be one of many visits and we didn't want to burn the kids out to early on the trip.
Most European traveling is:
1) See it
2) Take a picture
3) move on to the next!
Walking back from Pisa, we found this gem sitting all alone!
Happy dance for Gelatto!
Andrew is just about done!
Yeah! Made it back to the train station...back to Firenze!
This girl crack me up...she is looking for the next Gelatto stop. No joke!
Her dad cannot resist, of course!
Me and my monsters.
So, it's the first full day of our road trip and I am about to "do away" of one of the kittenz!!! This is not my kind of vacation. Just sayn'
This is a rare sighting. Kaitlyn is the sweetheart of the family, she is the one that gives the hugs and kisses.
But these two??? I need to take a pic to remember this one!
I am sure they are plotting something against us! Like..."How soon can we get back to the room and play our DS's? Can one of us play sick?"
Info on Pisa
The Square of Miracles
Tower of Pisa is more accurately referred to simply as the bell tower, or campanile.
The Pisa tower is one of the four buildings that make up the cathedral complex in Pisa, Italy, called Campo dei Miracoli or Piazza dei Miracoli, which means Field of Miracles.
The first building constructed at Campo dei Miracoli, Pisa, was the cathedral, or Duomo di Pisa, which rests on a white marble pavement and is an impressive example of Romanesque architecture.
The next building added was the baptistery just west of the dome.Then work on the campanile began. Before the work on the campanile was completed the cemetery, Campo Santo, was built.
Piazza dei Miracoli of Pisa is the most splendiferous assemblage of Romanesque architecture in Italy. Faced in gray-and-white striped marble and bristling with columns and arches, the cathedral, with its curiously Islamic dome and matching domed baptistery, rises from an emerald green lawn.
Flanking one side of the piazza, the camposanto, or cemetery, is a gracefully elongated cloister enclosing a burial ground with earth reputedly brought back during the Crusades from Golgotha, the hill where Jesus was crucified, so that noble Pisans could rest in holy ground.
Interesting facts:
Pisa got its name in 600 BC from a Greek word meaning "marshy land."
There are several other towers in Pisa that also lean: the bell tower at the church of St. Michele dei Scalzi, and the bell tower at the church of St. Nicola.
The cathedral and baptistery are also sinking.
Galileo was baptized in the baptistery in 1565.
The foundation of the cemetery, Campo Santo, is made up of 53 shiploads of earth that were brought back from the Hill of Calvary in Jerusalem”
How tall is the Tower of Pisa?
→ Measurements
- The original completed height of the Tower of Pisa is 60 meters. Actually the tower’s height is 56.67m on the highest side and 55,86m on the lowest side.
- The outside diameter of the leaning Tower of Pisa's base is 15.484 meters.
- Width of walls at base is 2.4384 meters
- Weight of tower is approximately 14,500 tonnes
- There are 297 steps from the bottom to the top of the Pisa tower.
Yeah that you guys are getting to see some of the same sights we went to, hey I recognize that train station ;) So happy that you are able to share your experience with the kids too, we still have certain boys that are upset at us for leaving them behind!
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