Once we were in Pisa we checked the time of our next train to Rome verifying that we had time to head over to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We got on a bus (with our packs still on as their bag storage at the station was ridiculously priced) and within a few minutes we were there. We walked up to what looked like a giant park or field that had a big wall at the front of it blocking it off from the street. In front of the wall was a small market selling clay Leaning Towers in carts.We all walked through the gates and took our first look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
My first reaction was that I thought it was going to fall down with the angle that it was at. The whole tower was leaning which is pretty obvious from the name, but seeing it in real life was different than seeing something crazy in a photo. And actually it should be impossible because of the weight it should have fallen down years ago but scientist figured out how make a ten thousand pound counter weight at the base so it doesn't fall down. We took some photos and all took turns pushing the tower back up into place or over (not literally though).
After the photos we headed over to the base of the tower to see the counter weight and to see the angle of the lean. Now you may be thinking that even though there is a counter weight now why did the tower lean in the first place or was it built leaning. Well the architect back in 1100 may have built a world wide wonder but he was no genius. He was trying to create a three layered watch tower for the town in war. Now the bell tower was okay at that time but he built it on crumbling clay and within a few decades it started to lean. After a few more decades in 1272 somebody decided to build a few more layers on top of the the tower to compensate for the lean with some layers higher on one side. He built three of these layers and for this reason the bell tower is curved. The construction was halted again after the Genoans took over the Pisans in 1284. In 1319 another architect finished the seventh layer and again in 1372 the last bell chamber was added completing the Tower at last. So now the tower is leaning at about 3.99 degrees which is not normal. We checked it out and took plenty of photos before we had to start heading back for the train station.
We were all going towards the gate when Dad once again decided to rush off really quickly to see another cathedral. The Pisa Cathedral was right next to the leaning tower of Pisa and the 3rd oldest building in the Pisa called Piazza del Doume. So we had to wait with our super heavy backpacks. We didn't have to wait long though because after a few minutes Dad got kicked out for taking photos while the church was in session. We went through the gate again leaving the Leaning Tower of Pisa and got some clay sculptures from a nice seller outside the gate before catching the bus back to the train station. We got the tickets and had enough time to get some pizza in Pisa before our train boarded. The train ride was nice and was everyone's favorite way of traveling - better than long airport security and cramped and smelly buses.
The hours flew by and before long we were in Rome. It was dark when we got off at a train station downtown and tucked anything like phones and devices deep in our bags and made sure not wander off into the dangerous dark streets of Rome. We walked around all a bit tired with our big bags trying to figure out the GPS on Dad's phone as it ran out of battery. We came to a big square and our hotel was on the opposite end so I started to take the straight shot through the park but Mom and Dad pulled me back and told me that going through a park at night means inescapable and undeniable death, so we had to walk all the way around. Once we finally reached the apartment we got into our room and it turned out to be one of our favorite of the whole trip. There were two bedrooms, two bathrooms, lots of space and a kitchen Mom loved because it had a dishwasher and washer and dryer in one. Not to mention how close it was to the colosseum. We all got settled for one of our longer stays - 5 nights. Dad went down the street and got some groceries and we had some pasta and olives and went to bed a little while later.
Total trains: 3
Total buses: 2
Total miles walked: 2.8 miles
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