Pisa, Italy
ANCIENT TIMES: Pisa was born as an Etruscan port, around the middle of the VI century. First human settlements date back to the IX century. There are many hypothesis about Pisa's origins: it is said it was a Greek country, a village of Liguria or an Etruscan city. Etruscans called the city Pise and developed the economy of the country through arts and crafts production. The city had a strategic position, because it is close to river Arno and the sea. After the first battles against Ligures, Pisa became the ally of Rome,and took place in the wars against Carthage. At the end, it became a Roman colony. Around the 15th century, Pisa was subjected by Lombards. From that moment the city became the main port of the Tyrrhenian Sea and Lombards traded with Sardinia, Corsica, Spain and France.
It’s a beautiful city and the river here lends itself to being a lovely walk through town.
This morning I made my way to see the Tower, and I must say, it does not disappoint. There is no substitute to seeing it in person. That darn thing is really leaning!!
Apparently it was leaning even more before they corrected it. They've returned it to its position it held 200 years ago. All the buildings in Campo de Miracoli (Field of Miracles), not just Pisa's leaning bell tower, are stunning.
I found a quiet patch of grass under the Porta del Leonne, the place where the Roman Gate to the city once stood, to sit and take it all in. It's the perfect place to sit and enjoy a very quiet corner in a square crowded with 100's of tourists all vying for the photo opp of "holding up the tower". And no, I most definitely did not!! (Until I went back at sunset and it was empty...only a selfie though. Haha)
So I have now drank vino tinto from the Fountain of Happiness in Spain, splashed in the Fountain of Abundance in Portugal, and rested in the grass of the Field of Miracles in Italy. What more to do in my 2017 "year of transformation?"
I know, how about taking an over crowded municipal bus to Marina del Pisa for lunch with a ticket that needed to be purchased from a window with a large sign saying "we don't speak English here!" So in my best Italian, with Spanish and Portuguese mixed in, I asked for what I needed. Many times. He finally gave up, gave me the ticket, and answered me in English saying the word "TWO" to indicate the lane I would catch the bus. Seriously dude, that one I could have understood in Italian!!!
the photo album
