Pisa

We got back to the car in Rio Maggiore and then drove back through La Spezia and then south to Camp Darby, an army base near Pisa.  The Keeffers had arranged rooms for us there for Friday and Saturday night.  We ate hamburgers at the base bowling ally - much better than any drive-in burger.

Saturday Morning we got up and I took a walk around and fell in love with the trees here. 

They are called Sea Pines

I think they look like trees out of a fantasy story book with no lower branches and their large crowns way up high.

 

They are long needle pines like a Ponderosa Pine

 

The pine cones are huge, the size of a nerf football.  They harvest the pine nuts and this is what is used in pesto.

Cool trees

 

We had breakfast on base and then drove about 10 miles to Pisa.  We had trouble with TomTom telling us exactly where to go in Pisa, but after wandering a little we found it with parking only a block away.   

 

This is the first view we had of the tower.

 

We walked through the gate and tourists were everywhere.  Here is great view of the Cathedral.
Marv seems to always take our pictures from behind.  That is Sister Keeffer and Me on the right.

This is the baptistery.  It was rainy all day but still lovely.  It gave a very misty, surreal feeling to everything.  The baptistery was expensive to do into so we just looked outside.  We wanted to spend some time in the cathedral actually.

The stone work above the door to the baptistery.  Only 11 apostles.

The front of the cathedral.

And the front door to the cathedral. Each panel was a different scene of Christ's life and the saints throughout history. 

Remus and Romulus were twins who allegedly founded Rome and were nurtured by a wolf.

The tower really leans! 

Here is my goofy tourist picture. We couldn't leave without a typical tourist picture.  Everyone was doing the same thing.

Inside the cathedral - A golden ceiling

Very ornate stonework.  There were many, many paintings.  Most of the pictures did not turn out.  Yes, that is someone in that coffin.

When we came out of the cathedral, we noticed all of the cast copper panels on the doors. They were fascinating.  Very detailed and each one is amazing.  Here is the baptism of Jesus. Obviously the artist did not believe in Baptism by immersion.

 Christ casting out demons on the mountain top when he was tempted by Satan.

 

Christ in the garden of Gethsemane

  

There were also some very interesting animal panels.  Here is a Rhino.

 A very skinny elk or deer.

 

And a Ram 

 

We walked quite a ways south to the river and saw this Fabulous chapel.  My camera batteries then gave up so no shots up close.

Some doors along our walk.

We did not go to the top.

I was amazed at how many people were taking the goofy tourist shot of holding up the tower. It was a lovely day and we talked for hours and had a wonderful time together.  The Keeffers were kind enough to bring us some things from the military commissary - chocolate syrup, Pam spray, cereal, and maple  syrup.  They are delightful and we want to go Verona in December with them for the festival of Santa Lucia at the main piazza in Verona.  Many artisans and craftsmen come up from southern Italy and set up in Piazza Bra and sell beautiful wooden music boxes inlaid with marquetry, candy, ceramics, and woolen goods.  We can hardly wait.