Taking the train to Pisa. Along the way you can see the many mountains where 
they carved out marble rock.<p><img src="DSC_0843.jpg"></p>
<p>We arrive at Pisa, at the central train station.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0844.jpg"></p>
<p>What a gorgeous view!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0845.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0846.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0847.jpg"></p>
<p>As we come around the corner, we get our first view of the Leaning Tower of 
Pisa.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0848.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0849.jpg" width="506" height="764"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0850.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0851.jpg"></p>
<p>Signs showing the restoration work on the tower. It was almost falling when 
they began to reinforce the foundation, but leaving enough tilt to maintain the 
famous name. When I was there in 1999 there were steel cables holding the tower 
up while they poured a new foundation and it was closed to the public. The tower 
was reopened in 2001. Unfortunately, we couldn't go in because they had an age 
minimum of 12 so JP couldn't go in. Besides, it's about 170 ft straight up with 
no elevator. That's equivalent to climbing the stairs in about a 15 story 
building!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0852.jpg" width="485" height="725"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0853.jpg" width="485" height="727"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0856.jpg" width="485" height="726"></p>
<p>The tower is just for the bells, this is the church.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0855.jpg"></p>
<p>JP napped a lot - guess that's how he dealt with the jet lag!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0857.jpg"></p>
<p>You can really see the tilt at the foundation.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0858.jpg"></p>
<p>Some sculptures on the base of the tower....</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0859.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0860.jpg"></p>
<p>In this picture you can see where those sculptures were located on the 
tower...</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0861.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0862.jpg"></p>
<p>JP still doing the nappy thing!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0865.jpg" width="436" height="653"></p>
<p>Lots of shopping everywhere you go in Italy.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0867.jpg"></p>
<p>Charlene holding up the tower.....</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0868.jpg"></p>
<p>I was a lot stronger and only needed one finger!!&nbsp; :)</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0870.jpg"></p>
<p>Oh yeah, just about EVERYBODY took that kind of picture there!!&nbsp; Too 
funny.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0871.jpg"></p>
<p>...bought some tickets so we could tour the church, baptismal and cemetary...</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0872.jpg"></p>
<p>This is the baptistry - that's all this elaborate building is used for!!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0873.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0874.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0875.jpg"></p>
<p>The detailed carving and sculpting is everywhere.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0876.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0877.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0878.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0879.jpg"></p>
<p>This was the protecting wall surrounding the city.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0880.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0881.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0882.jpg"></p>
<p>Next, the cemetery....</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0883.jpg" width="888" height="598"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0884.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0885.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0886.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0887.jpg"></p>
<p>The floor is lined with graves covered over with ornate marble tile.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0888.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0889.jpg"></p>
<p>It looked like most of the engraving was in Latin with a little Italian here 
and there.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0890.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0891.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0892.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0893.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0894.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0895.jpg"></p>
<p>I thought it was kind of interesting that they would let you walk on top of 
all these graves.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0896.jpg" width="447" height="667"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0897.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0898.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0899.jpg"></p>
<p>That was the cemetery, next is the baptistery...</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0900.jpg" width="479" height="711"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0901.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0902.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0903.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0904.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0905.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0906.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0907.jpg"></p>
<p>I climbed these narrow stairs to get to the second level of the baptistery.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0908.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0909.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0911.jpg"></p>
<p>There was a window with a wire screen over it. I tried to shoot through it 
but at this distance the wires still showed.... </p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0912.jpg"></p>
<p>So, I zoomed in further until the wires were completely out of focus and the 
view unobstructed. You can't even tell there were wires there now.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0913.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0914.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0915.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0916.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0917.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0918.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0919.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0920.jpg"></p>
<p>Next we went into the cathedral...</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0921.jpg"></p>
<p>Inside the church was very dark - subdued lighting and candles only. I used 
time lapse photography to get these exposures. You'll notice in several of the 
pictures that the people are blurred because they moved!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0922.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0923.jpg"></p>
<p>They had signs everywhere, &quot;no flash and no tripods&quot; so I had to rest the 
camera wherever I could, including the top of the pews.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0924.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0925.jpg"></p>
<p>Again, the people are blurred in order to get the exposure time.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0926.jpg"></p>
<p>The detail is absolutely amazing...</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0934.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0927.jpg"></p>
<p>Is there really a body in there??? This is kinda weird!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0928.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0929.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0930.jpg" width="474" height="713"></p>
<p>Sculpted out of solid marble!!&nbsp; Amazing!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0932.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0933.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0935.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0936.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0937.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0938.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0939.jpg"></p>
<p>Ok, it's not real clear because I didn't have any place to rest the camera, 
but that's a scull in there!!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0940.jpg"></p>
<p>Here it is from a little further back...Look real close in the center and you 
can make out the eyes and nose.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0941.jpg"></p>
<p>Here's a couple of examples of how dark it is, and how it looks when I keep 
the shutter open longer....</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0942.jpg" width="461" height="691"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0945.jpg" width="462" height="694"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0946.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0947.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0948.jpg"></p>
<p>I tried to zoom in but couldn't hold the camera steady enough...this was 
taken at 1/2 second. You usually need a tripod for anything slower than about 
1/30th of a second.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0949.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0950.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0951.jpg"></p>
<p>The detail work on the doors was amazing too...</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0952.jpg" width="439" height="659"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0953.jpg" width="439" height="656"></p>
<p>This is not a painting - it's pieces of colored marble pieced together in a 
mosaic.</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0954.jpg"></p>
<p><br>
<img src="DSC_0955.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0957.jpg"></p>
<p>Mommy &amp; JP leaning with the tower....</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0959.jpg" width="527" height="797"></p>
<p>Daddy &amp; JP leaning with the tower....</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0960.jpg" width="529" height="794"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0961.jpg" width="950" height="638"></p>
<p>A restaurant we stopped at in Pisa...look in the mirror - see me?</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0962.jpg" width="865" height="575"></p>
<p>Did I mention that you have wine with every meal in Italy?&nbsp; I think it 
eased the pain of all the walking!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0963.jpg" width="867" height="580"></p>
<p>ahhhhh, more spaghetti.....</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0964.jpg" width="869" height="576"></p>
<p>JP is now a pro at twirling spaghetti - that's my boy!!!</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0965.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0966.jpg" width="641" height="432"></p>
<p>Almost every restaurant has both inside and outside tables. At night when it 
cooled off, we only ate inside!!&nbsp; 45 degrees, brrrrrrr</p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0967.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0968.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0970.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0972.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0974.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0975.jpg"></p>
<p>
<img src="DSC_0976.jpg"></p>
<p>That was Pisa!!<br>
</p>