pisa

So we went to Pisa.  As Dave described it, it was similar to an amusement park.  The duomo, baptistery, and campanile (leaning bell tower) are in a complex right on the inner side of the wall, so almost outside the city.  

duomo and leaning campanile

leaning tower

It is totally isolated from the centro and really from the rest of the city.  It is completely full of tourists, more people than I've ever seen in one place and we were there on a Tuesday morning in late September.  I can't even imagine how many people must be there on a Saturday in June.  Dave actually spent the entire time we were there taking pictures of all the people taking pictures of themselves pretending to push over the tower.  

Sam (a student) flipping Holden outside the tower

Holden in the middle of the students outside the duomo

inside the duomo 

inside the duomo

inside the baptistery

Going up in the tower was definitely the highlight.  It was a bit of a surreal experience.  I had no idea that you could feel the incline so much once inside.  It was actually difficult climbing the stairs and you could really feel which side of the tower you were on in the spiral staircase. Once on top, you could really feel the incline as well.  And there is a beautiful view from the top (especially of Holden down below).  Holden could not climb to the top and gladly waited at the bottom with Giudi because the tower has a minimum age of 8.

looking up into the tower

view from the stairs inside the tower looking out

looking down at Holden (sitting on the steps with Giudi beside the ramp)

shadow of the tower from the top 

view of duomo from the top of the tower 

view from the top of the tower

panoramic view from the top of the tower

From Pisa we drove to Carrara, the marble quarry. (I decided to take Holden there in spite of warnings from Kristin Harding.)  This is the huge quarry for the luna marble, the light gray marble used in many cathedrals throughout Italia.  We drove straight up the mountain and then straight into the mountain.  

Carrara

Carrara

view of the quarry and old train tracks

bridge used to transport marble

Holden and Giudi buying tickets

It was a bit frightening, but a little sublime too.  As one of the students said, "I feel like I've just entered the lair of some evil villain."  Holden enjoyed splashing in the residual puddles from the water that is used to cut the marble and dancing around in his hard hat.

driving into the cave

view from inside the mountain looking out at a tiny spot of daylight

view of the quarry and the machines

adjusting hardhats 

trying not to look terrified 

more hardhat adjustments

view into the quarry

Holden peeking out through some marble 

listening to the guide tell how marble is cut

getting bored

entertainment by splashing in puddles

trying to stay warm

For me, we couldn't leave the cave soon enough, but once outside in the open air, I was glad that I had done it.  Marble was used in an almost ridiculous manner up at the quarry, even the edges of the parking lot and the light posts were made of marble.  And we bought a marble mortar and pestle to bring home as a souvenir.