Wow, it really is leaning...

Today I went on an adventure with my roommate. Our destinations were two places that I have been dying to see – Pisa and Lucca. It was very exciting to explore these two cities that display a different side of Italy.

My first thoughts about Pisa were that it was going to be a real tourist trap. I was expecting a parking lot, stands selling t-shirts with the Leaning Tower of Pisa on them, and the tower itself. I could not have been more wrong (thankfully). To get to the Tower from the train station, one needs to walk through the city center on a wide pedestrian street lined with shops, cafes, and little piazzas. It was the most charming place I have ever seen in the whole world. Also, there was a cute fair, where merchants were selling scarves, hats, and jewelry. I loved exploring the little side streets of Pisa and always stumbling onto a hidden treasure, like a street fair or a little fresh market (or the Leaning Tower of Pisa).

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (I am going to call it the Tower from now on) sits on a plot of land, which also contains the Duomo and Baptistery of Pisa. Pisa, like Siena, has buildings that are predominantly built with red bricks, but the Tower, Duomo, and Baptistery are all built out of white marble. The contrast is incredible – the white marble glows in the sunlight, making the monuments look absolutely incredible. It is a wonderful sight.

Of course, my roommate and I had to do the typical tourist photo – the one where you pretend to hold up the Tower to keep it from falling (when in Pisa…). It took many takes, but we got finally got one! I do not think that I have laughed so hard in my life (you learn very quickly that the only way not to feel like a fool is to laugh at yourself). It was fun trying to get into the best pose to “hold up the Tower” and it was also funny to see other people trying to get a perfect picture as well. The locals must think we are all pazzo (crazy)!

Holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

In my Galileo and the Scientific Renaissance class, we talk about Pisa A LOT! Galileo’s career as an inventor and a mathematician started at the University of Pisa. It was really cool to actually see the monuments that inspired Galileo and his discoveries. Apparently Galileo threw cannon balls of different weights off the top of the Tower, trying to disprove Aristotle’s theory that lighter objects fall slower than heavier ones (historians still debate if Galileo actually performed this experiment). He also discovered the pendulum while sitting in the Baptistery of Pisa. He was apparently really bored in Mass one day and was observing the moving chandelier. He timed its movements with his pulse and many, many calculations later (plus several years) he discovered the pendulum. This discovery led to the very first clock (which, in my opinion, is one of the most important inventions of mankind). It was so much fun discovering the sights of some of Galileo’s most famous discoveries!

After walking around beautiful Pisa, we went off to wonderful Lucca. I heard lots of amazing things about Lucca. I was told how cool it is and how beautiful it is. It was even more beautiful than I expected! It is a medieval walled city and the walls have turned a beautiful, deep chocolate brown color with time, which makes them more welcoming than imposing. Climbing up some stairs, we found ourselves on the ramparts (the top of the walls where the guards stood to protect the city). There was a paved bike path and patches of grass and trees where the guards once stood. The path was filled with people and for once, it felt like it was mostly locals. It was nice to be immersed in a very non-tourist area. It forced me to practice my Italian. For instance, we were looking for a good pizza place (I was told Lucca had the best pizza outside of Naples) and I asked a merchant in English if he knew one close by. He said, “Non capisco” or “I don’t understand”. Slightly frustrated with my extremely limited Italian vocabulary, I tried to string together a semi-coherent sentence. Thankfully my point got across and he gave us directions. As we went to find this pizzeria, we stumbled upon a cute little restaurant and decided to go there instead.

The restaurant was really rustic, with exposed beams and brick walls. We sat in a corner and ordered some amazing pizza (I got sausage and onion, so yummy). Our waiter was very chatty (we were basically the only ones eating there) and asked me if I spoke Spanish. I said that I spoke very little and he asked me where I am from. I said the United States and he said, “Oh, that is why you have amazing English”. We realized that the waiter thought that we were Spanish and we studied in the USA. I had to laugh because I usually blend into the sea of Florentines, where blonde and blue-eyed college students and tourists abound. But in Lucca, where it is very local, I stick out as a tourist too. It was very different, for I have been able to pass as a “local” in Florence for a while now.

After our lovely meal, we walked back to the train and headed back to Florence. It was a great day filled with adventures and amazing sights. Italy keeps amazing me – every town we visit is so unique and has its own character. Pisa and Lucca were amazing and I can’t wait to go back and visit them again!

Ciao!