Pisa
To my mind, there is no reason to visit Pisa except for the Miracle Square, but that is reason enough. Leslie and I arrived in Pisa in the late afternoon, and, after dropping off our bags at the Hotel Ariston, strolled the short distance to the Leaning Tower and the Miracle Square. Hundreds of people were there composing pictures of each other as if they were somehow holding up the tower to keep it from completely toppling over. Looked like amateur night of a mine contest. They were everywhere, arms out and knees bend, straining against gravity with various expressions of pain, exertion, relief, triumph and hemmorhoidal discomfort. I've never been so entertained.
The tower itself was built as a bell tower for the neighboring cathedral. The original architect oversaw the construction of about half of it before he disappeared without a trace. We assume that he recognized a problem with the structure's vertical axis and wished to disassociate with the effort before his reputation was sullied. Nevertheless, it was finished sometime later, and it is very much out of alignment. During a tour, we were given a short orientation in English by a very spirited Italian docent. Unfortunately, I learned very little because the talk was delivered inside the tower and the echo made it sound like NASA had broadcast it from the surface of the moon through a megaphone into a paint bucket.The walk to the top was worth it if a bit long because I walked behind some foreign women in perilously high heels who took every step as if it was a pilgrimage.
 The ticket for entry to the tower also gained  entry to the cathedral. I freely admit that I have a very finite capacity for appreciating monumental and ornate churches. I realize that they were built to overwhelm you with the glory of God, but sometimes they just seem static and garish to me. It is when I enter a church and feel a human connection to the solemnity of the place, that I am most affected. This is the cathedral on the MIracle Square in Pisa. We walked and explored all the alcoves, and then sat for a few minutes in our thoughts. It is a beautiful place.
Afterward, we found a little sidewalk cafe on the same street as the hotel with practically the same view of the tower. We had a sumptuous meal of pasta and mushrooms and caprese salad and, of course, red wine.
Tomorrow, we start our bike trip across Tuscany.