The Leaning Tower of Pisa

On April 7, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy6 Comments

One of the things that we always recommend to people is that, if you are spending four or more days in a city, you take time for at least one day excursion into the surrounding area. While we were in Florence, we took our own advise and did take a day tour, which ended with a couple of hours in Pisa. Obviously the main reason that people travel to Pisa is to see the famous leaning bell tower. The bell tower is a freestanding tower, meaning that unlike most bell towers that are attached to the main cathedral, this tower is an independent structure. Rarely do you ever visit a location just to see something that was a completely unintended result.

View of the Cathedral Roof and the Baptistery

The tower started leaning during its original construction due to the soft ground and not allocating a large enough foundation to support the tower. The tower has been stabilized a couple of times in recent years to ensure that it doesn’t actually fall over, so it doesn’t actually lean quite as much today as it did a few decades ago. The tower started leaning during its construction, so the architect and builders made slight adjustments as they finished the tower, so you can see a slight difference in angles between the lower rings of the tower and the final ring that holds the bells.

If you want to go to the top of the bell tower, you will need to be sure to buy your tickets in advance as only a limited number of people are allowed to enter every thirty minutes. We went during the off-season, but there will still plenty of crowds and we purchased our tickets a few days in advance. The ticket to the tower also includes visiting either the Pisa Cathedral or the Baptistery. We chose to visit the cathedral, which is certainly beautiful, but perhaps not as remarkable as some of the other cathedrals found in Italy and Europe in general.

After climbing the almost three-hundred stairs to the top of the bell tower, the views are certainly amazing. The marble stairs are very worn and can be quite slippery, but the leaning of the tower makes for an odd effect as you circle around, leaning different directions as you climb or descend. As people exit, you can see slight symptoms of dizziness on their faces as they reacquaint themselves to level footing. Despite the overcast skies, we truly enjoyed seeing the historic rooftops of the city of Pisa.

We would certainly recommend to anyone that they visit this iconic sight, but you really only need a couple of hours to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Pisa Cathedral. Not that the town of Pisa isn’t a pleasant place to visit, there are several other smaller cities in Tuscany that are worth a longer visit. You won’t see any photos of us where we look like we are trying to hold up the tower, but almost every other tourist seemed to be attempting to create that classic image. We were just happy to enjoy seeing the tower and take a few pictures to capture the memory.

Visiting Vatican City

On April 3, 2017April 3, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy8 Comments

When visiting Rome, one of the places that everyone should take the time to see is the Vatican City. We highly recommend getting a tour guide when seeing Vatican City as there is so much to see and learn. We only had about five hours during our visit, which was barely enough time to see the main sights. Our tour started with the Vatican Museums, followed by the Sistine Chapel, and then St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square.

From the Front of the Basilica, You Can’t See the Dome

The Vatican Museums are a collection of galleries and contain a wealth of artwork, too much to see in a single visit. Just like visiting a museum like the Louvre in Paris, you have to choose what is important to you and make your way to those exhibits. We focused on the many famous statues and will have to find time to return at another time to see all of the famous paintings contained within the complex. Of course, no visit to the museums is complete without going to the Sistine Chapel, which concludes the tour of the museums. We were fortunate to be able to spend as much time as we liked in the Sistine Chapel as most of the time people are limited to just fifteen minutes to absorb the beauty of the artwork on the ceiling as well as the walls. Obviously we don’t have any photos from within the chapel as photography is not allowed, but seeing the paintings of Michelangelo was definitely a highlight of our time in Vatican City.

Saint Peter’s Basilica is an overwhelming sight to see. Equally amazing is that all of what appear to be paintings are actually tile mosaics. The detail and beauty of each piece is exquisite. Walking through the basilica and gazing at the statues, which are all uniform in proportion and size, is an awe inspiring experience. Leaving the basilica, you enter Saint Peter’s Square and take in the beauty of its design. If you stand at just the right spot, each series of columns combine as if they were each just one column.

We were grateful to have the opportunity to visit Vatican City while we were in Rome. The history, architecture, and artwork make this one of the most special places in the world to see.

Sphere Within Sphere in the Museums Courtyard

The Food of Tuscany

On March 15, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy, Recipes8 Comments

To say that the food of Tuscany, at least Florence and Lucca where we ate, is delicious is an understatement. What makes it so good? Fresh ingredients, fresh pasta, and a true love for food. You can expect to find authentic, brick-oven, fire-roasted pizza and a wonderful variety of pasta dishes. What you shouldn’t expect is to find dishes that you have never heard of and are not sure of what they are. Authentic Italian food can be found throughout the world and it seems to be one of the few cuisines that has exported itself without losing its fundamental roots. The difference, as we have said, is the attention to detail and the use of the freshest ingredients.

There is something about the tomatoes and herbs that are grown in Tuscany that seem to truly make a difference. Despite the fact that there were so many pasta dishes available, we tended to gravitate towards fresh seafood and items that might be a little more unique. Throughout Europe, we found that food was always prepared using what was in season and not just a set menu that was served throughout the entire year. We truly enjoyed the wonderful food that we tasted during our time there and will measure all Italian meals in the future against these wonderful creations.