Pisa Italy

We took a day trip from Florence by train to Pisa. We arrived at the train station in Pisa and followed the crowd across the bridge to the main tourist boulevard which was a wide street closed to traffic. It was an interesting mix of food carts (sausage, fruit, cookies, breads, cheeses), designer shops, sidewalk cafes, and fine dining. We ducked down an alley and found a charming, family-owned trattoria where we had huge bowls of spaghetti bolognasi, bread, and a glass of wine for few euros. Then we rejoined the crowd on the main boulevard and walked until we rounded a corner and discovered the famous bell tower of Pisa. It is surprising to see just how much it does lean and also to witness the efforts expended in keeping it from falling. Tourists braver than I had climbed the stairs and were walking around the outside of the tower. I was happy to stay on the ground and on the safe side of it should it fall. It was a great day trip, away from the tour group, on our own.