.. slides/P6266989.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 we took the train from florence to pisa for the better part of one day (while the A/C was out in our hotel!). we had to walk across the city to get from the train station to the tower but it's a small city and wasn't a bad walk. plus this view is beautiful! we took the train from florence to pisa for the better part of one day (while the A/C was out in our hotel!). we had to walk across the city to get from the train station to the tower but it's a small city and wasn't a bad walk. plus this view is beautiful! slides/P6266989.jpg slides/P6266991.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 the leaning tower!!! ok it sort of looks like rj's holding it up. and doesn't look posed at all - does it? :) mom was a little mad that i caught her in this picture, but i'm not sure rj would have held still long enough. and the camera was being finicky because the batteries were low. and i still like the picture anyway. the leaning tower!!! ok it sort of looks like rj's holding it up. and doesn't look posed at all - does it? :) mom was a little mad that i caught her in this picture, but i'm not sure rj would have held still long enough. and the camera was being finicky because the batteries were low. and i still like the picture anyway. slides/P6266991.JPG slides/P6266992.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 mom tried 3 times to get this shot and wasn't happy. i hope she likes this one. mom tried 3 times to get this shot and wasn't happy. i hope she likes this one. slides/P6266992.JPG slides/IMG_0611.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 kind of a neat angle on the tower. it looks rather imposing from here. and it is leaning away from me. kind of a neat angle on the tower. it looks rather imposing from here. and it is leaning away from me. slides/IMG_0611.JPG slides/P6266995.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 in addition to the beautiful marble work (and where in italy is there NOT beautiful marble work?), these little gargoyles fascinated rj. i got to explain how their scary faces were meant to keep away bad spirits. which led into a long discussion about whether or not there were a lot of bad spirits around and what would happen if there were and why did they need the gargoyles if there weren't. i'm not sure who learned more. in addition to the beautiful marble work (and where in italy is there NOT beautiful marble work?), these little gargoyles fascinated rj. i got to explain how their scary faces were meant to keep away bad spirits. which led into a long discussion about whether or not there were a lot of bad spirits around and what would happen if there were and why did they need the gargoyles if there weren't. i'm not sure who learned more. slides/P6266995.JPG slides/IMG_0612.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 mom's getting a little better about showing where we are. at least i'm pretty sure this one couldn't have been staged in our backyard. we hadn't bought tickets to climb the tower because you had to be 8 to climb it (for safety reasons), but we didn't see anyone checking ages. we probably could have snuck him in. but it gives us a reason to go back in another few years. mom's getting a little better about showing where we are. at least i'm pretty sure this one couldn't have been staged in our backyard. we hadn't bought tickets to climb the tower because you had to be 8 to climb it (for safety reasons), but we didn't see anyone checking ages. we probably could have snuck him in. but it gives us a reason to go back in another few years. slides/IMG_0612.JPG slides/IMG_0613.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 this photo is both too close and too far away. if we're going to see that little of the surroundings (and could be in boston for all one can tell from this photo), shouldn't we be a little closer to the camera? but it is a nice picture of me and my little man this photo is both too close and too far away. if we're going to see that little of the surroundings (and could be in boston for all one can tell from this photo), shouldn't we be a little closer to the camera? but it is a nice picture of me and my little man slides/IMG_0613.JPG slides/P6266997.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 why on earth are there faces randomly stuck to this wall? one looks like a baby, another like an old man. but there were even more in other spots on the wall. why on earth are there faces randomly stuck to this wall? one looks like a baby, another like an old man. but there were even more in other spots on the wall. slides/P6266997.JPG slides/IMG_0615.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 odd. odd. slides/IMG_0615.JPG slides/P6266998.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 i don't know why there's a stone lion guarding us from the top of this wall. but he's cool. and rj wanted me to take this picture. i don't know why there's a stone lion guarding us from the top of this wall. but he's cool. and rj wanted me to take this picture. slides/P6266998.JPG slides/IMG_0614.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 i like this picture of the baptistry from the corner of the cathedral. we stopped here in a spot of shade to rest for a few minutes and just enjoy the views. we had skipped the tour because the tour wouldn't accomodate the tower. we ended up not being able to do the tower but were supposed to check out the cathedral on our own. we got bad information that we didn't need tickets to get in and the line was too long so we missed the chandelier that inspired galileo's pendulum theory (even then masses apparently got boring). did you know that galileo tested his theories on gravity from the top of the leaning tower? i like this picture of the baptistry from the corner of the cathedral. we stopped here in a spot of shade to rest for a few minutes and just enjoy the views. we had skipped the tour because the tour wouldn't accomodate the tower. we ended up not being able to do the tower but were supposed to check out the cathedral on our own. we got bad information that we didn't need tickets to get in and the line was too long so we missed the chandelier that inspired galileo's pendulum theory (even then masses apparently got boring). did you know that galileo tested his theories on gravity from the top of the leaning tower? slides/IMG_0614.JPG slides/P6266999.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 another angle on the baptistry. why is there a separate baptistry and cathedral? what is a baptistry for? and why is the bell tower in yet another separate structure? another angle on the baptistry. why is there a separate baptistry and cathedral? what is a baptistry for? and why is the bell tower in yet another separate structure? slides/P6266999.jpg slides/P6267000.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 one of the shops we stopped in (neat stuff, very pricey though) had this fountain of goldfish. rj wanted a picture to take home for blackie (his pet black goldfish). he was quite excited to see italian black goldfish. for some reason, italian dogs didn't make as much of an impression on him. one of the shops we stopped in (neat stuff, very pricey though) had this fountain of goldfish. rj wanted a picture to take home for blackie (his pet black goldfish). he was quite excited to see italian black goldfish. for some reason, italian dogs didn't make as much of an impression on him. slides/P6267000.JPG slides/P6267001.html Sun, 27 Jul 2008 15:53:34 -0400 JAlbum 8.0 a store full of italian webkins!!!! on our way back to the train we stopped at a little cafe for lunch. they barely spoke english (my italian was better than their english) but we had a wonderful meal - mom and i split a bruschetta and gnocci, rj had a meat-filled tortellini that we all fought over. and the place seemed to be popular with the cops on their lunch break. we noticed the cops had cords on their guns attaching them firmly to their duty belts. a store full of italian webkins!!!! on our way back to the train we stopped at a little cafe for lunch. they barely spoke english (my italian was better than their english) but we had a wonderful meal - mom and i split a bruschetta and gnocci, rj had a meat-filled tortellini that we all fought over. and the place seemed to be popular with the cops on their lunch break. we noticed the cops had cords on their guns attaching them firmly to their duty belts. slides/P6267001.jpg