The Leaning Tower of Pisa...It Really Leans That Much

Pisa is really only known for one thing nowadays, and that is the infamous "Leaning Tower of Pisa". 

It really is worth the visit because there is more to Pisa than just the "Leaning Tower".  If you are in the area and have an afternoon, I suggest visiting this Tuscan town.  We flew in and out of Pisa on our trip and in order to avoid stress we spent one night in Pisa before our flight back to Dallas.  I was happy that we were able to see the city, because it gave us a little more insight into Tuscany.

When we arrived in Pisa we immediately checked into our hotel which was steps to the Tower and the Baptistry.  After settling in, we ate lunch and a cute little place called La Buca that gave us a great view of the tower. 

See the tower?  Pretty cool, huh.  After lunch we visited the "Field of Miracles" or the big lawn with a big church and the famous "Leaning Tower".  It was actually really pretty, with multiple Renaissance style buildings similar to the famous Duomo in Florence.  It was also filled with people taking this type of picture. 

If you like to people watch, which Travis and I do, take some time and sit on the lawn and watch people take this picture.  It is hilarious.  The really funny part is that most of the people taking the picture spend tons of time adjusting the subject for the shot and they forget that they can move their camera much easier than the poser.  So, in all languages you hear the picture taker directing the subject to move "just a little to the left" and "down, down, down" and "over juuuust a bit".  Also, there are apparently multiple ways to take this picture.  There is the classic "holding up the tower" pose as seen above.  There is also the couple pose, where both people hold it up.  There is also the couple pose where one person pushes and the other holds it up.  The list goes on and on and it is really funny watching people adjust themselves into various poses.  Quite entertaining. 

After the 'tower' picture, we took a walk around the "Field of Miracles".  The church is beautiful on the inside and is worth a visit. 

It does cost, but for just the Church it is only a few euros.  You can pay to see every building but it is not really worth it.  You can also visit the top of the tower for 15 Euros.  I did NOT want to visit the top because it leans and is made of marble, which means that you could slip easily and fall to your death.  (I have a wild imagination and exaggerate, but it could happen).

A few fun facts about the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" courtesy of my favorite tour guide, Rick Steves.  The Tower was built by three different architects and was not finished for over two centuries.  When the first guy built it, they got about two levels up and everyone realized it was leaning.  So, they stopped construction for awhile.  Then, the next guy tried to fix it by building it towards the other direction.  It was still leaning.  Then, the third guy tried to fix it again with the belfry on top and that didn't work either.  In the 1800's, people tried to fix the lean by digging a hole on the opposite end.  This made it sink even more and it almost toppled to the ground.  Finally in the 1990's, they devised a plan to help it stay up.  It currently leans at a five degree angle and is being held up by a concrete and steel structure built underneath the structure.  Every single column has been replaced over the years.  It is kind of weird that Pisa has spent so much money on it but, it brings in almost all of the tourism to the city, so ultimately it is worth it. 

After visiting the "Field of Miracles" we took a walk through the city, which led us to a street market near the University.  This was great because it gave us some insight into how real people live and took us away from the cheesy tourism stuff. 

Explore and enjoy the city!  It is not very big, so it is hard to get lost and you can always find gelato nearby, which is a must. 

The Details: 
Where to Stay:  Hotel Francesco ($120/night)
How Long to Stay:  1 day/afternoon
How to Get There:  Take the train from Florence (It is about an hour)

Favorite Travel Items

Sometimes the hardest part of planning your summer vacation can be packing.  It can be stressful having to plan day by day exactly what you are going to wear, especially if you don't know the exact weather forecast or if you don't have definite plans.  I almost always over pack, which can be a terrible mistake if you are visiting multiple cities in one trip.  So, I thought that I would share some of my favorite travel items and a few clever things to do to make packing less stressful.  Sorry guys, this post is for the ladies only.  You may find this boring.  Maybe I can get Travis to do his packing list later today. 

First, always make a list.  Travis always does this and I started doing it a few years ago.  It helps you organize what you need and you will never forget something important like underwear.  Isn't this pre-made packing list I found on Apartment Therapy, clever?

Shoes take up a ton of room, so decide on only a few pairs.  I know that this can be difficult.  Trust me, I love me some shoes, but they are space stealers and ultimately, you only need a few pairs.  Some shoes that have treated me well over the past few years are Birkenstocks.  I noticed them the first time that I traveled to Europe because all of the women were wearing cute patent leather Birkenstocks like these and these. 

I wear these suckers out!  After three or four wears they start to mold to your feet and fit extremely well.  They also make long days full of walking on cobblestone streets bearable.  My sister, my mom, and I wore them during the day when we visited New York City a few weeks ago, too. If you are visiting a place where you know you will be walking, bring comfortable shoes that you don't mind getting dirty.  Ladies, DO NOT bring your favorite shoes!  They will get disgusting and you will be sad when you get home when you find they are ruined. 

I always bring a cute neutral sandal that can dress an outfit up just in case you decide to go out on the town.  Maybe something like this:

If you know that you are going out and really need some heels, I would suggest something that you don't mind getting dirty.  You never know how far you will need to walk to dinner or a show and the streets in big cities can get pretty gross. 

When packing your shoes, always put them on the side of the bag, and put them in last after you have put in your clothes.  Also, place them soles out, so the bottom of them do not get on your clean clothes.  Gross!

I like to bring clothes that transfer from day to night, like jersey dresses or skirts.  Both my mom and sister have this dress from Anthropologie and it is very comfortable and extremely cute.  Great for a hot day and dinner that night!   Also, it packs great because it is jersey knit. 

I would also wear something like this, also from Anthropologie. 

It looks like a skirt and a shirt but really it is a dress.  Major space saver!

I wore these shorts from J.Crew while I was in Europe and they were a great buy.  The best part about them is that they don't stretch out after one wear and always look clean.  This was great for a two week trip with no laundry facilities. 

Also, bring at least one good cardigan and one good light jacket.  Both are a necessity for the cold airplane trip to your destination (and also serve as a great pillow).  You never know when there will be a cool spell, and the last thing you want is to be shivering in a tank top and shorts.  I like this cardigan from J.Crew as well as this jacket from Anthropologie.  Both are cool weather options that pack nicely and don't wrinkle. 

Most importantly, you need a purse that can hold all of your important documents and won't weigh you down after a long day of walking.  I love a good cross body purse like this black leather one from Nordstrom. 

I carried a similar style that is brown leather and it was the perfect size for holding my wallet, phone, camera, passport, and maps. 

Finally, I like to bring this micro fiber towel on trips. 

I accidentally left the one I have had since my sophomore year in college (p.s. that is way too long to own a towel) in Pisa and had to get a new one from Bed Bath and Beyond.   I was sad to lose this towel because it dries quickly and fits on your head perfectly.  Also, if you have experienced the Pei Wei napkin like towels like the ones we expereienced in Italy, you will need something else to dry you off.   It also rolls up nicely and doesn't take up too much room. 

I hope that these tips help you on your next summer vacation!  Please let me know if you have any suggestions or things that you cannot travel without, so I can include it on my next travel tip post.  Enjoy! 

Italian Toby

Travis and I have a dog named Toby.  He is three years old and is a mutt, most likely a pomeranian/spaniel mix.

Toby as a puppy. 

All grown up!

Toby is a very unique dog and has a strange and funny personality.  He is very cute when he sleeps because he curls up very small in corners of couches, gently resting his head on a pillow.  If Travis and I had the time and patience, he could win a few agility dog shows.  He also likes to rub his face on dead stuff.  Toby has given Travis and me quite a bit of joy over the last three years and we love him very much.  

While we were in Venice this past summer, we noticed the abundance of dogs.  They were everywhere and it made me miss Toby.  In Venice, we found a dog that we fondly named "Italian Toby", simply because he resembled our dog so much.  This was soon shortened to "Tttooby", which translates to Toby in an Italian accent.  Really put the emphasis on the "t" when you say it.  Try it.  It's pretty fun, isn't it?

Well, this dog looked like Toby and had kind of a Toby swagger.  He also acted the way we wish American Toby acted.  We noticed him while walking to La Salute Church, a church that seems to rise up out of the water, resting weightlessly like meringue on a pie. 

I highly suggest visiting this church on your trip to Venice.  It is magical, inside and out.  And just maybe you will meet Italian Toby.  We first spotted him hanging out in front of an art gallery and he trotted behind us all the way to the church.  Before we went inside the church, Travis and I decided to take a seat on the steps leading up to the church and relax.  Italian Toby decided to do the same.  He curled up next to me on a step and I proceeded to give him some good scratches.

He just lounged on the church steps and calmly watched the people pass by.  This is the way I wish American Toby acted.  He barks at everything that passes, never just lounging around others.  Just with me, American Toby sleeps all of the time.  He is sweet, but when people are around, he just can't seem to chill.  Italian Toby reminded us so much of American Toby and really made me homesick for the first time on the trip.  You can see why.

Quite the lounging view, huh?

 

 Doesn't he look like American Toby?  

 

This is the spot on my back porch where Toby lounges every day from 9:00 and 9:30 a.m.  Every day.  Like clockwork.  

If you have a dog at home, give him some scratches in honor of Italian Toby.  I know I will give American Toby a little bit of love too, even if he is a little onery.  Enjoy! 

Venice: A City of Windows

In the three cities we visited in Italy, there became a theme of what our eyes were being drawn to.  In Florence it was bicycles, in Monterosso it was doors, and in Venice it was windows.  Every window seemed to be aged perfectly with the most beautiful window box full of flowers.

 As the trip photographer, Travis was a kid in a candy store throughout Venice.  I think he took some pretty great photos, don't you think? (The last two were taken by yours truly with my iphone using the Hipstamatic App.  I took some SUPER cool photos with it!)

Bored?

If you are interested in doing a little blog/article reading this lovely Saturday, check out a few of these posted on some of my favorite blogs and sent to me by my friends.

5 Tips for Taking Great Travel Pictures from Apartment Therapy.  Great tips on how the make the most of your travel adventures. 

More photographing tips on how to take great street photos sent to  me by my amateur photographer friend Andrew Simms.  

Looking for a cheap getaway this summer?  Check out Airfare Watchdog.  If you sign up for their emails, you receive unadvertised fares from your local airport.  There are usually some pretty great deals if you are looking for some last minute travel.

Looking for more on Florence?  Check out this article from the NYTimes Travel section (great resource) for Florence on 36 Hours.  

Also, the Sartoralist has been taking some great summer photographs, especially from Italy.  The men really know how to dress.

Enjoy!  Have a great weekend!

Getting Lost in Venice

Venice is undoubtedly one of the most photographed places in the world.  And for good reason.  I mean, around every bend is something worth remembering.  But, Venice can be a tricky destination for the traveler who is looking for something a little more....real.  It is the hard thing to explain about Venice, and those who have visited know exactly what I am talking about.  It is so iconic, that when you arrive, it can seem a little like Disney World or Vegas.  Nothing against Disney World or Vegas, but you expect to feel like Venice is a real city, with only a few visitors marveling at what it has to offer.

That, unfortunately, is the opposite of reality.  Venice is only home to about 60,000 people during the year but is home to thousands of visitors a day.  Fifty percent of the local economy is tourism (Steves 36).  The influx of visitors is due mostly to large cruise ships who drop off their patrons for the day, between the hours of ten and four.  This is when Venice is the most crowded, especially in the major touristy areas like San Marco Square and the Grand Canal.  And I hate to say it, but those cruise ship tourists are a different kind of European tourist.  They love to buy the kitchy souvenirs and they travel in large packs following guides holding sticks with flags or Micky Mouse ears.

I may sound like a huge brat right now, but come on!  You go to Venice to experience the romance and the beauty and the mystery.  And this.

And this:

And this:

Now, I am the first to say yes to tours.  They can be cheesy and sometimes boring, but they teach you tons about the place you are visiting.  And isn't that the goal of traveling, to learn about a place unlike your own home and experience the world?  But, in Venice, I would avoid the tour and explore the streets with your traveling partner (or partners), put on some good walking shoes, and bring a camera.

Venice is a relatively small city, and is easily walkable.  It is best experienced when you are lost.  Trust me, getting lost in Venice is an easy thing to do.  The streets twist and turn around canals and it is difficult to decipher what direction you are traveling.  Also, streets will just end in a square, or stop at the water.  But as my pal Rick Steves says, "keep reminding yourself, 'I'm on an island, and I can't get off'". 

So, explore the back alleys and the dark streets of Venice and imagine yourself in the 1500's during Carnivale.  Venice is safe and there is little crime, so walk around at night, talk to the locals, and enjoy the quiet parts of the city.  At night and early in the morning is the best part of the day in Venice.  It is where you get to see the locals setting up shop and gulping down early morning espressos and croissants.  At night, it is where you get to hear the bands in San Marco Square battling for the crowd and watch the older men playing card games.  So, by all means, visit Venice, but stay the night.  Don't visit for just one day, because there is so much to offer from the iconic destination.  It is well worth fighting the crowds and the cheesy souvenir shops to get glimpses of reality in the early morning and late evening.

 

The Details:
Where to Stay:  Stay at the Hotel Flora ($200-250/night if you are willing to spend a little extra.  I stayed here with my family a few years ago and it is in a great location and is tucked away in a small alley covered in ivy and flowers.  It also has a nice breakfast on a terrace full of potted plants and ivy.  This past summer, Travis and I stayed at a place called Hotel Ai Do Mori ($85-150/night).  It was a tiny room, but had an amazing location, just steps from San Marco Square.  Also, it was the best bathroom we had of the whole trip.  It was clean and perfect for our needs.
How Many Days:  2-4 days is best.  You get to see everything you want to see and still relax.
When to Go:  Summer is busy.  I have never been at this time, but I imagine it would be beautiful in spring or early fall.  And much less busy.
Cost:  Be expected to pay more for everything.  Remember, it is an island, so everything must be shipped in.  So, budget accordingly.  

Florence: The Ultimate Stair-Climber.

Florence is a city known for beauty and it proved nothing short of beautiful when Travis and I visited in early June.  It was our first stop on a three city tour of Italy and it was just as amazing as the last time I visited about four years earlier.  The first few days it rained, but that did not stop us from climbing up to the top of the Duomo and witnessing one of the best views of the city.

I am not one for heights, and the climb up the narrow stone steps was not my favorite thing in the world, but the view was well worth it.

This picture is from about half way up, and even here I could tell that this was going to be amazing.  I can't stress how narrow these steps were.  And how out of shape I felt while climbing these steps.  I like to think that I am somewhat healthy, I work out regularly and eat pretty well, but I was wheezing like an 80 year old by the twentieth step.  Sweat was forming on my forehead and my thighs were burning.  But, I soldiered on.

We finally reached the first landing, which gave us an interior view of the famous dome.  Again, heights are not my thing, and the only thing separating me from a hard, stone floor ten stories down was a thin, almost wafer-like plexi-glass wall.  But, I was able to see this. 

It is hard to tell from the first photo, but the painting is pretty graphic.  It depicts Heaven and Hell, and after viewing the sinful bunch on their way to this Hell, Travis and I decided it did not look like a fun place to end up.  The sickly sinners had looks of immense pain on their faces, and some were cut down the middle, displaying their guts.  Some were growing horns, some were melting into the fiery abyss, and others were being tortured.  I like to think that it was a pretty convincing deterrent for Renaissance church goers.  At this level, you get an up-close view of the dome, which was an interesting perspective.  There was still more to see, so we worked our way up.

At this point of the trip up to the top, the stairs have narrowed even more and you find yourself walking in the dome.  The stairs seemed to be cut out of the dome itself and you have to duck and twist yourself into some strange positions.  Also, people are traveling down, so you get very close to complete strangers.  I was hugging the stone wall, trying to have as much contact with something solid so as not to tumble down the stairs.  If you are a Germaphobe, keep in mind that millions of people have touched these walls, and all of their germs seems to making it onto my hands, forearms, calves, and anything else that could keep me stable.  Travis seemed to be just fine.

We finally made it to the top and at this point I am very sweaty.  See below.

But man, look at that view!  Pretty cool, huh!  This was as close to the fence that I would get.  I chose to stay as far away as possible.

The red tile roofs that stretched across the landscape seemed to never end.  There was a marching band playing in the square below.  I even was able to reprimand some French teenagers.  (I can't help it, the high school teacher never seems to disappear).  Without sounding cliche, it was magical.  

As you can see, it miraculously cleared up while we were on top of the Duomo, so we had a great view.  We marveled for some time, taking pictures that just couldn't seem to capture everything and reluctantly started our descent.  After the arduous climb up, my legs were a little shaky, and after a long wait for a middle school group to pass, we made it down.  The view was amazing, but the mid-morning gelato at our favorite shop Grom, completed the experience.

Travis has fragola y lemon (strawberry and lemon) and I have fragola y vaniglia (strawberry and vanilla).  I think mine was better.  You know a vanilla is good when you see the little flecks of vanilla bean in the ice cream.  We became gelato connoisseurs by the end of this trip, and I'll save my opinions of where to find the best gelato for another post.  In the end, I highly suggest a trip to the top of the Duomo!  It is a one of a kind experience that gives you incredible views of Florence.

Details:
When to visit:  Go in the morning.  There was absolutely no line.
Cost:  I think it was around 6 euros each.  Well worth it.  Also, if you don't want to stand in the long line for the Cathedral, you can see everything from the first landing.  
Clothing:  Be prepared to sweat.  And wear shoes that can withstand the steps.  I wore these throughout the trip and they served me well. 
When to go:  Do this first in your list of things to do!  It gives you a great view of the city and orients you to the destinations you want to visit in the following days. 
Directions to Grom from the Duomo (very necessary):  Duomo to Grom.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

This is a quote that Travis showed me not long ago and it inspires me explore. 

So, I am reluctantly starting a blog. I have been thinking about it for a while and I am inspired to share some things from my life. One of the main things that I plan on writing about will be travel, my favorite thing to do. The title of this blog suggests exactly what I want to write about: new places that I want to go, old places I have visited, and discoveries right here in Norman, Oklahoma and beyond. So, without further ado, I bring you my musings on life, travel, and design. Happy reading!