Stranger in a Strange Land: Under the Tuscan Sun...

Tuscany cast its spell over me... and I have to admit, I think I'm in love! :) Tuscany is a gorgeous area with its rolling hills, cyprus trees, olive groves, lush green vineyards, bright red poppies, the trademark red-tiled rooftops, and the small villages that dot the countryside. The people we met were extremely friendly. The cities were beautiful and filled with so much history. Old and new seemed to blend together harmoniously. Overall, the area seems to generate a feeling of peace, harmony, and tranquility... It's very easy to get caught up in its charm. :)

While in Tuscany, we visited the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Pisa, Florence, and Siena. Pisa was an interesting place. It was a smaller city that was, what I would call "quite run-down". Outside of the Leaning Tower and the other historical buildings, the most memorable part of this city was that they had ALOT of signs... Literally, there is a billboard advertising something every 2 feet or so! Pisa is the type of city that you visit to see the important sites, and then you leave and stay someplace else... And that's exactly what we did! :) We went to Pisa, saw its three landmarks, which were actually surrounded by a fortress wall. Inside the fortress wall were the three buildings, including the Leaning Tower, and a large grassy area. It was actually very pretty... It's definitely the bright spot of the city! :) We stayed there for about an hour, taking pictures and strolling around, and then we left Pisa and headed to our campsite outside of Florence.

The campground we stayed at was in a little town called Troghi. It was located about 15 miles outside of Florence. The campground was VERY nice... It had a small store, 2 restaurants, a bar, a huge pool, a very friendly staff, and a gorgeous view of the Tuscan countryside! Brian and I decided that we'd like to go back and stay there again sometime.

The following day we took the bus into the city of Florence. Let's just say that the bus ride was quite interesting! The road leading into Florence wound through the countryside and around the side of a mountain... The road was very narrow and was filled with many twists and turns. The bus driver, who was quite used to driving in those conditions, drove like a maniac! As we went careening down the road, through all of the twists and turns, I prayed that we wouldn't just fly off one of the cliffs! :) At times the roads (especially around the corners) were so narrow that two cars couldn't fit on it at the same time... The driver would honk the horn as he flew around a corner so that he could warn oncoming traffic... Crazy! At the time, we thought it was a little crazy, but looking back, we realize that it was definitely a good icebreaker for us in regards to Italian driving! :)

The city of Florence is a beautiful city! It's filled with so much art and history and amazing architecture. Brian was fascinated by the Duomo, Florence's most famous building. It is a cathedral, one of the largest in the world, and it was constructed between 1296 and 1436. To the side of the Duomo, there is a tall building which is called Giotto's Bell Tower. It stands 274 feet high, and you can walk up the 414 steps to the top to get a panaramic view of the city... which, of course, Brian and I opted to do and it was definitely worth it... What an incredible view of the city and surrounding Tuscan countryside!

While in Florence, we visited the Galleria dell' Accademia where the Statue of David is on display... Pretty impressive! :) Unfortunately, they don't allow you to take pictures of the actual sculpture, so we opted to go to the infamous Piazza dell Signoria (considered one of Italy's most beautiful squares) and take a picture of the replica of the Statue of David that they have on display there. :) We also saw the Ponte Vecchio, which is another landmark of Florence. It is a bridge that was built in 1220, and it is the last remaining medieval bridge spanning the Arno river (the Germans blew up the rest during the war... Go figure! :)). The bridge now houses small shops that sell jewelry, gold, and souvenirs. Other highlights included the Piazzale Michelangiolo, which offered another magnificent view of the city (The walk to get there was worth it as well... On the way we passed a huge rose garden, which was open to the public, and it overlooked the city... Beautiful!), and a variety of other cathedrals and museums. Brian and I also enjoyed wandering through many of the side streets of the city... It gave a more intimate look into the city of Florence. :)

The following day we visited the town of Siena. In the past, Siena has been called Florence's natural enemy. It is a small medieval city that has definitely preserved the legacy of it's past... When you walk into the city, that is surrounded by fortress walls, you feel as if you're being transported back into the Middle Ages. The Piazza del Campo is definitely the highlight of the city! It is a huge square that is shaped like a shell, and it slopes downward... Absolutely stunning! :) We spent the day in Siena simply wandering through the narrow, cobblestone streets and taking in all of its sights. We capped the day with a stop at the Permanent Library of Wine, where we tasted some wines of the area... Delicious! :)

Overall, Tuscany was a very memorable part of our trip. We definitely plan to return someday... Next time we'd like to stay longer and have the opportunity to explore more of its beautiful countryside.

Brian outside the fortress walls in Pisa... Notice the Leaning Tower behind him? :)

The three landmark buildings in Pisa... The Duomo, the Baptistry, and the Leaning Tower... (Brian's new camera has a setting where the objects on the outside edge are pulled inward... Hence, the reason the Leaning Tower is leaning the wrong direction in this picture! :))

Brian and I in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa...

The Duomo in Florence... Gorgeous!!

Another view of the Duomo and Giotto's Bell Tower on the right...

A side view of the Duomo...

The Duomo (and Florence) as seen from halfway up Giotto's Bell Tower...

Italian wine... Tasty! :)

The Ponte Vecchio Bridge...

Brian and I at the Piazzale Michelangiolo with a view of Florence in the distance...

A view of the rose garden we found as we walked up to the Piazzale Michelangiolo... It was such a pretty scene!

The Piazza della Signoria... It was largely popular with tourists! :) Can you find me in this picture???? :)

A glimpse of the Piazza della Signoria in Florence...

The Statue of David behind me...

The Fountain of Neptune...

A statue found in the Piazza della Signoria...

This picture makes me laugh! There were illegal street vendors all over in Florence. They would have everything (namely fake namebrand purses) sitting out on a sheet, and the minute a police officer walked by, they would pick everything up and run... We took this picture shortly after a police officer walked by. Notice the man on the left putting the purses back out on display, and the man behind him (leaning against the wall) still has everything rolled up inside his sheet... Too funny! :)