Day Twenty Six: Markus, Pisa and Vampires...
Today we drove from Greve in Chianti to Pisa. Last night, Jen's friend Markus, flew in from Germany. He and Jen work together in Australia and he was on holiday in Germany spending time with his family. He flew to Pisa and would be traveling with us for the next five days. It was actually really fun and nice to have him with us. Not only was he an extra set of hands to carry luggage, but we also felt safer having a third person with us, safety in numbers!
Pisa
After we picked up Markus from his hotel we stopped at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. "The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre pendente di Pisa) or simply the Tower of Pisa (Torre di Pisa) is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa, known worldwide for its unintended tilt to one side. It is situated behind the Cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisa's Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo) after the Cathedral and the Baptistry. The tower's tilt began during construction, caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure's weight. The tilt increased in the decades before the structure was completed, and gradually increased until the structure was stabilized (and the tilt partially corrected) by efforts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa).
"The Pisa Baptistry (pictured below) of St. John (Italian: Battistero di San Giovanni) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical building in Pisa, Italy. Construction started in 1152 to replace an older baptistry, and when it was completed in 1363, it became the second building, in chronological order, in the Piazza dei Miracoli, near the Duomo di Pisa and the cathedral's free-standing campanile, the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. The baptistry was designed by Diotisalvi, whose signature can be read on two pillars inside the building, with the date 1153"(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisa_Baptistry).
Volterra
Any twilight fans out there? Well you guessed it, Jen and I are. Volterra is the home of the Volturi, a coven of ruling vampires in the twilight series. It's actually not the city that the scene in New Moon was filmed in, but it is the town that is used in the book. More than that, it was highly recommended by Rick Steves as his "favorite small towns in Tuscany". So we decided to check it out.
"More than 2,000 years ago — before vampires took over the town — Volterra was a key trading center and one of the most important Etruscan cities. (Tuscany is named after the Etruscan people, who lived here centuries before it was conquered by ancient Rome.) The city was protected by a four-mile-long wall — twice the size of the wall that encircles it today. You can still see its mighty Etruscan gate, built of massive stones of volcanic tuff" (https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/volterra-and-san-gimignano-hill-towns-with-a-twist).
Dinner in Greve
After we got Markus settled in at Corte di Valle we went into Greve and walked around a little. Then we found a cute little restaurant and had yummy Italian food. The place was called Trattoria D'i Borgo. It looked like it was family owned and run, and the staff was very friendly and especially helpful in our selection of wine.
When we got back to Corte di Valle we went down to the pool, had some wine, discussed life and watched for shooting stars. A great end to a good day.
Pisa
After we picked up Markus from his hotel we stopped at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. "The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre pendente di Pisa) or simply the Tower of Pisa (Torre di Pisa) is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa, known worldwide for its unintended tilt to one side. It is situated behind the Cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisa's Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo) after the Cathedral and the Baptistry. The tower's tilt began during construction, caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure's weight. The tilt increased in the decades before the structure was completed, and gradually increased until the structure was stabilized (and the tilt partially corrected) by efforts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaning_Tower_of_Pisa)."The Pisa Baptistry (pictured below) of St. John (Italian: Battistero di San Giovanni) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical building in Pisa, Italy. Construction started in 1152 to replace an older baptistry, and when it was completed in 1363, it became the second building, in chronological order, in the Piazza dei Miracoli, near the Duomo di Pisa and the cathedral's free-standing campanile, the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. The baptistry was designed by Diotisalvi, whose signature can be read on two pillars inside the building, with the date 1153"(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisa_Baptistry).
Any twilight fans out there? Well you guessed it, Jen and I are. Volterra is the home of the Volturi, a coven of ruling vampires in the twilight series. It's actually not the city that the scene in New Moon was filmed in, but it is the town that is used in the book. More than that, it was highly recommended by Rick Steves as his "favorite small towns in Tuscany". So we decided to check it out."More than 2,000 years ago — before vampires took over the town — Volterra was a key trading center and one of the most important Etruscan cities. (Tuscany is named after the Etruscan people, who lived here centuries before it was conquered by ancient Rome.) The city was protected by a four-mile-long wall — twice the size of the wall that encircles it today. You can still see its mighty Etruscan gate, built of massive stones of volcanic tuff" (https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/volterra-and-san-gimignano-hill-towns-with-a-twist).
It was a beautiful and mysterious town with narrow streets filled with shops of all kinds. Volterra is known also for its alabaster, its everywhere and its beautiful, and souvenirs made from olive wood are also popular.
Dinner in GreveAfter we got Markus settled in at Corte di Valle we went into Greve and walked around a little. Then we found a cute little restaurant and had yummy Italian food. The place was called Trattoria D'i Borgo. It looked like it was family owned and run, and the staff was very friendly and especially helpful in our selection of wine.When we got back to Corte di Valle we went down to the pool, had some wine, discussed life and watched for shooting stars. A great end to a good day.
Catch up on all the days:
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