Friday, November 18, 2011

To Pisa..

Travelling from Florence to Pisa on a blue-hazy day

I felt I was in Tuscany topiary heaven.



Miles of clipped greenery destined
for beautiful Italian gardens.



We passed corn fields and vineyards



and fields of sunflowers.
Unfortunately the flowers were past their best,
their seeds ripening in the sunshine.
A lovely road trip to Pisa..



and there it was, in all its glory..



that so familiar leaning bell tower of the Cathedral of Pisa.
Look too long and vertigo sets in!



Josie and I agreed it is indeed a stunning tower.
The pale stone and a filigree look reminds me of a wedding cake.



and the cathedral too is beautiful.



An awesome place is Pisa, like Florence, on the banks
of the River Arno.
Both Florence and Pisa have a proud history of merchant shipping on the Arno.
Old battles between the two cities still live in the hearts of the people of Pisa.
"Do not drink from the River Arno" said a Pisa Guide rolling his r's
with angry tones and gestures of disgust..
"Its waters come through dirty Florence!"

Italian has to be one of the worlds most beautiful languages.
So expressive and musical and passionate.
We can thank Dante, the power of Florence and the Medici, and of course the Renaissance,
for the Florentine Italian becoming the standard throughout Italy.

I remember my first time at Auckland University being entranced by the signs
showing the way to the School of Romantic Languages.
Knowing what I know now..
I wish I'd studied there myself!

Oh to speak Italiano!
I say.. with grand inflections and waving my arms in the air! 

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5 comments:

  1. I loved Florence and Pisa ...and the wonderful view from the top of the tower, I remember how difficult it was to walk up all the stairs with the angle of the lean. Gorgeous photos.

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  2. Loved this post. When we lived in Rome for six months, we couldn't wait for weekends to get out and hit the road. I'd had a beginner's into to Italian but didn't bother with the Anglicized words. Quickly changed that. "Information" brought blank stares. When I got over my shyness and "sang" the word, as they do, heads nodded. I know what you mean about walking past the language department at university. *sighs*

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  3. Another evocative post, bringing back happy memories of my own travels to the very same place. What a pleasure your travel blogs are. Thank you Joan.

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  4. Italian is the most beautiful language in the world. I love to listen to the Italian. They've got such a wonderful temperament. Not fanatic or hysteric, but warm. When I was young I dreamt about meeting a charming Italian cook and live in Tuscany.

    Try to say Francesco Sforza! OH, you sound Italian now!

    It's such a beautiful post Joan. I think you're right. The Pisa tower looks like a gigantic wedding cake! In ice - and the ice is melting.
    The Italian cities are so beautiful.

    I think I'll find me an Italian DVD film tonight. I found some the other day in a shop downtown. Some of the old ones.
    Have a nice day, cara mia!
    Grethe ´)

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  5. These are wonderful photos. Thanks for sharing your visit. It is a beautiful place to be.

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