Leaning tower of Pisa

Not nearly as big as I was expecting. Especially after all the other massive buildings we have seen. It sure is leaning though. Like many towers we've seen in Venice and bologna. They have stopped it from getting worse for now.

Siena and the Palio horse race

The town of Siena was built during the middle ages, and devised into 17 districts by the government to keep them in line ages ago. Now they have a horse rave around this square twice each year with the winning district gaining bragging rights. Sounds almost like the hunger games books in a way. The photos of 50,000 people in the square going crazy were hard to believe. The horse race and town were actually featured in the opening of James Bond Quantum of Solace.

Leaning tower of....Bologna?

Pisa may have the famous leaning tower, but every city seams to have a couple. The two towers in the picture are in bologna. They are the two towers mentioned in Dante's Inferno. The shorter on leans 8 feet over. The picture was taken from the top of the scaffolding surrounding the Basilica do San Petronio. It is being renovated, and you can climb 15 stories to a lookout platform at the top of the scaffolding. It is the worlds 5th largest church by some measures. Towering 51 meters high it is imposing inside and out. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Petronio_Basilica#_

Venitian Repairs

Most of the buildings are crumbling to some extent. We didn't see as many being fixed as you might expect, but this guy was prying some of the facing off a building before it fell on someone. I think he could do the same to nearly every building.

The Grand Canal of Venice

It's very busy, and choppy. A gondola ride on it seems almost perilous. It's also dirty. Pea green in color, and lots of sea weeds chocking it. The smaller side canals are just as dirty. The canals really are their streets. Everything gets boated as close as possible, and then brought the rest of the way on giant hand carts.

The Children of Venice

One thing that strikes you right away is the number of kids in Venice. All ages from grade school to college. There are schools and academies everywhere. Almost as numerous as the churches

Bartolomio

Areas of Venezia have huge wide walkways full of vendors. Some are nearly empty. Others are tiny alleys dark and spooky that you have to turn sideways to pass someone. Little restaurants and shops pop up down all of them. It's like a maze and you never see the same place twice.

Piazza San Marco

The scale of some of the buildings is hard to believe. I have no idea what is in most of the buildings. Many look empty. Building them in the 13th to 15th century must have been a feat

The Duomo

Nothing quite prepares you for the immensity of the Duomo. Tallest building in the city, and a long city block in every direction. The detail in every little section begs to be photographed. Despite the size the details are never repeats. Each statue is different. Appears to be in a constant state of repair as well. Scaffolding hangs off it precariously in sections.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuelle II

It looks like the entrance to a historical sight, and maybe for Milan it is...their fashion history. All the greatest names are inside: Gucci, Prada, Louis Vitton. All are lined up at the 4 corner just like the jewelry stores in an American mall. And the 4th side? Mc Donald's of course!

The Milano Doors

Everywhere we went in Milan had these giant 12' tall doors. They were incredible. The other thing that struck me as odd was that every building was the same height more or less. About 6 stories tall. Always pictured there being some high rises in a modern city like Milan, but none I've seen. Some buildings are huge, but never taller. They also have huge sidewalks 15' wide. Good thing too since that's where everyone parks their cars!