Pisa

We got on a train in Florence to go to Pisa (about an hour away).  From the train station we decided to take a bus and save our feet the 40 minute walk.  We arrived at the Field of Miracles after a very very crowded bus ride.

The baptistry, the basilica, and the bell tower (the leaning tower)

We tried to hold it up:

You can really see the lean from the base of the tower:

I was nervous about climbing the tower after the incredible workout that the dome of St. Peter's gave us. Compared to that, the climb up the tower was not bad.  The stairs were very worn from hundreds of years of people going up it:

The bells at the top:

One last set of stairs that were more reminiscent of the narrow St. Peter's climb, but it was a very short set of stairs so it wasn't too bad:

And then we reached the top and the awesome views of all of Pisa.  The bells actually rang at the top of the hour while we were up there, which was pretty cool.

The basilica (the cross shape) and the baptistry

You can really see (and feel) the lean on the top

Then we went over to the baptistry.  I wanted to go in there because it echoes for a good 10 seconds when you make a sound.  And at the top of the hour, one of the guards sings.  She sang several notes, which because of the echo, created chords which were very pretty.  Stephen got a video of it, but wants to edit it together before I post it.

The outside of the baptistry

The middle of the baptistry (where people were baptized)

The little bowls on the sides were for baptizing babies.

They baptized by immersion, like our church does.

One last picture with the Field of Miracles

People enjoying the grass by the old city walls.

When we got back to Florence we went into the Duomo and did our Rick Steves audio tour.

These are the doors on the baptistry, right outside the Duomo.