Today the CR4 grouped gathered to go to Pisa. You could see the excitement in everyone’s sleep crusted eyes at 7:30 in the morning as the weary rolled out of bed, threw on clothes, and ran downstairs to grab a croissant for the road because we had to be at the train station in 20 minutes. Yet, we all made it in one piece to Firenze SMN and got on the train to Pisa. Now, many people have heard of the fair port town of Pisa due to a slightly off-tilter, magnanimous structure that lies in the middle of the Field of Miracles, but it would not be fair to snub the rest of the beautiful town of Pisa. Lying right next to the Tower, the Basilica of Pisa can be included as one of the most illustrious and breathtaking cathedrals the group has been in yet. The ceiling, marked by the Medici crest and the well known wooden square tile formation was a particularly beautiful feature. Some of our group even participated in mass this morning. Yet, the climax of the day was when we finally were able to get to climb the Tower of Pisa. Now, while some people in our group have hard enough times climbing staircases anyway, imagine having all 17 of our group on a narrow staircase that has the audacity to be leaning. Let’s just say that the staircase was not easily mastered and left some people in our group happy that we finally made it to the top. After we made all the peons below us bow to their new masters of the Tower (self proclaimed titles of course) we took many pictures and included ourselves among the many that have mastered the Tower of Pisa. Later back on the ground, the lesson of the day was quickly learned that we can not make a human pyramid much in the same likeness as the Tower of Pisa, it only leads to grassstains and shattered pride. More in the upcoming days as we hit our final destination, Rome.
Conor “dear god the beard is starting to itch” Blanck