The Spirit Of Travel

Why is it that an architect’s blunder is one of the most loved travel destinations in the world? The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of those oddities that would have probably never become famous without its tilt. Already developing during construction, the tower’s tip continues as does efforts to stop it from becoming dangerous to visitors.

The book “Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal” enjoys the irony in the silent bell tower’s construction as well: “Pisa is a collection of clay-colored roofs being curtly interrupted by a pallid square of marble structures. Contain a smirk when you ponder Pisa’s only claim to fame is an engineering failure; imagine the perplexing mixture of pride and embarrassment for its creator, knowing the world remembers you for this crooked tower too unstable to ring its own bells.”

The tower’s fame overshadows the other residents that share the space in the same piazza: the Cathedral, the Cemetery, and the Baptistery. The Cathedral, containing the whispers of the respectful, quickly humbles the outsider with its dizzying height and dazzling artistry. The Cemetery is an anthology of arched windows, one after another consuming each hallway. Its inhabitants sleep forever underfoot as their markers adorn the walls and floors of the echoing corridors. Finally, the Baptistery silently awaits visitors leaving its slanted neighbor. Although the Leaning Tower steals away most of Pisa’s tourist attention, the Baptistery can hold its own once its talent is recognized and appreciated. The entrance worker performs a three-pitched concert. Listen to a single note sung and how long the sound takes to dissipate in the great span above. Listen again to the same single note followed by a new pitch. Close your eyes and listen to the first, second, and now a third note, sung in a chord; one voice and three echoes filling the reverberating dome with a chilling harmony.

Despite the tacky row of bustling junk shacks along its outskirts the piazza is a peaceful place to explore, especially during the winter months when the tourist traffic is at its lowest. The monuments don’t take very long to visit, leaving time to peruse the neighboring museums or simply enjoy the view from a quiet bench nearby.

See pictures of Pisa and more of Europe’s hidden treasures in “Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal” by Vicki Landes. Available at Amazon.com and other major bookseller sites. www.EuropeForTheSenses.com

Take care and till next time!

Cheers

Barbara

About the Author

Initially a skeptic, Vicki Landes was not thrilled when her military husband moved her and their new baby to Stuttgart, Germany - in fact, she went kicking and screaming. She quickly took to Europe and ended up living in Germany for a full seven years. During that time, Landes became an avid world traveler and published author. “Europe for the Senses - A Photographic Journal” is her first book, silent bell tower,the Cathedral, the Cemetery, the Baptistery,

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