Easter Sunday in Pisa, Italy

Cathedral of Pisa (Duomo di Pisa), Pisa, Italy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have spoken about Easter week 2007 before.  It will always be in my memory as one of the best trips we have ever taken.

First of all the entire trip to Europe was a blessing. For years my dreams of visiting Italy and Sicily would seem to consume my thoughts!

I hadn't told my husband that I wanted to go to Europe, especially Italy and Sicily where my family is from. However, one day he announced that he had purchased the tickets and that we were leaving on my dream trip in two weeks!

After the cruise around the Mediterranean we arrived back in Italy on Easter Sunday. I was worried because I didn't want to miss Easter Mass. We docked in Savona, took a quick bus ride to our rental car and started our first leg of our journey back to Rome. He had booked a Bed and Breakfast in Pisa for the night.

We had never driven in Italy before so it was quite the adventure. Thankfully I have some map skills as a backseat driver! Which I guess helped making our way to Pisa somewhat easier!

My husband knew I was stressing and I think that made matters worse. I thought that we would be able to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa from the main road to get our bearings where we were. However the tall buildings that surrounded the town protected the view.

We finally found the Bed and Breakfast and made it up to our room. It was wonderful. We had a balcony overlooking the garden. We got changed and ran down to the front desk. The gentleman kindly told us that it was just a short walk to the Tower.

Hand in hand we started our short journey through the ancient streets of Pisa.

We crossed over the Arno River where Pisa seems to be cut right in half with wonderful old shops and buildings on either side.

I still couldn't see the Tower! We continued to walk a block or so and then there it was, as if by magic in all its glory.  Looking down as if saying, "oh ye of little faith!" It actually took my breath away. I had seen it so many times in photos that it was as if I was looking at a poster.

It was such a beautiful sunny day. We were able to spend some time just enjoying the view on the grass and then took some time learning a little bit of history.  

Then we noticed that the last Mass of the day was at 6 pm. We were still going to be able to have Easter Sunday Service at the Cathedral or Duomo di Pisa.


The service of course was in Italian and I felt so blessed and grateful to be there. That Easter Sunday will never be forgotten and is forever etched in my memory.

Thank you for taking this trip down Memory Lane with me! I am wishing for all of you a Blessed Easter and Passover week.

Related articles

• What to Do in Pisa Italy (Besides Visit the Leaning Tower) (italianenglishblog.wordpress.com)
• Happy Easter Sunday (femaleimagination.wordpress.com)
• Easter Colors by Leah Rice Photography (photomlr.com)

Do Goal Posters Really Work?

I started using goal posters a few years ago.  On my very first one I wrote that I would be visiting Italy.  For years I had wanted to go, but there was always a small voice in my head telling me that I would never get there.

However, this time I decided that it was going to be different.  I could picture myself looking at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, walking through Rome and seeing all the sites, and traveling around the Mediterranean.  I never shared this with my husband.

For two weeks I rewrote and read my goals over and over and when I closed my eyes I would picture myself in Italy.  That next day my husband announced that he had a surprise for me! I couldn't believe the surprise, he had purchased 2 tickets to Rome and we were going on a cruise to the Mediterranean in less than a week!!  Then I showed him my notebook and he couldn't believe what he was reading!!

We landed in Rome and spent two nights in a Bed and Breakfast right in the heart of the city.  As soon as we ate breakfast we were off to see the sites.  The first place we visited was St. Peter's Basilica, we walked  through  St. Peter's Square and went inside.

Of course I had seen pictures of the Basilica before, but nothing could equate to actually seeing it in person. It really could take you more than a day just to see everything. We then went to the Sistine Chapel. It was pretty hot in there and I was glad it was only April.  I am not sure how it would be in the summer's heat.

   

 

"The Last Judgment is a fresco by Michelangelo on the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. It took four years to complete and was executed from 1537 to 1541."

View of Rome from the Vatican Museum

I still couldn't believe we were here.  The next day we continued walking through Rome.  Our next stop was the Trevi Fountain. The fountain was finally finished in 1762. One of the legends is that when you throw a coin into the fountain, it will assure you a return visit to Rome.  There is reportedly over 3000 euros collected from the fountain each day! 

Of course we couldn't miss the Colosseum, that is my husband in the picture!  We had a wonderful time there and can't wait until we can go back.

The next morning we woke up early and walked to the train.  It was a little nerve-wracking at first, as the train station was a little confusing to us, but we soon figured out which one to take and we were on our way to Savona.  That next morning we were to catch the cruise ship to continue on our trip. 

From Savona we went to Naples and then we stopped in Palermo, Sicily.  That  was a treat for me since my family is from there. The trip continued stopping at Tunisia, Africa and then on to Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, which is more commonly known as La Seu

We just thought this was funny to see there, but they serve beer  too!

We then traveled to Barcelona, Spain and the following day we arrived in Marseille, France.  We had such a wonderful time.  Finally on Easter Sunday we arrived back in Savona, Italy.

We needed to get to Pisa so that we could go to Easter service.  We rented a car and drove from Savona and finally found our hotel in Pisa.  I wish I could remember the name of the Bed and Breakfast there, but it was so wonderful.  We knew that we needed to get to the Leaning Tower of Pisa if we were to catch the service.  The kind man at the hotel desk told us that we could walk to the tower from there.
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We started walking the winding streets of Pisa, and still couldn't see the tower.  We came upon a bridge and crossed it.

Then I looked up and right in front of us was the beautiful Leaning Tower of Pisa.  It almost looked like a picture on a poster than the actual building. I guess I still couldn't believe I was there.

Rick and I in Pisa

It was a wonderful Easter Sunday.  We made it to church and enjoyed Mass in Italian! Then we walked back to the  hotel and stopped and had a delicious dinner in town.  I had my favorite dessert, Tiramisu and I don't think I have ever had one like that one!

Our room was on the second floor overlooking the garden, we woke up to the aroma of fresh baking bread and the birds singing off of our balcony.  I think this was the highlight of our trip for both of us.  After breakfast we reluctantly got in our car and started the final leg of our trip back to Rome.

Driving through Tuscany

We will never forget this trip and how blessed we were to be able to go and see all these wonderful places. 

Now is this a mere coincidence or does the action of writing your goals down, or creating goal posters work?  I sure think so!!