Genova & Pisa

Pisa was not on the schedule until my dad said when we were in Trieste " isn't there a leaning tower there or something? " no, but there is one In Pisa! For some strange reason Dillon really took to the tower, almost like he understood it's 12 foot lean didnt haveto do with gravity or that people built it on clay, but that the building itself subconciously new the only way it would become famous was if it Leaned! Genova has been on my mind since my mom mentioned she visited once. It is really great, very different from all the other places we have been because it is a...city. There are cars driving on 3 lane roads, along with modern hotels and apartments. However, it is not just a big modern city, it is split between new and old as well as its harbor. (note: frommers book warned readers multiple times about walking around harbors at night). Our hotel is pretty close to city center so we walked there tonight and saw the famous black and white middle age buildings and churches,which they now have put stores inside! It is so cool that these buildings are still standing and in such great condition that they are used daily by people today. It is like people haven't built a new building in the past 70o years...everything is old and historical, but still functional. We stopped at a cocktail bar that had a great apperitivo including mussels, salad, pasta, crab ect for 6.50, great deal until we saw drinks were also 6.50...by some crazy luck though the cocktails were added in the apperitivo price! Not feeling like we got taken, but took them feels great! Feeling good on our choice we went to a brewery in a back street piazza. tomorrow we are planning on going to the colorful oriental market, then going to the 2 nd largest aquarium in Europe before we get on our train to acqui termini. Happy mothers day all and happy birthday to my beautiful, intelligent, Positive souled sister and to my always curious, ready for any turn in life, wonderful dad. Love zab