We slept in a bit this morning, and the kids swam.  The weather is PERFECT here in the morning.  I mean, it’s wonderful all day, but it’s ESPECIALLY wonderful in the morning.  The light is just somehow different.  We had decided on a quick trip to Pisa and back, so we could spend the better part of the afternoon at the villa.  The sights and cities around here are so beautiful, but a week spent staying at the villa would be just about perfect all on its own.  But we forced ourselves to Pisa to see the cathedral and leaning tower, and took our obligatory “holding up the falling tower” photos, alongside the the 3,000 other people stretching and straining to take this fabled picture at just the right angle.  Jack and I decided we would repeat this effect at famous sights all over Europe, even though none of the others will need propping up.  (though neither did the tower in Pisa – the Pisans (Pisans?) completed its restoration and permanent support in 1999; it’s not going ANYWHERE)

It’s almost a shame the poorly-built tower steals all the attention, because the cathedral and baptistery in Pisa are quite beautiful.  Before our rush back to the villa to capture the rest of the afternoon in paradise, we stopped for lunch at a sidewalk café…..and had the absolute worst meal of the trip.  Blech.  Lesson learned:  when the menu is simply laminated pages of the dish-photos, keep moving.  By late afternoon we had arrived back home.  We swam, read, swatted incessant mosquitos, and I made dinner again.  The kids were craving Mexican food, so I made tacos!  Ask and ye shall receive…

The heat here can smother you like a wet electric blanket set on medium-high.  And there’s very little breeze to cool you off.  But the pool felt GREAT.  We went back and forth on keeping windows open because the mosquitos were so bad.  And that’s all the voice I’ll give to the heat and mosquitos, because to complain about those while you’re spending a week in a VILLA AT A VINEYARD IN TUSCANY is just asking for it; we might as well buy t-shirts that simply say “INGRATO” on them.

Flooding in with the other tourists…

We liked taking pictures of the OTHERS taking pictures….

Georgia obliges!

Jack’s a good sport!

Ellis is in on the fun!

Ummm…….

 

 

Texas-sized glasses with ice!  And it was the highlight of the meal!

We raced back home and to the pool.