Being Cheesy in Pisa

Today was my favorite day I've spent in Italy so far. One of the biggest differences between Europe and the States is that everything is so close via public transportation. On a whim, my roommate, a friend, and I decided to take the train from Florence to Pisa. It was really nice being able to see more of Tuscany via train, since I flew in to Florence in the evening (and didn't see anything but darkness).

Of course as soon as we got there, we had to take really touristy pictures....

And then we all decided that we actually wanted to climb to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was an interesting experience since the stairs were leaning too (and very narrow AND steep). The picture below really doesn't do it justice. It was a good leg exercise too... We must have climbed at least over 100 stairs.

We finally made it to the top, and we had an amazing view of the city. Being the typical teenager I am, I had to take a selfie first....

....Before enjoying this view! 

The view from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa reminded me of the view on top of the Victor Emmanual monument in Rome, where we saw the Colosseum, the Forum, and more. We stayed up on the very top for quite some time, as we wanted to watch the sun set from there. I would say it was worth it!

We decided to eat dinner in Pisa, where I decided to get something other than pasta or pizza (about time for some protein!) I settled for beef slices marinated in wine and balsamic vinegar and even though it smelled super vinegar-y, it was actually amazing. The three of us ended up sharing that, pasta filled with prosciutto and some pork stew that I don't remember the name of. After our meal (and a chocolaty dessert) it was time to head back to the train station. It was pretty cool to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa at night, too.

The train ride home felt super long, even though it was only a little over an hour, because it was freezing. It's starting to get cold here in Italy... It's currently in the 30's. Brrr!

Ciao for now!