June 19 Pisa

 Yes we had to check out the Leaning Tower of Pisa but unfortunately the Museum that holds 3 restored Roman ships that were found submerged in mud but largely intact,  was closed by the time we got there.

 

Yes it does lean.

City wall and one of its gates

Seafood restaurant near Pisa Marina looking out onto the Mediterranean Sea. 

June 18 Palaia

 Palaia is the next town to where we're staying.  Its walls are from the 10th century. Only a hilltop village really, surrounded by farms and vineyards.  We also visited a small vineyard in the late afternoon, early evening, for a wine tasting. Delicious wines followed by a dessert 'wine' made from honey.

City gates with church attached, added in the

 11th century

Looking from the village where the winery was towards Pisa and the Mediterranean just after sunset. 

The wine maker, Christian and Di

June 17 Lucca

 Lucca is the birthpkace of Puccini. Its another walled city ith massive walls dating back to the 16th century. Narrow streets and wide piazzas and of course an assortment of impressive churches.

City gates.

Puccini Square

June 16 Colleoli

 We're now in an old Borgo in a small hilltop village called Colleoli, est of Florence on the way to Livorno.  A beautiful setting!

June 15 Empoli

 Yesterday was spent travelling, flying to Rome via Milan where we had the worst lunch meal we can remember, admittedly at the airport. We then picked up our car and drove 3 hours north to Empoli arriving after 10. Needless to say we were exhausted.

Today it’s 35 degrees so we took it easy, walking around the very quiet streets then enjoying a lovely lunch in a quiet Piazza Farinata Degli Uberti, named after a noble of Florence whom Dante thought was a heretic and mentioned him in his Inferno.

Across the square is the Mother Church of St Andrew

Beautiful restaurant setting. A hot day but with a coolish breeze.

Interesting street lighting plus rest places.

June 13 Amsterdam

 Our last day n Amsterdam so we took a canal boat ride around the city. Fascinating to see all the house boats lining the canals, with all mod cons connected - electricity, gas and sewerage. Also the cars lined up along the canal which now has rails on the edge to stop people accidentally driving their cars falling in the water while parking.

One of the fancier houseboats

  

Westertoren Clock Tower

  

June 12 Amsterdam

 Di was suffering from bad hayfever or maybe a cold (not CV - she checked) so we only went to the Van Gogh Museum which we'd booked yesterday. So all I gave is a collection of photos of beautiful paintings.

 

Haymaking by Leon-Augustin Lhermitte, one of his early influences and 

 

The Potato Farmers and Landscape with a Draughtsman

  

  

 

 

June 11 Amsterdam

 We arrived in Amsterdam  this morning to s beautiful day. The streets near the harbour are bustling with people. After checking in we went for a long walk down to the Museum Square or Park. Walking through the passage below the Rijks Museum and across the park to book tickets for the Van Gogh Museum tomorrow. Then we caught the subway back to the central station which is just up the road from our hotel.

 

St Nicholas Basilica Catholic Chutch

Amsterdam Central Railway Station

Damrak, one of the main streets of the city

Royal palace

 

National monument commemorating WWII and 3 houses leaning forward over the street, known as the dancing houses

 

One of many diamond companies a bd the Mint Tower across the street. 

Rijks Museum

A city of canals ...

and cyclists.