Pisa

We took a last minute trip to Italy starting of in Pisa (western Tuscany) mainly so we could finally see the leaning Tower at long last. Along the trip we were very surprised to learn that this town used to be a seaside settlement and is also known for the fantastic shopping when it comes to leather products. The cuisine is also sitting right as it incorporates elements found in the local environment--including fish, wild meat, dried fruits, truffles, pine nuts, olive oil and local tomatoes. Standard dishes include panzanella, pasta with hare sauce, wild boar and rabbit dishes, lamp fricassee, fried cod and stuffed mussels. Many local wines are available in the area as well.


With that being said we pretty much finished up our trip in Pisa by heading over to the American beach for the kids to enjoy the sun, sand and water. The beach itself is quite small but worth a trip for those of us who are stuck in Germany. This was also the place that we spent the 4th of July celebrating Independence Day with friends.

On the beach


watching the fireworks