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Aug. 10, 2005 In l980, I had a chance to go to Pisa, and see its Great Tower, or Venice. Now let me leap backwards a bit. The Tower of Pisa, was built in 1173 AD; restored since June of 2001, at a coast of $30-million dollars, and now has its great solid tilt back, they say, for another 300-years. It has seen many famous people in its day, over its 800-year history. When I think of it, all it is is a Bell Tower. Nonetheless, Galileo illustrated some of his scientific experiments from the top of that 60-meter structure. Its weight is some 14,453 metric tones. As I was saying, or about to say, I had a chance to go to Pisa or Venice in 1980, and I chose Venice over Pisa. Not sure why, I just did. It was the first monument I had ever heard about when I was a kid. I was only seven when I heard about it, and wanted to go see it. It stuck in my mind like cookies. About five years ago, my son sends me back a picture of him standing in front of The Tower of Pisa. I think he was trying to get my goat. Anyhow, I’ve been to Italy twice, lived in Europe for four years and still have never been to Pisa. Actually I’ve been to Europe a dozen times since l970. It seems as the years go by I always pick up a magazine or book or newspaper and read this and that on Pisa, the ‘Tower of Pisa,’ that is. I even know how many steps wind around that oval shaped monument, to its top: 293. I’ve seen Big Ben, and the Cathedral in Mexico City; been to 60-countries, maybe 61, I was just in Honduras. And I’ve seen most of the world monuments [worth seeing]; traveling some 683,000-air miles since l969 [36-years]. I ask myself, ‘I must be saving this for the last trip?’ But it just doesn’t seem to fit my pattern. Then I think of my friend Tom, who owns a bookstore, of rare and hard to find books, in St. Paul. He has every magazine ever published of “Weird Tales,” except one. I asked him why he doesn’t get the one, the last one. I mean, there are only five people in the whole United States that have a complete collection of Weird Tales, he could be number six. And he tells me, “Dennis, I’ll die if I get the last one.” Woops, I think, is that why I’m not going to Pisa; but again, it does not fit my way of thinking. Oh well, I will have to wait to see the 269-column monument I suppose. I’ve known for the past decade you could not go up to the top; but with a six week notice, and a small price of a ticket, you can now. ------------ About the author: Mr. Siluk is a world traveler, a lover of the mysteries around the world, and has visit many World Heritage Sites, his most recent being Easter Island, the Galapagos and Mesa Verde. His books can be seen on/at Barns and Noble.com, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Abe.com Alibis, Boarders and several other sites and book stores. Many of his books can be purchased through the English Bookdealers. He spends his time between Lima, Peru and St. Paul, Minnesota, and has just finished working on two new books: "The Macabre Poems,” and “Perhaps it’s Love,” and continues to work on "Curse of the Abyss Worm,” a suspenseful mystery, and “Cold Kindness,” a tragic love affair. Visit http://dennissiluk.tripod.com Email: dlsiluk@msn.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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