Hanging Gardens

We have had a good day looking around Lucca, which is a lovely town.

One of the first things we did was go up this tower, the 14th century Torre Guinigi, the first of three we have been up today. It brought two thoughts of home:

* I remembered a friend telling me a couple of months back that a world famous "star" architect has persuaded a London Borough to support a new tall tower. It will have trees on the top, the idea being that these will reflect Hyde Park, visible from the top. The model is this tower in Lucca.
* the seven trees here are holm oaks. These evergreens always now remind me of our trips to see J's Mum in Highcliffe, where they are distinctive. A huge one sits on the main road at the corner of the flatted complex she lives at. People are always complaining about the leaf drop - being evergreens they drop all year long. I think the trees are magnificent.