 Nando Media and The Associated Press By ROXANA M. POPESCU, Associated Press Writer (PISA, Italia, Friday July 20 3:16 PM ET ) |
 First lady Laura Bush smiles and symbolically pushes Pisa's leaning tower as she stands with Pier Francesco Pacini, president of the control body "Opera Primaziale Pisana" with authority over Pisa's historical monuments, in Pisa, central Italy, Friday, July 20, 2001. Mrs. Bush is visiting Aviano air base, Pisa and Florence as President Bush attends Genoa's G8 summit. (AP Photo/Fabio Muzzi) |
 U.S. first Lady Laura Bush (R) walks past the famous leaning tower of Pisa accompanied by the President of the " Opera Primaziale of Pisa " Pierfrancesco Pacini during a visit July 20, 2001. REUTERS/Carlo Fabbri |
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PISA, Italy (AP) - With her right arm extended, first lady Laura Bush assumed the quintessential pose beside the leaning Tower of Pisa. "Is this the spot where we're holding it up?" she asked photographers. In Italy while her husband President Bush attends the Group of Eight summit in Genoa, the first lady spent 30 minutes at the tower, climbing its stairway and chatting with tourists. "Oh great, wonderful," she said. "This is beautiful." Hundreds looked on as Mrs. Bush received a history lesson from Antonio Lazzarini, director of the tower and its complex. The 180-foot high marble monument started tilting almost immediately after the beginning of its construction in 1173. It was closed down in 1990 for restoration and is expected be opened again to the public in the fall. Lazzarini invited her to climb the tower, and after inquiring about its safety, she agreed to go up to the first level. Mrs. Bush arrived in Pisa with her 19-year-old daughter, Barbara, after meeting with U.S. troops stationed at the Aviano air base in northeastern Italy. From Pisa, Mrs. Bush traveled to Florence for a tour at a pediatric hospital ward. The former librarian stopped at the hospital to promote a literacy program, Reach Out and Read, which incorporates reading into the healing process for ill children. "I think education is one of if not the most important issue," Mrs. Bush said in an interview. "If every child could get a great education, then that would solve a lot of problems. Everyone wants that." |
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