Il Tirreno Giornale
"It's Very, Very Beautiful!"
Saturday 21 July 2001
by G.P.
The First Lady with President Pacini on the Tower
(Foto by Fabio Muzzi)
PISA. Laura Bush descends from the stairscase with glasses alone, a blue suit and a grand smile. She got into a black Cadillac and, super-escorted, arrived at Piazza dei Miracoli.
The tourists have recognized her and some approached to shake her hand. Then, she climbed the Tower accompanied by Pierfrancesco Pacini, president of the Primaziale. "It's very beautiful !" she commented during her descent.
Then she left toward Florence. A fast visit but confirmation that our monument is famous all over the world. When the American First Lady arrived at at our airport (accompanied by 50 people, escorts and guards), received by general Roberto Zappa, commander of the 46th Air brigade, and by Donatella Barsotti, manager of the Sat. For her personal escort, assistants, police officers and carbinieri: in all around 200 men. The officers had the assignment of protecting the first lady and all the procession.
The police had closed the access to all at the Tower as a safety measure creating numerous traffic jams around the "red zone". The procession of twelve autos and more motorbikes was watched over from the top by helicopter, is past the viaduct of the airport descending north on the Aurelia. At the bridge, it has turned to the right and passed under the railway bridge. Then, it turned into Via Bonanno to arrive in Manin plaza from where it has entered Piazza dei Miracoli. An unexpected show for thousands of tourists that have found the wife of the president of the United States of America. Some applauded and others (well guarded by the escort) have been able to shake her hand. Under the Tower, Laura Bush was received by Perfrancesco Pacini.
To the president of the Primaziale, the honor to accompany the First Lady on the bell tower. The president has explained the work of stability that has been performed. Mrs.Bush, always smiling, has greeted the tourists from the second level. On her descent, she has returned to the black Cadillac, always heavily escorted, in the direction from Florence.
Laura Bush will return to Pisa Sunday. To the Galilei airport, where she will embark at 4:00 PM destined for Rome Fiumicino where her husband will meet her. The couple will spend two days in our capital for a short "Roman vacation".
(Firenze, Italia, Saturday 21 July 2001)
La Stampa Giornale
Fables by Laura Bush for the sick children of Florence
The First Lady has visited a pediatric hospital.
During the G8 summit she will stay in Tuscany with her daughter Barbara
Florence. Mrs.Bush: get away from Genoa in the days of the G8 summit. Yesterday morning she initiated the "private" trip to Florence, organized with a minimum of details by the consul of the United States at Florence, Hilarion Martinez, and by the mayor Leonardo Domenici. The wife of the American president has asked for a cultural visit, signalling the places that she would like to see, but she has added a meaningful social appointment in notebook, a visit to the Meyer Pediatric Hospital.
The day of Laura Bush started with a brief visit to the military base of Aviano, in Friuli. Then she arrived at Pisa, where she climbed the restored leaning tower. Third stop, the chief town of Tuscany. Accompanied by Mrs. Hilarion and by mayor Domenici, with his wife Geraldina, the First Lady has been joined by the general manager of the Meyer hospital, Franco Riboldi. Lady Laura has asked to take part in the therapy on her way through Meyer that consists of reading fables to the small patients.
Lady Bush will stay in Florence, with her daughter Barbara, for all three long days of the G8 summit, but her Tuscany visits will not be made known, for safety reasons.
