With our destination looming before us, we march forward with determination to meet the challenge. We were almost sidetracked by a demonstration in the street that was on our same route.  Doug needed a little restraining to keep from joining the vociferous throng.  I think he thought he could practice his Spanish swearwords and fit right in.  As we reach the narrow door that leads up the tower (maybe 2 feet wide) we proceed up the stairs.  A circular stairway for the first few minutes until we reach the pay station.  Paying 3 euros each for the privilege of tackling this tower we move on upward.  Climbing the 320 feet, those 498 steps seemed…………..well, they seemed like they just kept going!  Finally we reached the top and we were greeted with a spectacular 360 degree view of the City of Bologna.  Getting back down was also a challenge.  The narrow steps going up were not so noticeable since your toes could slide underneath the step above.  However going down, in some sections the steps were so steep and narrow, there was no room for your foot, simply your heel.  Turning sideways or going down backwards was the preferred method of descent.  Finally reaching the bottom, we rested for a while and then set off for our next climbing adventure…..the 3.5 kilometer hike up through the 666 arches of the Portico of San Luca which starts at the old Saragozza gate of the city and up to the top of Guardia Hill to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca.  Wowie….that was a climb on top of the climb up the tower earlier.  Barb insisted that we have music for the climb when we were only half way up so it would be more like her Thrive Excercise Class.  I think that’s why they make i-phones.  “Eye of the Tiger” propelled us the rest of the way….although if Doug could have caught me, he would have propelled my phone and its music all the way back down Guardia Hill.  Walking back down, my wonderful wife hailed a cab and we all piled in for a much quicker covering of the 3.5 kilometers down than we experienced going up!  Gelato for a pick me up snack and then back to the hotel to rest up for tonight’s adventure!