We started our Florence visit by promptly getting turned around and getting thoroughly lost. We walked past the Duomo Cathedral 3 times before we figured out where to go, and had to walk past it again to get to the hotel when we did figure it out. It took us about an hour and a half to go what I now realize should have taken about 20 minutes, but that's OK. It seems that getting lost is part of getting to know a city.
And, the Duomo is worth circling a few times. It's as big as at least a city block, and made entirely of different colours of marble. The intricate carving on it is just incredible... I think the book we have says that it took 200 years to finish building.
Our hotel room is much different from the first two. Where they were modern and slick, this was is quite traditional, with yellow walls and carved wooden headboards. It's also got a bathroom door that sticks so badly that we've agreed that we'll be peeing with the door open throughout our stay.
At the advice of the owner, we caught a cab up to the Plazzale Michelangiolo (the hill on the opposite side of the river), and the view was breathtaking. We wandered around there for a while, grabbed a quick lunch and then walked through a massive grave yard with the most ornamental headstones I've ever seen, before walking down the hill and back to the hotel... passing mind boggling-ly amazing architecture along the way.
We walked 23000 steps, and our feet were pretty sore.
Dinner was a roasted vegetable soup, followed by Caprese salad. Gelato flavour of the day was coconut.
Observations about the city:
everybody smokes
Italians in general seem to all be at a very healthy weight
the sidewalks are extremely narrow, and the roads even more so
there appears to be a shortage of fig leaves
Florence is my favorite city in Italy. Been there four times and can't wait to go back for more. I know I'm repeating my comments but, "JEALOUS"!!!
ReplyDeleteFlorence is my idea of what I want Italy to be. When I think of Frances Mayes I think Florence.
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