Day 6 - The Day of Lots of Art

Today was an absolute marathon. We took a 3 hour walking tour of Florence, followed by a tour of the Uffizi, followed by a tour of the Accademia (home of Michelangelo's "David.") We are dead on our feet. The four and a half flights of stairs up to the Uffizi nearly killed us, but I was too ashamed of my fat American ass to take the elevator.

The walking tour of Florence was really cool, as it gave us a historical perspective of the development of the city during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. LOTS of sculpture, including some Donatellos as well as Brunelleschi's Dome of the Duomo. My brain hurts trying to remember it all.

The Uffizi was a madhouse. Our tour guide was hilarious and had NO patience for the gazillions of people who were being loud, taking photos, and being generally discourteous. She shushed entire galleries so that she could speak quietly and be heard. It was awesome. I wonder if she was once a middle school teacher, because she had a disapproving glare that will stop you in your tracks! Good thing she didn't catch Nate taking about eleventy billion "illegal" photos in the Uffizi and Accademia. Nate continues to misbehave, of course, but at least he's not getting in trouble. Great success!

We saw so much... Madonnas by Duccio, Cimabue and Giotto, Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" and "Primavera," Leonardo Da Vinci's "Annunciation," Titian's "Venus of Urbino" (early soft-core porn), and much, much more.

Michelangelo's "David," is truly spectacular. It's massive (17 feet tall) and beautiful. Of course, Nate took prohibited photos of it.

We just grabbed quick meals today - Nothing spectacular because it was all about getting to see the art.

In the morning, we're heading to the Central Market to check it out before we have to check out of our room.

Tomorrow we head back on the train to Rome. We'd originally had ANOTHER tour planned on Thursday, but decided to cancel so we could explore on our own at our own pace for 2 whole days. I need to get to the Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth), Castel St. Angelo, the Ecstasy of St. Teresa, and do some shopping. Actually, I'm really looking forward to an hour and a half of sitting quietly on the train.

Gelato x 2 today.

Mid-day gelato break - Nate: Banana and chocolate; Me: Caffe Mocha

Evening gelato break - Nate: Banana, caramel and pistachio; Me: Hazelnut and chocolate chip (stratcciatella)

Ciao for now...

XOXO

Steph

Day 5 - Nate and Steph in Florence

This morning we checked out of our hotel in Rome and took the Eurostar high speed train to Florence (Firenze). The train ride was pretty cool. We traveled in excess of 155 mph, and the ride took about an hour and 40 minutes. We arrived at the Santa Maria Novella train station and walked to our hotel a few blocks away. This hotel is substantially nicer than the first (which Nate hated, but I thought it wasn't too bad).

The Hotel Centrale is on the 2nd floor of an office type of building. In the evening, we have to leave through these huge metal doors and be buzzed back in, then buzzed in to the hotel area. We also leave our key at the desk if we're leaving in the evening. Kind of weird, but it's very quiet, and the windows open, and it's comfy. The best part is that there is a bidet. I was going to be totally disappointed if I didn't get to stay in a hotel with a bidet. Luckily, there is a buttwasher! How exciting!

Today we visited the church of Santa Croce and saw works by Cimabue (crucifix), Giotto (frescoes of scenes from the life of St. Francis) and the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo. The Donatello (Annunciation) relief that is in a chapel of the basilica was being restored (as was a large portion of the church, so Machiavelli's tomb was inaccessible as well). Huge scaffolds are built, and you can see restorers working on the frescoes and the plaster work. It was just cool to see that. What an interesting job!

We walked to the Arno river and across the Ponte Vecchio, which is basically a big shopping mall of gold stores. Lots and lots of gold.

From the little bit of time we spent here today, it seems the people from Florence are nicer and the food is better.

We went out to dinner, and Nate had bistecca alla fiorentina (grilled, lightly seasoned steak). It was pretty good. I had the menu del giorno that included an antipasto of three different cups of vegetable soup (including ribollita, which is made with veggies and day-old bread). SO GOOD. Soup is pretty much my favorite food, so I was already in heaven. Then I had a stew beef with a type of tomato topping, and spinach with garlic. Amazingly good. Finished up with some fresh pinapple and a limoncello (lemon liquour). By far, this was the best meal I've had here so far (and mine was only 15 Euro).

Gelato flavors today ---
Me: Coconut (again). Nate: KitKat (yum!)

Day 5 - Pics

2 Cops that liked being photographed!
The streets of Florance are filled with mopeds and tiny motorcycles



looking out our window


Not a bad view of the area

So can I use this to wash my feet in?

Look a church - there are hardly any of these in Italy...

Look another one!


Michelangelo's Tomb


Santa Croce - restore work in progress


Galileo's Tomb
Us by another fountain...

Day 4 Part Due

OK -
Part two from today's adventure...

Tonight we ventured back out for dinner and desert. We planned to eat and then go to a gelato place that we stopped at the on day one and now we can not find it again.

We went to dinner at "IL Miraggo" www.ristoranteilmiraggio.com for what has been the best meal of the trip. The waiter was very friendly and told us some jokes.

Steph emptied a bottle of wine by herself so she is done typing for the night. She was also not much help finding the elusive gelato stand. I followed her around for blocks walking in a big circle passing several other gelato places only to end up back at the Trevi fountain again.

We gave up and went to some other place which was terrible by comparison to the place we were looking for.

Anyhow...

I took a few night shots at the fountain. There were so many people there I don't think the place is ever empty.

Everywhere we go there seems to be the same Japanese teens putting up the peace sign and taking pictures. In the fountains, on the streets, in front of the Pope, in the elevator, in the bathrooms, next to every sculpted headless naked statue and at every table next to the one we sit at. They are a very peaceful group but totally just out to make new profile pictures for Facebook.

I am also including a picture of just how small the room is. I can actually reach from one size of the room to the other. It just fits the bed and a small desk (too small to sit at) and a small TV that only gets CNN and sometimes the BBC.

I did catch the ending of Sleepless in Seattle in Italian. In this version Tom Hanks calls Meg Ryan a whore and drives off in an Iroc-Z with lots of bass...

Steph's on my case for not learning the language. Everyone speaks English so I just don't see the point. They just want the Euros. By the way all the money here is very colorful. Very fruity looking with dancing people on it. They also have lots of coins that are all the same size.

Tomorrow we are getting on the train. Choo Choo!

Steph's many drinks...

People at the fountain


This place never closes...





Tiny room - you should see the bathroom... Check back on day 5 for that!

Almost forgot...

Conversation overhead on the street:

One young European (accent unknown) man says to his friend as they come out of a shop:

"3 Euros for one condom. It's cheaper to go with a slut!"

(I love this place!)

Day 4 Photos

At the top of Palatine Hill

Original Roman street (made of basalt)

The Arch of Constantine, seen from the Colosseum