Onto Italy

Florence is one of the most happiest beautiful cities I've been to.  Since I was there in the gray and rain I can really say that.  I have wanted to come here since my senior year in high school where I learned about Michelangelo's Unbreakables and saw "A Room With A View"

Started trip off with Gelato

We got Florence by taking the night train. Daniel loves using the train to get around.  We got a sleeper car with four other people, and we picked up some really loud obnoxious teenagers that were loud and we had to yell at three times before they calmed down.  Daniel still likes to go by train because they are so fast and different.   Once in Florence we found our bed and breakfast out in the suburbs (we got to see the same local old men stand outside and argue about the same things near every morning, but when it rained).  First stop, food, and then I wanted to see the Duamo and the baptistery.



The Duamo, yes I'm in the picture, but the building dwarfs me you can barely see me even if I'm standing out in red.

The Dome

Dante Inferno





Going up the steps in the dome was so steep. It was one of the coolest, but harder hikes I've done. You climb at an angle it gets you to understand the earth is straight, but curved and you don't know it.  It is pretty trippy.



Having a nice sit with a view after our hike.



Going down



Baptistery

Gate of Paradise





We then tried to see the David it was closed on Monday, so we saw the replica of where the original stood.  We also got a layout of the city and walked every where.  The best part was eating at the cafes.  It was funny because all the places we ate were tourist traps and not good, but when we found some high rated sandwich shops we were in heaven.  Ham is different from Prosciutto and it is a big difference.  Just because I'm American doesn't mean that when I ask for Prosciutto I mean ham.

Daniel playing Assassin's Creed

We had to go back to the B&B because Daniel had a surprise for me.  We had walked so much that massive blisters had formed.  They were huge on both feet and took at least three bandaids to cover each one up.



The Next day we consentrated on seeing the David and the Unbreakables which are in a museum that they want you to buy prints so that you can't take your own pictures.  Even though it is to scale in the square the replica doesn't do it justice, but at the same time I think it is not shown to it's advantage in the square while the museum makes it magnificent. We also found a new sculpturest, Lorenzo Bartonlini, it was amazing just to see his castings (none of his actual works are in Florence, but mostly in France). My favorite is the The Inconsolable which is on a grave in Pisa. We then went to the Uffazi and saw the Birth of Venus which I liked before, but was really great with scale and in person.



Michelangelo's Grave 

Santa Croce

The courtyard of the De Medici chapel and Donatello's grave.

UNDER A LOGGIA

That is the title of one of the chapters in a Room With a View.  We always seemed to end up here sitting, enjoying the sculptures and people watch.  It was gorgeous at night, so we decided to get pictures of Florence at night.





An Obelisk for you Christine! Right in front of Santa Maria cathedral.

The Gold Market on the Arno

 

I loved that random street corners would have frescos out in the
open.










My new favorite thing to do is cooking classes in foreign countries. Daniel and I learned how to make a killer Tiramisu and fresh pasta. 

We took ourselves home by way of Milan, dirty little city--meh, so that we could get first class.  It was awesome because we got the flat beds.  Now that is the way to travel!