To Florence

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Decide not to breakfast at hotel. Head to Termini (train station) to do a recky for the later trip as it's huge, more like an airport then back to near hotel for a nice brerakfast - special at 10 euros each and then we have a second coffee and we are slugged an extra 5 euros each for those! We then do some window shopping, see a few more piazzas and fountains and head back to hotel for our 12 midday check-out. I recheck the train ticket and realise I misread the departure time, and we've missed it, fuck! Oh well taxi to station and we decide on the fast train not the slow one we were booked on (and extra 120 euros) and get to Florence only 30 mins later than planned! Walked from station to hotel, another 6 room little gem, room is massive, bathroom biggest I've ever seen and friendly staff. Settle in and head into the city, about 20 mins walk, find a restaurant & settle in for a late lunch, anti pasta platter of meat, olives, cheeses, tripe! (not bad) & fried bread (like a doughnut).Olives are so good, we order some more, spend an hour and a half reflecting on the day and trip so far. Now off to the markets, mixture of dodgy and genuine, buy a couple of presents for the kids , find a toilet as Jules is busting by now, need a euro but have no change as I gave all mine to the restaurant as a tip, and a nice attendant lady flicks the switch to let her in as she's in pain by now and then points me at the change machine! Wander back to hotel and see a bar with a sign advertising 5 euro martinis. We settle on 2 espresso martinis, shot of espresso, kahlua, baileys, vanuilla vodka and vodka - yum! Then to a corner store for some cheese and bread to go with our salama from Grieve and a bottle of prosecco and back to hotel for a night in. Jules has a bath, huge, both of them, by candlelight, crack the prosecco and enjoy a quiet time. We play some music for only about the 3rd time on the trip, only so much Italian TV you can watch.

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