Florence

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Friday evening continued

We went down to the reception area of the hotel, to do some work in the internet.

We surfed for accommodation in Florence and found an Ibis hotel at what we thought was a good rate, €59.00 per night, so we booked for the next two nights.

We went through to dinner and the recommended menu didn't appeal to either of us. So we had a dried meat with salad herbs and parmesan shavings and a vegetable soup to start, followed by a chicken with pineapple cubes and red peppercorns and a pasta with aubergine and mint pesto. I ordered a plate of chips with the main course as I was hungry, we hadn't had too much today. All of it was pretty good, and as I stated at the time, “replete”.

This was the end of another busy day, seeing so many wonderful things, that I have begun to run out of appropriate superlatives.

Saturday, 1st November, 2008

Plan for today move from Venice to Florence approximately 240 kilometers.

We left the room around nine thirty and went down to reception to check out. After this we sorted a few things out at the car and topped up at the garage next door for petrol. The petrol pumps are a learning curve still, and with some help, had to use cash in an automatic machine, because it didn't like any of our bank cards. We have had a lot more problems in Italy using our cards than in France.

After filling up we then headed off for the motorway, and after a short detour, in other words, we went the wrong way, we headed south west.

A lot of the countryside is dead flat again, and from remembering the geological relief map the other day in the museum, there is a great expanse of these flatlands between the mountain ranges, in this part of Italy.

As we bypassed Padova (Padua) ahead of us were some mountains that came out of nowhere and were covered in clouds, just like someone had stuck fluffy cotton wool, all over the top of them, very pretty.

We stopped for a quick cappucino and pain au chocolat, as breakfast, around Padova.

We headed on for Florence (Firenze) and arrived about one thirty. The Ibis that we have booked is in the middle of nowhere, but is new looking and in a similar, but perhaps slightly better class than the Premiere Classe's we have stayed in. The room is a good size and so is the bathroom.

Because we had plenty of day left, we headed straight in to Florence and found parking in an underground car park, just by the railway station. No classical music.

We set off on foot and we were both hungry so headed into a very convenient McDonalds and had two big mac's, fries and diet cokes. I seemed to have won a prize in the McDonalds competition, but as it was all in Italian etc. I gave it to a group of youngsters who were sitting next to us. They seemed pleased.

We were then looking for the Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore, otherwise known as The Duomo. Along the way we saw many fine buildings and piazza's in a quite remarkable city.

This was Saturday and the place was absolutely jam packed with people, thousands and thousands of them, all shapes, sizes and nationalities.

The Duomo when you reach it, is an astonishing building with a facade of white and green marble, the like of which, I have never seen before. The building is by no means small, you can't photograph it properly, because it is surrounded by buildings and you can't get far enough away.

We went inside - free entry - and it is certainly not as impressive inside as out. A lot brighter and airier than the Basilica in St. Mark's though.

We came out and walked around the entire building because it is so impressive.

We then wandered around Florence some more, taking in the sites found our way to the river and another bridge with shops on it, the Ponte Vecchio, very pretty.

Then we came to the Uffizi museum and tried to make sense of the way in and how to prebook for the next day, as we knew it was extremely busy. After following their signs and queuing for forty minutes we were told we were in the wrong place. So we abandoned this plan and headed back to the car.

As we made our way, a protest was just starting in the streets mainly by young people, presumably about the student grants again. We moved on quickly.

We set up the Satnav to get us to the Hotel and I have to say, it can be really frustrating at times, for example, when you go over a bridge and then five minutes later you cross the same bridge in the other direction, you really begin to wonder what it is playing at.

Anyway, we got back safe and sound. Tired, but full of even more memories.

The weather was really kind to us and as we descended into Florence the car said 21°C.

Plan for tomorrow, explore Florence even further.

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Photos

Florence
Il Duomo

Comments

[giacomofra]

Don't forget Pisa
As you are in Florence, do not miss Pisa, and Pistoia too. They are much smaller but incredibly charming