Day 16, Florence Italy

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Day 16: Friday, December 12th, 2009
Florence, Italy.

First up this morning is a bus trip to the top of a hill overlooking Florence where a professional photographer will take a big group picture. I've opted out of purchasing said picture, I have plenty. The view from up there was beautiful and the weather was great! (Something I shake my head at as I type this in arctic Vienna). The gang try to convince me to continue taking pictures of butt cracks with my thumb (there was a replica of David on the hill) but I gallantly refused. I told them i didn't want to be "that American." Santa was enough.

Then it was back on the bus and into Florence where we stopped by "Leonardo's", a leather workshop/store. They showed us how they make the infamous (well, honestly, I had never heard of it) Florentine box and how to spot real leather. I picked up a few trinkets and gifts and we hit the streets.

We headed over to the Basilica di Santa Croce (Holy Cross). This is not only another beautiful church but it's also where many famous folks are buried, such as Michelangelo & Gallileo. I decided it would be another perfect church to light a candle for Dad so I head over to the Michelangelo tomb where some tea light candles could be purchased. I put in .50 and grabbed my candle. Then, daintily holding it by the tips of my fingers because fire and I are not friends, I tilted it so that the wick could be lit by another, already burning, candle. It lit, then I dropped my candle on that candle and put them both out. Pretty sure it's another notch in the Hell Belt for me. However, I could picture Dad doing his snort-laugh and saying, a la Bugs Bunny, "What a maroon." So, while giggling, I tried again and was successful.

We then head over to Piazza Della Signoria where many famous statues can be found (Fountain of Neptune, Perseus and Medusa, etc.) It's surreal to look around and realize that 90%!o(MISSING)f these statues are the originals and are just out in the open for the public to enjoy. Part of the 10%!n(MISSING)ot original is another statue of The David. The real one use to reside here until someone threw a couch out of a window and it hit the statue and damaged it. They decided to then keep it inside. In this plaza we meet up with our local Florence tour guide who walks with us for over an hour explaining what we see and what all has taken place there. She was very good, and patient, and I cannot remember her name at all. But thanks anyway lady!

Along the way, we see: Bust of Benvenuto Cellini (where lover's put locks on his gate, follow this link for explanation); The Medici Bridge, Il Porcellino (boar statue you rub for luck); Piazza della Repubblica; and the The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (aka, "The Duomo"). We decide to break for lunch and I'm hungry enough that I chance a pizza. Then, our group of 8 splits into 2 since Luna, Kent, Ashton & Mana want to climb to the top of the Duomo (436 steps). The sane ones, myself, Natasha, Lauren & Teryn, say we'll wave to them and go exploring on our own. Unfortunately, our exploring gets cut short when lunch decides it wasn't a good idea. So, another future traveling tip for you guys: don't be afraid of the public restrooms that you have to pay to use! They were so clean it was shocking (especially considering the department store bathroom I had just used had urine and fecal matter everywhere.) Anyway, thanks to Natasha, Teryn & Lauren for going down a dark alley with me so that we could find the WC (Water Closet).

We meet up with the rest of the tour group and head back to the hotel...can't remember if we went out for dinner or not. Oh well.

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Photos

The back of Persius and Medusa overlooking the court.
Also in the shot: The Fountain of Neptune and Cosimo I de Medici.

Medici Bridge
So they could walk the streets without mixing with the commoners (though, in their defense, people did keep trying to kill them.)

Another mixture of old and new.
The Perseus and Medusa statue with a large LCD behind it.

The back of the Persius & Medusa statue
Look closely and you'll see Cellin's (sculpted it) face carved into the back of the head.

An unofficial group picture.
We were waiting for our Florence tour guide.

Overlooking the River Amo and Medici Bridge
Bridal shoot!

Comments

[Chris]

You were inspired to write a script for a new movie "Pizza Assasin"?
So, all the other statues are safe from couches?