European Getaway - Day 8 - Florence

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Day 8 - Florence

I wake up fairly early and head for breakfast, ham, cheese and bread rolls follows the usual sort of food we are becoming accustomed to. This morning there seems to be a buzz around the group, which I learn is due to a football game, but not the football I’m used to. I’m talking about Aussie Rules. This morning is the grand final of AFL (which is pretty much like the Australian version of the superbowl). Today’s game is between Collingwood and St Kilda (both from Victoria), and I soon learn that Collingwood are AFL’s version of Leeds United, unless you’re a fan, everyone hates them. On our coach there are two Collingwood fans, Jess and Lucy, Andrea supports St Kilda and everyone else is backing St Kilda, as they hate Collingwood (due to some bloke named Eddie McGuire, who’s the president of Collingwood and I’m informed he’s a douchbag). I decide to support St Kilda purely on this basis.

We board the coach to the centre of Florence and the tension on the coach is amazing, with people trying to get the score, ringing family in Oz etc. I assist my friends by getting the score on my kindle. As we reach Florence we learn the score was 68-68, a drawn game. In English football (or soccer) a draw isn’t an obscure result but draws are quite rare in AFL. This means there will be a replay next week, when we are in Prague, and plans are to get up and watch it.

Anyways enough with the sport, back to Florence, we begin our guided tour with an Italian bloke, who shows us the main squares in Florence and tells us of the history of stuff. Clearly Michelangelo was a big influence in this Renaissance city. We visit Duomo, the cathedral with the huge dome and the replica statue of David (The real one is in the Academia, but the replica is identical in every way). After the tour we are taken to a brief leather demonstration, which also included an opportunity to buy leather (which is a theme with the demonstrations we visit on the tour, more of a sales banter, rather than actual demonstration).

Afterwards I hang around with Trent and we bump into Nicole, Kat, Tahlia, Jaala and Momma Jac (as she is affectionately known). Nicole, Kat and Tahlia get caricatures done. They are quite funny. We grab lunch at a street side restaurant. I play it safe with a ham and mushroom pizza. Afterwards me and Trent head around town again, I buy a genuine silk tie for €5, I assume its genuine polyester at that price.

Florence is a very pretty city but there isn’t much to do, we visited a small museum, which was free, however they didn’t let us take bags in, despite scanning them, plus they wouldn’t allow cameras. A bit harsh.

We grab some gelato and then head back to the meeting point for 3:30 and catch the coach back to the site and now have time to relax. Most people head for the pool, I head to the supermarket to buy some water, which to my disappointment turns out to be fizzy water (Chris's travel tip - always check when buying water that it isn't fizzy, as fizzy water is crap) and head to the pub to watch the first half of Arsenal v West Brom. However I’m more concerned about the score between Sheffield United and the dirty Leeds. At half time I head down to the pool and hang about with the girls from earlier. Happy hour is on at the bar, which is indicated by a bloke who sounds like Borat telling us every 5 minutes. I grab a beer and then sit down for a chat with everyone. As we are talking, Paul, one of the guys from Sydney who I roomed with in Lauterbrunnen, comes over with a huge lump on his head, apparently he came down the water slide the wrong way and banged his head at the bottom. Everyone was laughing, he had a right egg on his head. To be fair Paul takes it well, but heads back as he has quite a headache.

I head back to my trailer (cabin) and learn the bad news that United lost 1-0, gutted, but head over to the restaurant for dinner (which we have to pay for, as it’s not included). I play it safe again and go for the Ham and Mushroom pizza, which comes out of the kitchen really early and I’ve already eaten it by the time everyone else’s food arrives. Whilst we are eating Simon and Lauren arrive back. They thought the coach was leaving at a later time, therefore missed the coach and it took them forever to get to the rather remote campsite where we are staying. Poor things, they look knackered.

Afterwards we head to the bar for a couple of beers before going to bed. Overall I have enjoyed the laid back nature of our time in Florence, plus the Discoteque was a fun night out.

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