Deliciously Decadent and Flamboyantly Fashionable Florence

---

We enjoyed another glorious morning looking out at the Duomo while feasting on nutella filled croissants and commented to each other how we would never be eating like this at home! The pleasures we have allowed ourselves have been quite out of character for us, especially in relation to food!

After savouring the last sweet bites of oozing chocolate, we went out to complete our list of "must sees" in Florence. First we headed back towards to train station in order to visit the Santa Maria Novella which is the first basilica in Florence. We wandered through this beautiful church with its frescoes and chapels. We were amazed to see how high water of the Arno River had risen in 1966, causing much damage to the frescoes.

Next we headed toward the San Lorenzo Market and the Centrale Mercado. The latter is an inside market filled with wonderful sights and smells. We wandered past the butcher counters where we encountered several kinds of "mystery" meats. One specialty is tripe, which came in absolute piles. Can't say it's on my "have to try" list! We admired the tons of sundried tomatoes they had and watched them make tortellini. Apparently chicken feet are a bit thing too! We stopped to try truffles and bread with a little cup of local wine. Yes the decadence of Florence is incredible! As we rounded a corner we saw a line up at a cafe/bar. We watched as the men piled thinly pork onto fresh buns. Granted we had just ate less than two hours ago but decided to have a big pork on a bun! It was succulent and as we sat out on the steps licking the juice that was running down our fingers we once again thought, "We would never eat pork on a bun at 11:00 in the morning!".

We then walked into the San Lorenzo Market where stall after stall are filled with leather purses, belts, gloves,and jackets. some booths have every type of Florence souvenir imaginable while others have scarves of every colour. Now if you recall my main outfit consists of yoga pants and a dri-fit shirt, pink Nikes and usually a azure blue jacket. Quite the fashion statement! Well I knew that I was not making a good impression when "Fabio" offered to take us to his store and deck us out in leather! While I looked at purses, Curtis noticed that one of the men in a booth had a Canadian pin on. As soon as he struck up a conversation the line began reeling in. Soon we were walking down to his store where he stripped me of my jacket and had me in leather with a beautiful scarf wound around my neck. I asked him if he didn't think I looked vogue in my current outfit! He just grinned. What more could he say? At this point Curtis whispers to me, "I'm not trying anything on!". Famous last words as Fabio soon had him into a leather bomber jacket! After trying to wheel and deal with us (we could have had both for 320 euros) we took his card and said we'd think about it!

We then wandered back to the store where I had seen a purse I liked on a side street (my husband is great with a map!) which I picked up and then just down from our place another store owner gave me a great price on a purse so of course I ended up with two! No scarves though, and Lord knows EVERYONE wears a scarf!

We dropped off my purchases at our apartment (elevator still broken) and walked to Santa Croce Basilica, the principal Francisican church in this area and a minor basilica in the Roman Catholic Church. It is also the burial place of some of Italy's most illustrious people - Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, and Rossini.

Next we went to the Medici Chaples which are two structures at the Basilica San Lorenzo dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. It was to celebrate the Medici Family, patrons of the church and Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Just as we entered I found a jacket sitting on the floor beside a chair. I picked it up and set it on the chair and some security lady came rushing over saying, "No Madame!". I assume she thought it was my jacket that I was setting down. I assured her I had just found it on the floor and put it on the chair! She said, "OK" and took both the chair and the jacket away! We visited the tombs of Lorenzo di Medici and his brother Guiliano, their tombs and monuments made by Michelangelo. However the most amazing sight in this place was the Capella dei Principi, a huge, elegant room made of marble and inlaid with coloured marble. There are 6 gigantic sarcophogi which are empty as the remains of the Medici's lie in the crypt below.

The next part of our decadent day was to visit the Geletaria La Carraia, recommended by Gabriella. We were not disappointed as we both at a huge bowl of gelato. I enjoyed nutella and yogurt along with caramel whilee Curtis also had the nutella and black cherry. It was absolutely the creamiest ice cream I have ever had and we were not disappointed!

Because we love pain, we decided to hike up to the Piazzale Michelangelo, the famous sqaure that gives you a phenomenal panoramic view of all of Florence and the same place we visited as a family two years ago (and where we backed our rental car into a pole!). We trekked up through the Rose Garden and then up the steps to the lookout. We visited the Chiese di San Salvatore al Monte and the Chiese di San Miniato al Monte, two beautiful churches on a hill behind the Piazzale. As we were making our way down the steps we saw the same girl (that looked like Vanessa) standing there. I finally went over to speak to her. She is a lovely girl from Vancouver who is currently on an exchange in Vienna, and having two weeks off, decided to travel! I told her she was very brave and asked how her parents felt about her travelling. She shyly grinned and said, "Actually they don't know". We joked how one of us must be following the other and then she told us she was off to Naples and Rome next. We wished her a safe trip and made our way down to the lookout.

The view is just as breathtaking as it was two years ago and seven years before that. We even went back to find the infamous post that took out the rear panel of our rental car! We then headed to our final destination of the day - The Palazzo Pitti.

This palace is a huge brown structure that was originally the town residence of Luca Pitti, an ambitious Florentine banker. The palace was bought by the Medici Family in 1549 and was the main residence of the ruling families until the last male died in 1737. In the late 18th century, the palazzo was used as a power base by Napolean. Today this massive structure is home to beautiful works of art. We then walked up to the Boboli Gardens where we enjoyed the view of the Palazzo with Florence as the backdrop. We sat on the steps for a break from another hectic day, enjoying a juicy blood orange and relaxing in the late day sun.

On our way back we stopped in at the Chiesa di Santa Margherita di Cerchi is an ancient church where It is first recorded in 1032 and is said, contentiously, to have been the location of Dante's marriage to Gemma Donati in 1285 or 1290.

After making our way back to the apartment we packed up a few things and then went down to La Scudo where we dined on great wine and fantastic pizza, each trying a different one. We enjoyed meeting Stephanie, our server, who assured us she would give Gabriella our gelato message. Just as we were leaving she offered us a limoncelloon the house. A nice decadent treat to end the evening.

Florence is amazing! We have seen so many different and some flamboyant fashion styles here. Colours and patterns that should never go together and outfits that are dripping with money. I saw a young man wear the wildest set of rainbow tights I have ever seen, girls with ripped jeans, colourful leggings, unimaginably short shorts, boots and heels, flats and sandals. You name it, it's worn here.

The decadent food will also be a memory - salty proscuitto, fresh panini buns, creamy gelato, wood-fired pizza, tasty pork au jus, homemade pasta, nutella filled, icing sugar-coated croissants, huge chunks of parmiggiano and asiago cheese, spices, and limoncello.

Our senses have been brought to life in Florence. Our biggest regret - too little time in this amazing place.

---