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Published: April 11th 2015
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John woke up exceptionally early and rather than go back to sleep went out for a walk! NO TOURISTS! A few vehicles. People setting up their street-side shops. Street cleaners. Fabulous.
John walked through the main piazza, up the high-end shop street to the Duomo, then on to the central market and the train station. Amazing how few people there were. Attached are two pictures of the Ponte Vecchio, the bridge with all the gold shops, one taken at 6:30 AM and one at 11:30 AM today. Do you notice any difference?
Stopped for a cappuccino at a working person’s pasticcheria (pastry shop) to keep the energy up. What fun to watch the people come in and get their hit and then leave for work (especially as we are on holiday and don’t have to work). The Duomo and all the streets surrounding it were heavenly without the crowds.
After breakfast we walked back to the Mercato Centrale and all the leather ships around it (all have both stores in buildings and on the street). The market was active with locals doing their Saturday purchases. The leather shops were busy with tourists purchasing terrific locally made leather purses,
bags and apparel. John got a great deal on a summer leather jacket and we picked up some gifts for friends and relatives.
We visited the Medici Chapel in the same area. It is the final resting place of all the famous and infamous Medicis, from Cosimo to Lorenzo and the various Grand Dukes. The chapel is huge and done in various stones, including detail work in lapis and other semi-precious stones. Next to the chapel and its HUGE tombs is a smaller chapel for the founding fathers of the Medici line in Florence, each with statuary by Michelangelo. The combination of the two chapels is very impressive and wonderful to see.
Walking back to the hotel to drop off our new purchases, we skirted the crowds and quickly made our way to the Antique Market (more like a series of second-hand shops) to the east of the Duomo. This whole area was packed with local residents out for their Saturday chores and visits with friends. How wonderful to see their slow pace and elegant style. We settled into Caffe Cibreo for lunch and enjoyed a terrific meal. We ordered tortellini with red sauce, a series of antipasti
(meats, vegetables, an amazing yoghurt with lemon and turmeric, and pepperoncini), artichoke and a sample of desserts. What a great meal. We have been to the dinner Cibreo and it was terrific, so we were pleased to experience the daytime café.
We walked back via the Scuola del Cuoio (the Leather School) behind the sacristy in Santa Croce. The leather school was started by the Franciscans in the Renaissance to help the poor develop a trade. It has been doing a terrific job ever since. Their styles are incredibly contemporary (copied by many of the big houses) and their prices are very good. It's a great place to get little gifts for people and that is what we did as we made our way home for a little rest before going out again.
Out to the Hotel Bernini for a drink and a walk around the Centro Storico (old historic center) before turning in. Our walk took us to the St Regency Hotel on the Arno. We had another – less alcoholic drink – and discovered some kind of exhibit of Fiat brands, including old Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, Unos and Cinquecentos. Taxi to home and to bed. We
may want to escape the area tomorrow as there will be a 10K covering the entire center of the city, and starting at around 7AM. Perhaps San Marco in the morning.
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