Florence

Florence was not as confusing to navigate as Venice was, but when we arrived it was so damn hot (over 100 degrees) we took a taxi to the apartment. Which of course, was on the top floor with no elevator. Abby and I are seriously going to be so strong after this trip. On another note, our apartment was right across from the Pallaza Pitti, so that was really cool.

We really only had one day in Florence because we were planning on renting a car the second day and traveling around a bit.

At this point though we realized that everything, absolutely everything, we had wanted to do in Florence, i.e. see the David in the Galleria d'Academia, go to the Uffizi, and so on required prior reservations - which we did not have.

So, at a bit of a loss, I suggested we find the Duomo. I am not exactly direction savvy and I can hardly follow a map but for some reason I instinctually knew the lay out of this city - much to Abby and her dad's surprise. I managed to get us to the Duomo without ever reading a map. I have to say I'm quite impressed with myself on this fact. But really, I think my sense of direction in Florence is due to the numerous art history classes that gave me a good glimpse of the architectural layout of the city.



Again, it was so hot in Florence that we had hardly walked over the Ponte de Vecchio before we had finished our water bottles. Moreover, Abby and I were in shorts and tank tops. In other words, when we got to the Duomo, we weren't allowed inside. I had a brief moment of desperation and actually bought a couple of the scarfs from the street marketers to try to get inside but then I realized, I really didn't care so much about getting inside the duomo as I did about climbing to the top of the duomo.

I mentioned this to the rest of the gang, and luckily everyone seemed up to it. In hindsight, I think had we known how crazy it was to get to the top, we might have thought differently especially given the temperature of the day.

We trekked the 463 steps up to the top of the duomo, some of the stair cases were spirals that felt like they would never end. Some of the them were so narrow you had to press yourself against the wall so that others could pass and some of them were so steep you were practically horizontal to the ground trying to make it to the top.

At one point, you walk along this walkway about 100 feet below the top of Brunilessci's dome on the interior of the church. It was a close up view of the paintings and hey, Abby and I got to go inside the church after all. The walkway was a little unnerving, it wasn't more than three feet wide (though it had very very tall railings), and it was at least 200 feet above the ground.

When we finally reached the top we were so hot and so thirsty but it was totally worth it. The view was incredible.

I lost my shit though at the top of the duomo. I turned around and there I saw a bunch of people standing around watching this one dumbass writing on the wall of the duomo. NO ONE was saying anything everyone was just watching him. So I tapped him on the shoulder and started yelling at him. Then on our way down to the ground, we had to walk on the walkway again. There was a guard there, so I told him about the boy and what he was wearing and the guard radio'd for security back up. I wish I knew how it turned out, but I like to think he was arrested. The duomo is a national monument and I'm sure they don't take it too lightly when people deface it.

I was so mad though I thought I was going to cry.


On our way to the Duomo I was desperate to find a bank. I was down to less than 20 euro in cash, but I was looking for one of the specific banks I could withdraw from. A BNL d'Talia. We must have stopped in to at least six banks and a few currency exchanges asking for directions to the nearest one. No one could help us. Finally I found a bank that I knew I could withdraw from so I felt better about life for a bit, but then after the duomo, Abby and I went one direction and her brother and dad went another with plans to meet up by the carousal in a half hour.

Kid you not, right behind the carousal was the largest bank and of course, it was a BNL d'Talia. We all had a good laugh at that.

Are next stop was for some much needed gelato and water. We went back to the apartment after that to chill out a bit before finding a place for dinner and to watch the eurocup again. It was the deciding match between Italy and Germany for who would compete against Spain that upcoming Sunday in the championship.

We ended up finding this nice resturant that also happened to be showing the game and ended up with some incredible food. More homemade pasta and lots of proseco!

A copy of the Statue of David                          Some other really cool statue outside the Academia

The Duomo

The Duomo

The Paintings inside the Dome

Check out the drop!

The only place on the Ponte de Vecchio that you can see the water (the rest is shops shops shops and a passage way on top for the Medici family - it went from the Palazza Pitti, which was once their home, to the Uffizi, which was once their offices)

A street painter and as I so brilliantly pointed out "Look! It's like the Italian Street Painting Festival!"

(Italy won by the way, Abby, Carlito, and I are beyond excited to watch the finals in Rome).

(also, I'm looking at not getting to the Uffizi or the Gallerie d'Academia as an excuse to come back to Florence in the future)