Rainy day in Florence

Florence, Italy

It's raining in the morning so we break out the umbrellas and plastic raincoats and head for the market. Our hotel is centrally located a block from the market, train station and three historic churches. The Nerbone in the market sells Staccatto (slow-cooked beef stew), Lampredotto (stewed intestines) and Panino con Bollito (sliced beef on a roll)...

The Duomo has a line of umbrellas about four blocks long waiting to get in so we go to plan B and walk the back alleys to the Pitti castle...Luca Pitti (not to be confused with Luca Brasi) built this palace ...you should read about Luca, Machiavelli and the Medici clan...somewhere in here they came up with double entry accounting...

 Same deal...long lines...my Dad told me never to stand in line so we go to plan C and walk up the hill to the Pazzalle Michelangelo which has a super view of Florence and the Arno River bridges...

 Later I wash my sneakers and jeans in a laundromat...it was one wash too many for the sneaks and the soles separate from the tops...too bad but they were stinking too much to wear in public anyway...

 We buy a bottle of Chianti to drink in the room...

 Maybe a train ride to Pisa in the morning?

 A nice day for a white wedding...

Hey little sister, what have you done?
Hey little sister, who's the only one?
Hey little sister, who's your Superman?
Hey little sister, who's the one you want?
Hey little sister, shotgun!

It's a nice day to start again
It's a nice day for a white wedding
It's a nice day to start again

Pisa & Florence

We are picked up in Livorno by a driver in a French diesel minivan. He takes us to Pisa and Florence.

Carol and the kids climb the leaning tower. It was closed for stabilization for twelve years.

Now they only allow 50 visitors in the tower at one time. They have erected new fences because of the unfortunate suicide jumpers in the past.

View of the cathedral and baptistry from the tower.

Overlooking Florence from Michelangelo Square

The Duomo.

We manage to get lost several times but eventually find our way.

Gelato from our favorite Florence gelateria.

Back on the boat.

Florence

We arrive in Florence about 3PM and find that Florence's museums are open at night with free admission. There are concerts and special events all around the city for the Notte Bianca, ...(White Night)...

 We wander the streets and find that we are close to the train station, the Duomo, and the Ponte Vecchio bridge...

I have five recommended gelato palaces circled on my map. You want to avoid the engineered stuff with additives, artificial flavors and pumped in air....ice crystals are a giveaway and blues and bubble gum pink are clues about the phoney stuff....

 We want to take the bus to Sienna one day and maybe Pisa on another....

Last night we shared a bottle of Chianti. I had a really nice octopus salad and grilled salmon and Mrs. Phred had veal Marsala and an eggplant salad. We shared tiramisu cake and watched the incredible crowds party and sing though the night....

Today (May 1st) is also a special occasion in Florence as The Girdle of Thomas ( Virgin's Girdle, Holy Belt, or Sacra Cintola) goes on display....Legend has it that Thomas (doubting Thomas) was the only Apostle to witness the ascension  of the Virgin Mary directly to heaven and she dropped to him  her girdle (belt?) on the way up....