A slow start again today as we have no set destination. We both need to do a bit of shopping and want to go down to the Via Guicciardini which is the street that comes off the Pont Vecchio. There are many high end tourist shops and different types of stores and vendors that we are sure we will find what we want. The Pitti Palace is also on this street.
Lyn has her heart set on a wine jug and a ceramic Christmas ornament with something to represent Florence. We have seen some lovely ones, they are hand painted and in many different styles. We spot a shop down a lovely looking alley and follow the signs to a wonderful shop. The artist runs this store and does most of the work herself. On top of that her prices are as nice as her patterns and Lyn find a jug for wine with the Florence emblem. She will also ship home for you.
She also has a three bedroom apartment upstairs to rent and if we were to do this again we would stay in this area. A lot busier but in the centre of everything with good amenities. We will check out her site and let you know more later.
Chris has been so excited since that visit to the mosaic museum and all the lovely stones. We pass a shop where they have beautiful treasures done in the style of the school of Florence. My heart is stolen by the most exquisite picture of the Pont Vecchio and I now have some rocks to take home! This will be a wonderful memory keeper of our time here. We now have to manhandle these treasures all the way home without damage.
We decide to walk up the street to the Pitti Palace and there is no line up at the gate! Our advice is to visit in the afternoon. Everyone else seems to charge the gates in the morning and there are long lineups then. We lucked out with a show of Caravaggio and his followers. This show is hosted both at the Pitti and the Uffizi. Our traveling gods were smiling again as this show will close this weekend.
If you are going to visit this palace wear your running shoes. You could not do the garden and palace in one day unless you were an endurance athlete. You will climb many stairs and walk for miles inside and out. Lyn thinks that this is the largest palace she has ever been in. It has the most rooms open to the public. The Medici family has left an incredible legacy to this city. There is no family left and the treasures were left to the city in the 1800s. We visited 3 galleries inside and each was unique in the style and time period of the world of art.
After leaving the Pitti we decide we have time to take in Michelangelo Piazzale which is high above city with the most incredible views of entire city. We jump on the bus and Chris pushes her ticket in the wrong slot in the machine and her ticket is lost. Now we have to find a kiosk that we can get another ticket. The fines are considerable for not having a valid ticket. 240 Euros. Not that we have ever seen anyone checking. Okay new ticket and off we go. Up, up, up through very swish neighbourhoods and above the city we went. On arriving your breath is taken away. There is Florence in all her glory. What a sight.
Once again we happen on the African super salesmen selling knock off purses. This is where they go in the day time and back to town for the evening. Again a big fine for having one in your possession. We hang over the railing taking pictures and trading with other tourists to take pictures of us together. After having our fill we are back on the bus and home to shed our purchases and go out for dinner. A good day all round. No planning and hit lots that we wanted to see.
Out for dinner again. Just across the street. We shared a salad of two types of mushrooms (big ones, I think one of them was porcini and the other one was kind of red on top) with lemon juice and olive oil dressing and big shavings of Parmesan cheese. Holy crow that is good. Chris had pasta in a tomato sauce with lobster. See Chris licking her fingers. Lyn was a bit more adventurous and had White Boar with black olives. Lyn gives it a C+. You have to order your veggies and potatoes separately. Off to bed as we are moving tomorrow and have to be up early
Travel Tip:
This is the web site for the shop Lyn bought her wine jug. If you are in Florence go & visit the owner. It is a lovely shop tucked away down an alley. There are so many lovely things. http://www.ceramichepontevecchio.com/cpv/jsp/ec/application/index.jsp
Palazzo Pitti
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