Tuesday, September 13
Today we took the train to Florence (Firenze) and walked to the Hotel Albion dragging our suitcases behind us. It is a small charming hotel in a building ( built in 1845) with pointed church-like windows that used to be a school of sculpture.
Our three rooms are the only rooms on the 3rd floor up a winding staircase.
The rest of the day we walked around Florence past the spectacular Duomo – the church that has its plaid pajamas on – over the Ponte Vecchio, and through the market.
A very different feeling from Cinque Terre: lots of people out and about, more urbane, bustling.
A very different feeling from Cinque Terre: lots of people out and about, more urbane, bustling.
This evening we had dinner at Il Latini – a very memorable meal! This restaurant has only 2 seatings each night. We were there for the 7:30 seating and a large crowd had already gathered outside. For this restaurant, people need early reservations and I’m glad that Kris knew about it from her niece who’d lived in Florence, and got us some. The crowd was very friendly all exchanging notes on how they’d heard about the place and how they’d gotten reservations. Some people just came to the crowd to ask what all the excitement was all about. Finally at 7:30 a man came to the door and started calling out names and admitting people. The restaurant is large and has only large tables. Parties are seated together to fill up the tables. There is no menu – because there are no choices to make. The food just starts coming out – lots of it!! All Tuscan specialties served family style. An antipasto of cheeses and sliced meats, 3 kinds of pasta in different sauces, a platter of meats that would please Henry VIII. Large bottles of Tuscan wine are, of course, served with the food. Dessert is a platter of treats that everyone samples. (Weight Watchers was rolling in it’s grave!!) Somehow Lisa charmed the waiter with a spritely “Did I win a prize??!!” and we left with 3 free bottles of their wine. Definitely a recommended experience for anyone visiting Florence. But don’t wear a belt!!!
Wednesday, September 14th
Don and I went to the Leonardo da Vinci Museum while the others went to one of the big art museums in Florence. The Leonardo exhibit is a set of physical representations of the mechanical devices that Leonardo sketched in his notebooks. It was really quite fascinating – most of them could be manipulated and played with.
Don and I went to the Leonardo da Vinci Museum while the others went to one of the big art museums in Florence. The Leonardo exhibit is a set of physical representations of the mechanical devices that Leonardo sketched in his notebooks. It was really quite fascinating – most of them could be manipulated and played with.
There is a plaza across the river that provides a gorgeous panoramic view of Florence and the surrounding countryside.
The problem is you walk up about a million steps to get to the plaza and then another few thousand to get to a stone wall near the Boboli gardens where we ate our picnic lunch.
Then we walked down all those steps and back to our hotel where I took a hot bath and a nap! Travel is a physically demanding sport!
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