On arrival into Florence (Friday, 3 September) one of the B&B owners was on the platform to meet me, walking back to the B&B was nice and easy when you have someone guiding you. Talking also helps to keep your mind off the heavy elephant you have on your back.
I had a couple of hours relaxing before going back to the train station to meet Bridget.
After dropping off Bridget's bag at the B&B we went off wandering the streets. "Town" was busy which wasn't surprising given its Friday afternoon and half the world is here visiting!
For dinner we went to a place that had amazing reviews and boy they were spot on!! Was a smallish place with no menu, and boy it was great.
Saturday morning we were up early, breakfast was to be served between 8.30am and 9.30am then we had to head to the train station to pick up Wendy and Desly (very old family friends) and their friend.
Breakfast was.....well not the usual breakfast we have been having. We will definitely be having coffee after we meet the others!!
We had a bit of mad dash to the train station and thankfully they were waiting in the ticket area for us. Fantastic to see them again, as it always is with family and friends.
After exiting the station we went in search for a bar for caffe - aah now feeling human again. We had no destination in mind, instead just wandered the streets. After awhile ended up at the markets, where I was pulled in 4 different directions trying to bargain in Italian - never an easy task. The big food market was out next stop and we all loved walking around seeing all the amazing food. Would be great to have a kitchen to go home too cook, instead we purchased some blue cheese to have later on.
Bridget had researched a place for lunch which was on the other side of the Ponte Vecchio than where we were, gave us the opportunity to walk over the Medieval bridge which has jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers shops.
Lunch was well worth the walk, the place was huge and packed and delicious. Bridget went for a local speciality, tripe, while I choose a "boring" eggplant pasta.
We stopped off at the Piazza della Signoria, where there is a replica statue of Michelangelo's David along with many other impressive statues. The buildings on the outside are just as impressive! A great place to sit to people watch.
On walking back to our B&B we stop off at the famous Duomo, I have visited numerous times and each time the exterior blows me away. It is in various shades of green and pink.
We had a couple more hours before they had to head back to the train station, so went back to our B&B to relax. Enjoyed a bottle of our champagne along with the blue cheese. A great way to end a lovely day.
Sunday morning we were up early, Bridget had tickets to visit the Uffuzi Gallery at 9.30am and we didn't want to miss the memorable breakfast which we had yesterday. What a joke this is!
Breakfast was worse than yesterday, if this is at all possible. The coffee is undrinkable! First stop for me will definitely be caffe, then the laundry matt. I've been very lucky so far that this will be my first visit to one since being away. I'd like to say hopefully my last as well but somehow don't think so.
After a few hiccups the laundry is finally working! 30 minutes later I'm heading back to B&B to make our room a Chinese laundry. The started the research for my trip to Greece.
I met Bridget at 1.30pm, first stop was lunch (pizza, salad and vino) then we wandered the streets. Went back to the markets we were at yesterday, nice to be able to look without being pulled in 4 different directions.
The manager of the B&B recommend a gelato place, Grom (http://www.grom.it/eng/index.php). We knew it was populate by the long line, which thankfully moved quickly. Sat by the Duomo eating every single mouthful as if it was my last.
We had a quick rest of the legs at the B&B before walking up to Piazza Le Michealango, a famous square. The panoramic views of Firenze are out of this world.
Alessandro (our food tour guide in Bologna) had recommend 2 places for dinner so off we went in search of them. We ended up on the same street we had been on on Friday night and within a few minutes located one of the places. Unfortunately as we didn't have a reservation there wasn't a spare table until 10.15pm....a tad late for us even though it was 9pm now. So back to square one, looking for somewhere. The place we choose definitely wasn't "rock your socks" but it wasn't awful either.
Monday morning I was woken early by the street cleaners and the room next to us, someone was leaving at 6am - what type of hour do you call this I ask??! Bridget ended up getting up 40 minutes later for a run and I started the awful task of packing up - never fun! Can't believe we are just having one night in Lucca, although thank goodness then I have 3 nights in Athens and 10 nights on an island.....days without packing up :)
We finally left the B&B at 9.30am, declined breakfast as we didn't have much time left. I thought it was a very good excuse! There was no way I was going to go through breakfast there again. First stop was a cafe for due caffe's each and uno pastry - ah la breakfast. Perfect.
We had two hours to wander around before having to return to the B&B to collect our bags. It was wonderful walking around with no elephant on my back.
For those of you that haven't been to Firenze wandering the streets is like being in a huge museum, so much to look at.
Our time had come to an end, we picked up our bags and started the slow walk to the train station. When I did the walk on Friday it really didn't seem that long, today I feel like we are walking the length of Africa!
Finally got to the train station and after a long wait to buy tickets we were set. Ciao Firenze, I'll be back!
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