It was a rainy day in Florence....

I had an espresso yesterday about 3:00, so as you can imagine, I had trouble sleeping last night. David and I did manage got get up relatively early and after a breakfast of prosciutto, bread, yogurt, and apple we did some reconnaissance to figure out where we will catch the bus to Siena tomorrow. Thank goodness we did because it was a little harder to find than I expected and I would not have wanted to try and and do that with my backpack.

Of course, it was raining...so my cute outfit had to stay behind. Also, the streets were filled with guys trying to see umbrellas. There is always someone trying to sell you something. Why doesn't that happen back home? We just don't have that as part of our culture. Sure, there are the kiosk people at the mall, and the clipboard people, and homeless guys at every intersection, but there is not as much annoying sales back home. You know...the people who come up to you in a restaurant and try to sell you a watch.

Well, anyway... We had a busy day. Our first stop was Mywalit which sells the cutest...wallets. And purses. I will be going back to get this totally cute purse. I also have my eye on some really cute boots. I'm glad we are coming back to Florence because it is going to be a shopping extravaganza when we do!

Yee-ha!

Our next stop the Bargello, which is the national museum. It used to be a prison. There are some great Renaissance sculptures there - works by Donatello and Michelangelo and others. Our visit was cut a little short because I HAD TO EAT. We found a great place close to gather Piazza Della Signoria. We had a yummy assortment of focaccia sandwiches and finished it off with caffe macchiato. We sat next to young woman who was telling her boyfriend how she got an "excellent" in her Italian class, yet she spoke no Italian to the server. She probably though we were total morons too so I shouldn't talk.

Next it was off to the Gallileo Science Museum. Really cool, and on one there. At first I wondered what I had gotten myself into as I stared at the wax and terra cotta obstetrical models from the 18th century. If they want to scare women off from childbirth, that'd be the way to go. Use your imagination.

But, we also saw Gallileo's telescopes and HIS FINGER. Yeah, some of his followers cut it off and preserved it. I don't know why. Later, his thumb and index finger and a tooth were found as well. It seems Europe is littered with random preserved body parts (go back and see my post about our visit to Valencia, Spain).

Our next stop was Santa Croce, which was amazing. Gallileo, Michelangelo, Nicolo Macchiavelli all have tombs here and there is also a monument to Dante. There are also amazing frescoes here by Giotto and his godson (can't remember his name). The godson did a fresco series of the life of Mary. My favorite panel was the one where they are deciding who she will marry. Leaves and doves shoot out of the end of Joseph's walking stick indicating that he is the one. I'm a little disturbed that he looks old enough to be her grandfather, but I do like the addition at the bottom of the picture of the guy breaking his stick in frustration.



Of course, the day would not be complete without gelato so that was our next stop. Yummy.

We headed back to the apartment where we facetimed with my sister (yay!) and then lounged about before heading to dinner. We went to Tratorria Gabriello and it was quite good. David's ossobucco was yummy. No dessert....we were too full.

Tomorrow we head to Siena to begin our walking tour!