Florence is absolutely wonderful! It lived up to and exceeded my every expectation. Ever since my European Art and Architecture paper at Massey I have wanted to go ... and it was great.
This is the view from the Ponte Vechio ... and a rower very obligingly completed the postcard scene.I bought lovely black leather gloves from the shop on the bridge ... despite the rude man in the market saying it was "Impossible!!!!"
I took this photo!
Another stunning view from the Ponte Vechio, Florence. Early winter really was a stunning time to see Italy.
The view of Florence from the hills above the City were just beautiful. We had clear gorgeous days.
After leaving the Plaza Michaelangelo we strolled down the hill and stumbled upon the Bardini Gardens. So we climbed back up the hill through these beautiful gardens and at the top we entered the Boboli Gardens. I wandered down the Palazzo Pitti while Pippa saw the gardens from end to end.
I will find the name of this glorious sculpture sometime .. but I loved the fluidity of the marble. This was just one of many beautiful art works in the covered area of the square near the market in Florence.
I thought of my friends a lot while I was away ... and would have bought this back as the perfect present for my dear friend Chris - who has every gadget known to man..... except a bacon slicer ... for which he is pining. I think this one would be perfect!
Never let it be said you can't sit in a posh restaurant, in a posh touristy place, without spending a fortune...
The Florentines, in fact I'd go so far as to say every Italian we met, have no customer service ethic at all. They treat customers with something nearing on distain and so long as you didn't take it personally it was fine.
This was the statue that graced the square in Florence, that housed the restaurant, where we sat and sat and sat and sat and waited and waited for the menu... we could have left, nicely rested after half an hour without spending a cent!
The vegetable markets in Florence were beautiful ... we bought the sweetest strawberries seduced by their smell!