We started with an absolutely yummy lunch at da Nerbone in the mercato centrale. I had to be careful not to order the tripe (stomach lining), their specialty. We had pork and it was so good!
Next we went to the Accademia for our reservations to see Michelangelo's David. It is quite impressive! Esp. when seeing his "slaves" there - unfinished carvings "trying to break free from the stone". The slaves help you understand the complexity and amount of work involved. Amazing!
Then we walked over to the Santa Croce church - their "Westminster Abbey" - that holds the tombs of Renaissance giants and even Galileo. Many of the gravestones that line the floor are decorated with a full-size body, and it feels eerily disrespectful to accidentally step on them!
We decided to climb to the top of the Duomo's dome to view the city in the late afternoon sun. The 463 stairs to the top are within the layers (claustrophobic passageways) of the dome. It was pretty cool. I wish we could have gone slower to get a better feel of Brunelleschi's masterpiece, but the flow of tourists keeps you moving.
After working up a substantial appetite, we grabbed a picnic and wine from the popular bakery Forno Sartoni - and ate it on the wall of the Arno River, overlooking the Ponte Vecchio and setting sun. Unforgettable!
Lastly we got gelato from Perche No - a very old gelateria in Florence. Of their many flavors, we chose honey-sesame, chocolate, and white chocolate, and wandered around the old part of Florence.
We are staying at the Hotel Alessandra, next to the Ponte Vecchio. They are treating us exceptionally well! Our room is quite big and has a view of the Arno River. Our private bathroom is down the hall, which adds to the charm.
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