Buona Serra. Today you get two blogs in one. My iPad is not as easy to blog from as my laptop was last year so I am combining 2 days for my convenience. Tuesday and Wednesday were Busy! Tuesday we walked completely across town to Santa Croce Church and attached Leather school. Florence is known for its leather goods, and you can hardly walk 10 feet without stumbling over a leather store. So after going to the daily market, we took off on a beautiful day to see dead guys and beautiful leather work. After walking 5.2 miles we came home. Dead tired. Made pasta for supper. Well the lady at the market actually made it. We heated it up!
Wednesday. Dave and Dee went to the Uffizi Gallery. Best collection of Renaissance art in the world. We have been there twice so we arranged to meet them at 1:00 for lunch. Jerry and I went to the market to shop for dinner. The market, open every day until 2:00 is where locals shop. Amazing. Then we met them for lunch and went to the Galileo museum of Science.
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| These are happy travelers |
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| On the way we saw artists with chalk. |
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| A fountain to fill up your water bottle |
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| Guys trying to sell me bags.- I actually bought this one for Jo. |
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| Santa Croce church. This is old (1294) and houses hundreds of tombs of famous people. |
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| Galileo |
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| Michelangelo, who grew up in this neighborhood. |
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| Dante |
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| Machiavelli. And hundreds of others that we don't know. |
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| This church is also known for its beautiful frescos that cover the walls by the altar. |
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| Really no photos can do it justice. |
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| Also a repository for some great art. |
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| These people PAY to go to school here. Everything is done by hand. |
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| We were there at least an hour and she was still working on this purse handle. |
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| DeeAnn found a coat. Gorgeous! |
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| It's reversible too! She looked at this coat numerous times, but did not buy it! |
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| We left and bought gloves instead. |
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| Then lunch and a little retail therapy at Ponte Vechio (bridge full of jewelry shops.) |
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| Jerry and I hit the market while they went to the museum. Dried fruit and nuts |
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| Fresh pastas |
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| Veggies and fruit (we bought artichokes...5 for 3 euro.) |
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| The melons and fruit are amazing |
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| Jerry's favorite stall |
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| Pig heads and legs...just in case you are out of them. |
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| Tripe (cow lungs). Yum mm (ick)! |
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| Beef steak - There is no prepackaged meat. They whack it off to order. |
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| Ducks and chicken with feet & heads.Because no European would buy without knowing what it was. |
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| Cheese 2.2 lbs for about $17.00 |
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| Making pasta |
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| Making pasta |
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| Had lunch here at the exit to the gallery. Good sandwich, and cappuccino. |
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| At the Galileo Science Museum. Pocket sundial before watches. |
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| Americus Vespuchi - Jerry's hero |
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| Galileo's telescopes!!!! |
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| Early thermometers. |
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| Early thermometers. |
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| telescopes |
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| Personal scale. Sit in the chair and your servant puts weights on the Balance. |
2 museums in one day is all feet can handle. We stopped to buy bread and are back in the apartment now. The trip is busy but we don't want to miss anything while we are here. Leave Friday for Pisa and then Genoa. Trip of a lifetime!!!!! Ciao!
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| Oh, David bought a hat. What do you think? |
