Thursday at the Borgello, and traveling to Pisa on Friday

Good morning from sunny Italy.  Our Thursday was wind up Florence day and we had only one major thing to see and then, of course, shop.  We needed to be out of the apartment by 10AM. Which for us, could have been a stretch.

We took off for the Museo del Bargello, which Jerry and I had not seen either. It is

 

largely ignored by tour groups, but houses a comprehensive collection of Renaissance sculpture in a beautiful castle built in the 13th century. It houses some Michaelangeos and Donatellos. 

This is Michalengo's Bacchus 1496-97, God of wine drinking.
 He was only 20 when he sculpted this.

Here is another Bacchus by Giambologna.

I love sculpture.  

Here is a fairly new 1800's piece called the fisher boy. 

Isn't he great?

Mercury.  The original!

David and Dee Ann went off to try the navy leather coat, again. They didn't buy it.  :-(. Then they went to the Accademia to see Florence's claim to fame, Michaelangeo's famous DAVID.  We have seen it twice, so we just window shopped on our way back to the apartment.  We stopped at the train station, just up from the apartment, to check out tomorrow's train ticket to Pisa.  The lady said..."Oh seniora, there is a train strike tomorrow."  Only in Italy. So we went to the TI across the street to check out a bus.  The only bus that was guaranteed that wouldn't be on strike was the bus to the Pisa airport.  So we bought 4 tickets for 10:15AM Friday.  Looking for a lunch spot we stopped at a real authentic Italian spot.  Such a delightful lunch.  The waitress tried to explain the menu, we ordered.  Jerry got a chicken Caesar salad (fabulous) and I thought I had ordered pasta but it was a meat and cheese tray.  But it was good. And wine.  Of course, wine.

chicken Caesar salad

Rested for an hour. Walked up to the wine bar to meet the Reeds.  It was St. Patrick's day so we asked if anyone celebrated it around here.  Nope.

Here we are with the Saint paddy's day crowd.

Back to the apartment and made plans to go to Oste again for dinner, following packing.   We were welcomed by our lovely Isabella. All had steaks with Gorgonzola sauce, but Jerry, he had fish.

Not potatoes on the side.  Rocket salad inside Parmesan

Jerry had fish again

Tiramisu and chocolate pannacotta.  OMG!!!

We awoke by 8 and we're ready to go by 9:00.  Then walked up to the bus stop and waited, and waited, and waited.  Bus left on time we got to Pisa airport by 11:30 and took a taxi to our hotel.

Royal Victoria Hotel.  Built in 1839.  Rooms were old but clean.  12-15 ft. Ceilings. DeeAnn loved the antiques.  Right on the river, David said needed updating. It was fine for $75 a night.  Only here for one night.  We walked up to the leaning tower.  It really is amazingly beautiful.

It does not disappoint

The Pisa Cathedral

And we went into the cathedral.

Then the Babtisery.

Gorgeous

You can climb up

Doesn't everyone have to do this?

Cute town.  Nice FLAT streets. 

Veggie pizza for Dee

Jerry had....... Chicken salad.

I had spaghetti carbonara.  Which was Amazing!

So now you are caught up.  We are taking a train now to Genoa Italy.  Right on the Med and we are staying at the old port, so looking forward to sharing it with you.