Seeing the sites in Firenze

There is soooo much Renaissance art here in Italy! We went to see Michaelangleo's David statue and also the unfinished slaves yesterday at the Accademia. I got a photo of David illegally (no photos are allowed anymore)! Ahh, it was amazing- so tall and life like! I've never been so struck in my life by a sculpture! Our group just stood and stared at the monumental figure for at least half an hour alone.

Pictures do no justice!!!

The veins in the arms and details like the toenails just make it that much more realistic, but there are parts that are not exact (like the size of the head and hands). After that museum, our fearless leader, EUG, led us around the city on foot (sometimes in front of vespas and cars!) to see the Medici Palace, the Pitti Palace, the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, Vecchio Palace, Ponto Vecchio (bridge with gold shops), San Lorenzo's Basilica and Market and some other churches. There was so much to take in so we were rewarded with 2 scoops gelato at the end of the day! Yay for nutella and coffee in a cone! I'm not addicted, I promise.

Here is the Duomo/Santa Maria:

View from the Vecchio Bridge of the Fiume Arno:

Average street here: tall, shuttered buildings with wooden doors on narrow, stoney streets full of vespas! Watch out!

Today we went to the Uffizi Gallery to see some famous paintings. Sadly, I did not venture to break the rules and take a picture, but I saw Botticelli's famous The Birth of Venus as well as The Spring. (found picture online):

I'm beginning to feel a sore throat coming on, so I'll be sure to drink something hot at dinner. We have our group dinner tonight- once a week and we're going out for lasagna this time. All the rest of the time, we pay for our own food with the 80 or so Euro/week we have alloted. But our group dinners are a special treat! And it takes quite the capable cafe to serve our group of 19! We have one dinner in each city. I had steak in Paris and pizza in Venice, ice cream in both.

I'm headed back the the leather market before dinner, hopefully I can find an inexpensive leather bag or sandals. I've got to use my bargaining skills and charm to get the lowest price, or so I've heard.

MMMMM gelato!!!!!!!! <3