Florence, Italy

5 - 7 May 2017

I stayed up late last night blogging, but it was OK since we can sleep in a bit since we now have two full days in Florence instead of just one.  We do have a couple of appointments with the first being a lunch date at 12:30 PM.  So, we slept in a bit, woke up, showered, and cooked some breakfast in the apartment (eggs, fruit, cheese, yogurt, juice, and toast).  We left the apartment around 10:30 AM, 2 hours before our lunch date.

Who are we meeting for this lunch date?  Well...here he is.  Isn't he magnificent?!?

After seeing Michelangelo's David (sculpted 1501-1504), all other sculptures might appear pale in comparison.

Two unfinished Michelangelo sculptures.

Florence Cathedral (built 1296-1436)

The doors of the Baptistry of the Cathedral of Florence - the head to the right is a self portrait of the doors designer/builder.

And then we walked on go Piazza della Repubblica (Republic Square).

"The Palazzo Vecchio ("Old Palace") is the town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria with its copy of Michelangelo's David statue as well as the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi."  "David" stood in this spot from 1504-1873, when he was taken inside, away from the elements, into Gallery of the Academy of Florence.

"The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli generally thought to have been made in the mid 1480s."
Right here in front of us at the Uffizi Gallery!

Tim has "Dr. Suess-on-the-brain" and so snapped these photos - whimsical real life visions...

Bridges over the Arno River - especially notice the bridge with habitable and shop structures.

Archea Brewery

Florentine cuisine.  Seafood pasta.  A Florentine steak.

Medici Chapels - tombs of the powerful Medici family - these sculptures by Michangelo.

Really big tombs.

Strange sculptures and religious relics.

Inside Florence's Cathedral.

Outside the same.

Italy's "Brew Dog" brewery, and Black Angus (and imitation Black Angus) burgers, all very tasty.

Iconic view of Florence - looking back at the Cathedral.