Sunday, May 1, 2011

Florence Overview - walking tour around the city

May 1st (aka  Labour Day)

It actually may be a bit of a blessing in disguise that I may not be able to post my pics up ( haven't figured out how on ipad). I have travelled to several  places, many of them, I feel, I cannot possibly capture their essence on a photograph. Photographs do not give justice to what you are seeing/experiencing in real life. This is true of this trip so far. 

Today, already with matching battle scars on my feet from too much walking, (V-shaped scabs on the top of each foot) from my Gladiator sandals, I walked around Florence. Starting from Santa Maria Novella, I  walked all over to the major sites looking on the outside of such places as the Dome of Brunelleschi, Giotto's Bell Tower, Baptistry  of San Giovanni, Basilica of San Lorenzo, Medici chapels, Uffizi Gallery, palazzo Vecchio, Church of Santa Maria Novella, church of Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio, Dante's House, Pitti Palace and all in between including an Iris garden at the far side bottom of Piazza de Santa Croce. For the next two weeks, I will be visiting these historic sites individually and hopefully have the opportunity to share and post my visits.

It so happens that today is labour day. There was a lot going on in Piazza Della Signoria. There were marching bands and a variety of celebratory pageantry (that I couldn't see because I'm too short and there were too many people). 


Food:  I had tagliatelle with porcini in a restaurant near Piazza Della Signoria. It was delish -- so simple but so tasty. I made a mental note to try to make it when I'm home. It cost €12 + €2 service charge.