This is my third time writing this entry, as my app has lost it twice already. So, I apologize if it ends up being brief.
My first full day in Florence started out with me doing laundry at a laundromat around the corner from the hostel. I then decided to do a Rick Steves tour called the Renaissance walk. The walk started at the Duomo, which is just as beautiful during the day as it is at night. I also saw the baptistery, which features awesome bronze doors that were made by Ghiberti. I then strolled down Via de'Calzaiuoli, and did some major window shopping. Then I saw the Piazza Della Repubblica, where there stands a triumphal arch celebrating the unification of Italy. From there, I went the the Orsanmichele church. There are lots of famous statues in niches around the exterior of the church, but I really enjoyed the inside. At this church stands an altar to the Madonna Della Grazie, where survivors of the plague would go and give thanks for their good fortune. Pretty cool, huh?
I then saw the palazzo vecchio, which was the government center during the Renaissance. Lots of famous statues stand here, including a replica of David (the original use to stand here, but it was moved after it's arm was broken off by a bench thrown during a riot) and the Rape of the Sabines, which was stunning. I then walked past the Uffuzi gallery and over the Ponte Vecchio. The Ponte Vecchio was alright, but it was mostly just crowded. I did think it was cool that it's the only bridge that was left standing in Florence after WWII.
After the Renaissance walk, I was pretty worn out, so I decided to get some lunch. I wandered around for a while, trying to find someplace not too touristy. I finally picked a spot, ordered a glass of wine, and asked the server to bring me something good. This is what she brought out:
Looks good, no? It was slices of tomato, eggplant and cheese. It tasted like heaven. So so so good.
After lunch, I decided to hike up to Ponte Michelangelo. There are stairs, but it is still very steep, and ended up taking me about 25 minutes to make it all the way up. The view from the lookout was definitely worth it though. I relaxed at the top for a bit, then eventually descended, went back across the river, and back to the hostel. I hung out at the hostel for a while, trying to video chat on skype with my parents, then I showered and got ready for dinner.
I was invited out to dinner by a girl named Nicole who was from Michigan. She had secured a restaurant recommendation from the hostel staff, and we set off. We chatted along the way about her German boyfriend and her occupation, which apparently was chef. I told her that she had to do all the ordering that night, to which she happily agreed.
We ended up having a four course meal. The first course was a plate of meats, cheeses, and pâté. The second was pasta with boar meat, which is apparently a local specialty. We then had steak florentine, which had to have been at least a 30 oz steak (we were splitting everything). Finally, we had almond biscotti which you dipped in dessert wine, and an ice cream dessert that was remarkably similar to those Baci chocolate candies. Finally, they brought out chocolates with the check, one which seemed to be chocolate with cinnamon, the other was very spicy. Everything was delicious, and we spent 50€ each (which included a bottle of Chianti). I returned to the hostel in a food stupor, and went to sleep
My first full day in Florence started out with me doing laundry at a laundromat around the corner from the hostel. I then decided to do a Rick Steves tour called the Renaissance walk. The walk started at the Duomo, which is just as beautiful during the day as it is at night. I also saw the baptistery, which features awesome bronze doors that were made by Ghiberti. I then strolled down Via de'Calzaiuoli, and did some major window shopping. Then I saw the Piazza Della Repubblica, where there stands a triumphal arch celebrating the unification of Italy. From there, I went the the Orsanmichele church. There are lots of famous statues in niches around the exterior of the church, but I really enjoyed the inside. At this church stands an altar to the Madonna Della Grazie, where survivors of the plague would go and give thanks for their good fortune. Pretty cool, huh?
I then saw the palazzo vecchio, which was the government center during the Renaissance. Lots of famous statues stand here, including a replica of David (the original use to stand here, but it was moved after it's arm was broken off by a bench thrown during a riot) and the Rape of the Sabines, which was stunning. I then walked past the Uffuzi gallery and over the Ponte Vecchio. The Ponte Vecchio was alright, but it was mostly just crowded. I did think it was cool that it's the only bridge that was left standing in Florence after WWII.
After the Renaissance walk, I was pretty worn out, so I decided to get some lunch. I wandered around for a while, trying to find someplace not too touristy. I finally picked a spot, ordered a glass of wine, and asked the server to bring me something good. This is what she brought out:
Looks good, no? It was slices of tomato, eggplant and cheese. It tasted like heaven. So so so good.
After lunch, I decided to hike up to Ponte Michelangelo. There are stairs, but it is still very steep, and ended up taking me about 25 minutes to make it all the way up. The view from the lookout was definitely worth it though. I relaxed at the top for a bit, then eventually descended, went back across the river, and back to the hostel. I hung out at the hostel for a while, trying to video chat on skype with my parents, then I showered and got ready for dinner.
I was invited out to dinner by a girl named Nicole who was from Michigan. She had secured a restaurant recommendation from the hostel staff, and we set off. We chatted along the way about her German boyfriend and her occupation, which apparently was chef. I told her that she had to do all the ordering that night, to which she happily agreed.
We ended up having a four course meal. The first course was a plate of meats, cheeses, and pâté. The second was pasta with boar meat, which is apparently a local specialty. We then had steak florentine, which had to have been at least a 30 oz steak (we were splitting everything). Finally, we had almond biscotti which you dipped in dessert wine, and an ice cream dessert that was remarkably similar to those Baci chocolate candies. Finally, they brought out chocolates with the check, one which seemed to be chocolate with cinnamon, the other was very spicy. Everything was delicious, and we spent 50€ each (which included a bottle of Chianti). I returned to the hostel in a food stupor, and went to sleep
I might have exploded had I eaten that four course meal! sounds good
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