Arrival to Florence...

Week 2 - Sept. 5-11

Sept. 5, Sunday

Novotel Hotel, Bucharest, Romania

• Wake up call @ 4 am - actually wake up at 3 am and clean up, finish packing, etc.
• 4:40 go to lobby to wait for airport taxi 
• 5:00 am taxi to OTP 
• Takes an hour to find Luftansa check-in desk and then another 1/2 hour to get through security.
• 8:05 departure for Munich - on time
• Av Munich for 1 hour layover and customs check
• 12:30 departure for Florence - on time

Now in Florence: take the tram to train station and get taxi for Via del Pian de Giullari, 65!

Taking the tram to
Santa Maria Novella Train Station
then taxi to Pian de Guillari

Ponte Amerigo Vespucci

Porta Romana

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We meet Silvia and Giancarlo to tour the apartment and exchange information locally.

Pian de Giullari 65

We unpack, clean up, set up study/art space, then go to Trattoria Omero to pick up something to eat - just essential evening fillers…

Bread, cheese, salami, artichokes, tomatoes and almond stuffed olives plus a bottle of Prosecco.

Watch the sunset in the hills beyond through the Cypress and Olive trees of the Villa Galileo wall.

Looking out the window watching the sunset
thru the Cypress trees in Villa Galileo

Our 1st meal...
bread, cheese, salami, tomatoes, olive/artichoke mix
and, of course, Prosecco

Buona Notte

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Sept. 6, Monday

We explore our surroundings to see how we are to survive.

• Late wake up, leisurely dress for day.
• Walk to Porta Romana where everything we need will be???
• Need to get SIM card for my phone - found but have to get back tomorrow with passport
• Need to find the grocery store - Carrefour Express…get bare basics since we will be back tomorrow for more and heavy stuff.

• Taxis/Buses are in the porto - we grab a taxi home
• Showers and nap.

Dinner at Omero

Terrace has a beautiful view of the valley on the east

Appetizer - we shared pear w/panna cotta cheese salad

Bistecca alla Fiorentina with spinach

Wrapped beef (???) with spinach

Panna Cotta with caramel for dessert

We go home and to bed - we are still trying to get acclimated. 

Buonanotte

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Sept. 7, Tuesday

Need to get SIM card and groceries, today.

Want to figure out how to take the bus #38 home.

• Walked to Porto Romano
• Get SIM card - Euros 25: 5 for registration; 5 to connect; 15 for a month of service; Oct. 10 have to renew.
• Carrefour for groceries, etc.
• Take taxi home but bought tickets from the tabac. (11 euros)

Sept 7, Wednesday

Rest and settle in for the morning.

• Afternoon, we walk into Florence for lunch and look for Tigotá (Drug store)

• Lunch (Pizza) at PonteVecchio and then window shop, look at the tourist spots/museums

Ponte Vecchio

• Walk across town to find Togotá get personal products, etc.

• Rest at a small square and then walk back to Porto Vecchio to cross the Arno to Via Romana

Li-nea Bus #38 from Pian de Giullari to Porta Romana

Li-nea Bus #38 from Porta Romana to Pian de Giullari

• At Porta Romana buy tickets for bus 38 to Pian de Giullari. We have to wait 1/2 hour for the bus, but we are taken right to our door where the bus 38 ends.

• We nap, shower, eat and I watch Netflix, John reads/works and we go to bed.

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Sept. 9, Thursday

More exploring and getting acquainted with immediate area.

We walk down the road to Piazzale Michelangelo the popular viewing spot for tourists

Selfie of Florence

Another of Michelangelo's
David

San Miniato al Monte

The walk home back up the hill

Sept. 10-11, Friday and Saturday

Another walk to Porta Romana to get a sim card for John's IPad and some more groceries.

Looks far, but it's all down hill.
That's why we/I like taking the bus home from there.

Saturday, we rest my feet.  I'm doing well, only one developing blister on my right little toe and another developing on my left bunion. An overnight and day rest will get me going again for Sunday.

Saturday a short walk through the neighborhood

Villa Galileo Gate

Building up the street

The delivery truck has inches
on each side

Galileo School
for Boys & Girls

Now for a look at the apartment...

Living room and mirrored front door

Living room looking into kitchen

The study and guest room
with bathroom

Bedroom and bathroom thru the door on the left

This apartment is comfortable, with everything to make it feel like home.  It's on the second floor where the hillside breezes flow through the every room and lots of light streams throughout the apartment.

We are very happy.

And now we start another week of discovery of

Florence!