Week 13 - A week of last minute things...
Sunday, Nov. 20
Blogging in the morning.
At 2:00 pm, we dress and walk to Omero to see if we can have lunch. It's busy and there is one table open. It's right by the window with a beautiful view.
 |
| The Tuscan view |
 |
| Artichoke and Prosciutto |
Bistecca alla Florentina
 |
| Looks pretty good |
 |
| Another look at the skyline |
 |
| Xmas is coming... |
 |
| Santa Croce |
Monday, Nov. 22 - Errands
Bus to Pitti Piazza to mail our package home:
Extra clothes
Gifts and other personal items
(The Shipping Company)
Then we walk toward Tigotà for personal items, etc. for trip home.
At Piazza Santa Croce there is a Street Fair "Buon Natale"
We stop for bratwurst and sauerkraut (at least, I do)
John has a plain hot dog and we have a beer.
Our walk toward the bus stop...
Someone actually lives in this place?
Walking along the Arno
 |
| The entrance to the boathouse? |
 |
| Where do these stairs go? |
 |
| take a right at the top of the stairs and you end up at Piazza San Felicita on Via Guicciardini |
We are a little early for our bus,
so we have a caffè latte at Bar D'Angolo
Yesterday, we found out the bus won't be going all the way to Pian de Giullari, so I go online to see where the bus will pick us up. The #38 and 38B only goes to the bottom of our hill. The #11 stop is just as faraway and goes into town.
We decide to take a bus tour - the #11 will go from the bottom of our hill to Galluzzo, turns around and then into town. So we walk to Bus Stop at Gelsomino to Galluzzo and then back into town.
 |
| Walk down the hill... |
 |
| Catch Bus #11 to Galluzzo |
Our walk then starts at Vigna Nuova, go to the "leather street" and buy gloves for John and me a new wallet (with a coin pocket)
Then on to Pointe Vecchio for shoes at Rive Gauche
and pillow slips at Obo Studios near Boboli Garden
 |
| Lights for Christmas |
 |
| Festive trees |
 |
| A bright moon |
The Courtyard
Entrance
 |
Upstairs
 |
| Peeking into the map room restoration of the globe is in process no photos allowed |
 |
| Camillus the general parades in triumph |
 |
| A bedroom? |
 |
| Stairwell ceiling the Medici "balls" |
 |
| Creation of the elements earth, wind, fire, water |
 |
| Room of Cosimo I Guess he had to look at the floor to remember who he was |
 |
| Fresco of Piazza Signoria |
 |
| Alessandro de Medici Top: as Mars Bottom: works on fortress of San Giovanni |
 |
| Alessandro de Medici as Mars |
 |
| A peek from a door |
 |
| Another look |
The last room is Sala Leone X, a room filled with de Medici nobles...
In the center of the room full of the Renaissance panels stands a Henry Moore statue
Stunning!
 |
| Warrior with Shield |
Donated by Moore to the City of Florence
We leave Palazzo Vecchio - start our walk back to Porta Romana
It's an hour or more before the bus we want, so we stop for a bite to eat...
Il Ricctteria
 |
| Ponte Vecchio |
 |
| Via Guicciardini |
We have to walk some from Via Fermi
Thursday, Nov. 25 Happy Thanksgiving
It's laundry day for us, so we walk down with laundry bag to Via Fermi to catch #38A bus.
While laundry is being done, we go next door to have lunch at Tuscan Taste.
It's raining and school's out - we catch a taxi home.
Friday, Nov. 26
This day is for straightening, cleaning and packing.
I take a last look out the back window and see "our" partridges, much closer today.
Can you find them?...there are 2
 |
| Almost done. |
Saturday, Nov. 27
 |
| All ready! |
 |
| Waiting for the Taxi |
 |
| Off to SMN station |
 |
| Last views from "the Hill" |
 |
| And we're off to Rome! |
---
Next Week ...
The train to Rome and Rome!
