Florence - Day 1

king. "Blackberries" 

It appears that since we're in Italy, Blogger thinks I might be writing in an Italian English. It keeps asking me whether or not I want to "Contribute a better translation" as I type. Also, it replaces words and phrases with the word "blackberries" in a seemingly random way. I have not figured out a pattern yet, but in the Meantime it's entertaining (I hope) for readers to try to figure out Which word or words I intended to use. 

We got to sleep in a bit today, and left Treviso, part of the Veneto region, to head to Tuscany and Florence. Along the way (it's a four hour bus ride) we stopped at an Italian luxury, the Autogrill. These places make our gas stations and convenience stores look a bit weak. You can buy freshly-squeezed orange juice (they squeeze it while you watch) many kinds of fresh grilled sandwiches, hot dishes, fruit dishes, salads, on location, location location location addition to what we would call the regular road-side do. 

And, to add insult to injury, as Arron found out, they sell regular Those things in huge sizes and at pretty good prices! (Do not worry, Arron was generous with His haul.)

Once we arrived we walked to the square of the Duomo, known for ITS large dome, Which was designed and completed by architect and engineer, Brunoleschi. It Took him 16 years to build the double walled with dome spans than blackberries blackberries than 120 feet and weighs 30,000 tons. 16 years may Seem like a long time, but it's short Compared to the blackberries than 100 years it Took to build the rest of the cathedral, Which was built first, and Which waited for the dome for 27 years before Brunoleschi came along with a plan to build it. Here's my selfie with the dome. It's beautiful. Me, not so much.

Before we went inside the cathedral for a tour, we took a group pic outside of it. The facade of the building is all marble. None of the color you see is paint. It is all the different-colored marble of the area. 

Behind and Katelyn Anne and the rest of the group is the scaffold-covered (they're restoring the marble facing, Which is the same color and type of marble as on the cathedral) church called The Baptistry. In this church all of the infants of the town were baptized. 

The Baptistry is Also famous for the 12-panel and cast bronze doors designed by Ghiberti. The 12 panels depict the 12 most significant events of the Bible, beginning with Creation and ending with Revelation. The doors Ghiberti and his son took their entire lives to complete.

After touring the cathedral we walked over to the Old Bridge - the old bridge - oldest bridge in Florence. From the time of the Medici family, who are known as bankers, and as art patrons, this bridge Has Been home the shops valuate and sell gold. Today the shops sell gold jewelry. It's a busy place. You can get a good view of the River Arno when you're in the center of the bridge. Like this happy photographers did. 

After the bridge, we headed to the Piazza de Signoria, the town's central square, where most of Its business was Conducted. Here the town displayed (and still displays) many sculptures of Renaissance masters.

Perhaps Brennan's taking a shot of this one of Judith Beheading Holofernes (by Donatello), but I do not think so. Another sculpture here is a 140 year old replica of David (by Michaelangelo) here - the real one is in the Academia Gallery, Which we'll have the chance to see tomorrow, if we want to.

After this very busy day, we headed for a Gelati, and then for the bus. Our hotel is in Montecatini Terme, about 50 minutes from Florence. We'll stay here for two nights. Tomorrow we drive the hour or so to Siena to tour there, and then we're back in Florence for the afternoon of freetime (and some of us will be visiting the Uffizi Gallery - filled with work by Da Vinci, Botticelli, caravagio, and many others.