It’s a drizzly fall day in Siena, Italy. We arrived this morning via local bus from Florence. When lunchtime rolled around, we ducked into a cozy little restaurant where we had a wonderful lunch of ribollita. We needed to walk it off before heading back to Florence. Little did we know that our bus ride back from Siena would have a bit of excitement. Continue reading “Mystery and Intrigue on the Bus Ride Back from Siena”
Day Trip to Siena
It’s a chilly, drizzly fall day in Florence. Not the best day for a day trip to Siena, but we’re going anyway. And to make the trip just a little more scenic, we’re going to take the local bus to get there. If the cloudy skies behave themselves, it should be an interesting day. Continue reading “Day Trip to Siena”
Stendhal Syndrome and The Charterhouse of Parma
We’re in Florence, but instead of doing a normal tourist thing today, we’re taking a detour to get inside the head of Stendhal – the writer who was so overwhelmed by the beauty here, he became seriously ill. Today, Stendhal Syndrome is considered to be a legitimate illness. Continue reading “Stendhal Syndrome and The Charterhouse of Parma”
Stendhal and the Charterhouse of Parma
If you’ve been following along, you may recall reading about Stendhal Syndrome. Stendhal was a 19th-century writer who was so overwhelmed by the magnificence of Florence that he got seriously ill. It sounds crazy, but Stendhal Syndrome is considered to be a legitimate illness. Since we’re here in Florence, let’s take a detour from the tourist path and get better acquainted with Stendhal. Continue reading “Stendhal and the Charterhouse of Parma”
The Costume Gallery in Pitti Palace
It’s our first full day in Florence. We were having a delightful stroll through Boboli Gardens, but the darkening skies were threatening rain. They wouldn’t dare, would they? They would! They did! We made a run for the nearest shelter – Pitti Palace. We ducked into a recess surrounding a side door to the palace. The door was open. We went in. Wow! Continue reading “The Costume Gallery in Pitti Palace”
Florence – Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens
Florence is a great city for tourists. There’s as much to see and do as here as there is in a large city, but Florence is relatively compact, so anything you’d like to see is within easy reach. Our next Florentine destinations are Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. The overcast sky is getting darker and threatening rain, but let’s go anyway. Continue reading “Florence – Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens”
Lunch in Fiesole – Mamma Mia!
There’s a little town on top of a hill on the outskirts of Florence called Fiesole. The view of Florence from up there is supposed to be great. We’re going to go to Fiesole, have some lunch, and check out the view. C’mon! Continue reading “Lunch in Fiesole – Mamma Mia!”
I Got Scammed!
I thought it would never happen to me. But it did. I got scammed. Let me take a break from writing about frolicking in Florence to tell you about it. Here’s how it happened… Continue reading “I Got Scammed!”
Michaelangelo’s David – and Goliath?
Florence, Italy – city of beauty, history, and art. Visitors come here for a lot of reasons, but my guess is that the number one draw is Michaelangelo’s statue of David. It’s here in Florence’s Galleria dell’ Accademia. We’re headed there now. C’mon! Continue reading “Michaelangelo’s David – and Goliath?”
First Day in Florence
It’s our first day in Florence. After arriving by train from Venice, we checked into our hotel and headed out to explore the neighborhood. Walking on Via Calzaiuoli toward Piazza della Signoria, we came to a building called Orsanmichele. Statues of saints lining its walls sent us back to the Dark Ages to get the back-story. Let’s finish what we started last time. Continue reading “First Day in Florence”
